Sen. Bunde to be Honored for DNA Forensics Legislation; America’s Most Wanted Host Walsh to Present Award

Juneau – Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage, will be honored in Philadelphia on July 22 for his contribution toward getting legislation passed to require DNA samples to be taken from suspected criminals when they are arrested for felonies or crimes against other persons.

The award will be presented by John Walsh, host of the television show, America’s Most Wanted, at a luncheon hosted by DNASaves.org in Philadelphia, PA. The luncheon is being held while legislators are in town for the annual convention of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

“I appreciate the honor, and am glad I was able to do my part to help modernize Alaska’s DNA database to better protect the public,” Bunde said. “It seemed to me that upon a felony arrest, a DNA sample should be taken, a modern day fingerprint, if you will. However, I will not be able to attend the luncheon, and have asked my colleague, Sen. Gene Therriault to accept this award on my behalf.”

Previous to 2007, the state’s DNA database was limited to criminals who had been convicted of a felony. As forensic DNA technology improved over time, states were able to share more DNA data with other jurisdictions, to better track criminals, and states began changing their laws to require taking DNA samples at the time of felony arrest. In 2007, during the time Bunde’s legislation to require this was being considered in committee, Kenneth Dion was arrested for the 1994 rape and murder of Bonnie Craig, providing the impetus to incorporate Bunde’s bill into an omnibus crime bill, House Bill 90.

Dion’s DNA match was made from a New Hampshire DNA database following an arrest for burglary. Karen Foster, Bonnie Craig’s mother, and others close to the Bonnie Craig case believe that if Alaska’s new DNA swabbing requirement had been in place in 1994, Dion would have been identified as the prime suspect within a year of her murder.

DNASaves.org was begun by the family of Katie Sepich, who was raped and murdered in 2003. It advocates for the adoption of laws requiring the taking of DNA samples upon felony arrest, also known as “Katie’s Laws.”

Therriault and Wagoner to Attend Legislative Energy Horizon Institute

Juneau – Sen. Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, and Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai, have been selected among 32 legislators from both the US and Canada to attend a comprehensive series of energy forums, the Legislative Energy Horizon Institute, which will examine the full spectrum of energy generation, infrastructure, regulation and government oversight. The objective of the Institute, which is sponsored in part by the University of Idaho with the support of the US Department of Energy, is to examine the complexity and policy questions surrounding current North American energy generation and distribution issues.

“It is an honor to be selected to attend the Energy Horizon Institute, which has the goal to keep a core group of policy makers up to date on the multitude of energy issues states will be wrestling with over the coming years,” Therriault said. “Energy, whether it is oil and gas, coal, electricity, or biomass, is vital to Alaska’s future, as an exporter of energy as well as for our own consumers. I look forward to putting the knowledge I gain at the Institute to work for Alaskans.”

“Maintaining a continuity of knowledgeable members in a legislative body, who are intimately familiar with the complex details you find with all energy issues, is really crucial to crafting productive, appropriate energy policy,” Wagoner said. “This is important to protecting the interests of Alaskans in these energy debates.”

Attendance at all sessions is mandatory for participants, who will receive a University of Idaho certificate at the conclusion of the program.  The first session of the program will be held in Boise, ID from July 12-16, and will include overviews of electric generation and transmission, natural gas, petroleum and strategic leadership. The program curriculum extends over a period of 18 months and will include seminar training as well as monthly “webinars” and other training materials.

“By accepting the invitation to participate in the Legislative Energy Horizon Institute, I look forward to not only bringing information back to Alaska, but also taking information about Alaska’s role in the global energy markets for members from other jurisdictions to consider” said Therriault.

Senate Republicans: TC Alaska/ExxonMobil Agreement
Positive For Alaska and Gas Pipeline

NORTH POLE – The Senate Republican Caucus provided the following comments on today’s announcement by TC Alaska and ExxonMobil regarding their agreement on the Alaska North Slope Gas Pipeline project.

