Senate Adopts Giessel Amendment to Remove Blanket Ban

on Felons Serving on State Boards and Commissions 

(Juneau) Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, today proposed an amendment to HB 279 to remove a section that would have enacted a complete ban on persons serving on state boards and commissions who have been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude. The amendment was adopted by a vote of 11-8.

“There are several concerns with putting this ban in this particular bill,” Sen. Giessel said. “First, this is a policy call involving the rights of felons, which should have been reviewed by the Judiciary committee. The bill in question, HB 279, is a sunset review bill, which extends the sunset dates of a half-dozen boards. A provision banning appointment of and participation by felons on state boards should be a bill of its own. Read the rest of this entry »