“Certainly today’s announcement is very positive for Alaska and the country.  While it appears that this agreement honors the terms of AGIA while advancing an Alaska Gasline project, we will be very interested to look more closely at all the details, to be assured that the state’s “must haves” in AGIA will be protected.  I appreciate that their announcement continues to acknowledge the possibility of an LNG option that includes a liquefaction facility in Valdez,” said Sen. Gene Therriault, R – North Pole.

While several key aspects of the announcement are worthy of highlighting, such as TC-Alaska remaining the licensee under AGIA, and the open season timeline continues on schedule, Therriault noted, “This agreement marks a serious breakthrough for the gas pipeline project in that ExxonMobil’s partnering acknowledges that TransCanada’s ability to advance a project using the Northern Pipeline Act (NPA) is a significant advantage compared to the National Energy Board (NEB) process in Canada.  For years legislators were told by some that there was no advantage to using the NPA rather than the standard approval process of the NEB.”

“Throughout this process we always predicted that TransCanada and the companies would come together and negotiate an agreement.  This announcement today between TC-Alaska and Exxon goes a long way towards a commitment to see this project through,” said Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai.

“I am hopeful that today’s announcement will quiet those who appear to have been hoping for failure of the AGIA process,” said Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage.

“We look forward to the continued development of solid construction cost data which the state and other interested parties will need as we approach an open season in 2010,” said Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River. “Construction of the pipeline is still not assured; however, this agreement is a real step forward.”

Legislature Adopts Resolution Supporting NPS Rule to Allow National Park Users to Carry Firearm for Protection

JUNEAU – The Alaska Legislature has overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution to send a message to the Obama administration in support of a National Park Service regulation allowing park users to carry a concealed handgun for personal protection. Senate Joint Resolution 3 passed with just one dissenting vote in the House.

“I thought it was important to express our appreciation to President Bush for adopting the regulation to allow park users to carry the firearms they need for personal protection in national parks,” said Sen. Gene Therriault, prime sponsor of SJR 3.

The regulation was adopted in the waning days of the Bush administration and went into effect in January. It was challenged by gun control and environmental groups, who argued the Bush administration had not conducted a thorough assessment of the environmental impact the regulation could cause. A federal judge in March issued a temporary injunction on the regulation.

Alaska contains more than 75 percent of the land mass of the National Park system, and Alaskans understand how important it is to have personal protection when in the wilderness, Therriault said.

“Whether they are used for bear protection, obtaining food in a survival situation, or signaling for assistance when needed, firearms have been on the hips and in the arms of Alaskans since the frontier was first explored,” Therriault said. “Today, the unbroken wilderness and inherent dangers of the backcountry have been exacerbated with the conditioning of animals to lose their natural tendency of avoiding humans.”

The resolution calls on the Obama administration to support the rule and improve on it. While the concealed carry rule has been temporarily held up by the injunction, park users can carry handguns into the parks, as long as they are unloaded, disassembled, and not immediately accessible in a backpack.

“Carrying around an unassembled, unloaded gun in the Denali backcountry is not going to be of much use if you are suddenly charged by a bear,” Therriault said.

Legislature Approves Therriault Bill to Exempt Some Service Area Decisions From Open Meetings Act

JUNEAU – By a vote of 35-4, the Alaska House of Representatives on Friday passed SB 48, providing an exemption to the Open Meetings Act for all municipal boards, commissions, and committees meeting solely to administer and manage existing policy. A public meeting which includes discussion and action on policy matters, such as contract negotiations or setting service area tax rates, will still require public notice.

“Senate Bill 48 makes a distinction in the Open Meetings Act between the meetings of boards or committees that are meeting strictly to administer a policy, as opposed to those meetings which discuss and set public policy,” Therriault said. “For example, if we have a road washout or a heavy dump of snow, road commission members need to be able to deal with the problem, that is, to administer a previously decided policy, without being in violation of the Open Meetings Act.”

SB 48 also clarifies an abnormality in state law regarding the definition of a “meeting.” Currently, meeting requirements for advisory bodies are more stringent than those for policy setting bodies. SB 48 places the same open meetings requirements on advisory bodies as are on government agencies authorized to establish public policy.

The bill is awaiting transmittal to the Governor for her signature. It will take effect 90 days after it is signed.

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