{"id":47842,"date":"2019-05-14T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/news\/capitol-live-senate-nears-passage-of-crime-bill\/"},"modified":"2019-05-14T15:15:17","modified_gmt":"2019-05-14T23:15:17","slug":"capitol-live-senate-nears-passage-of-crime-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/news\/capitol-live-senate-nears-passage-of-crime-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Capitol Live: House rejects Senate’s changes to crime bill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t\t

3:15 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

One interesting storyline: Sen. Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River (we had quotes from her much earlier today from her speech on the floor) sat in the gallery and watched the House vote down the Senate’s bill. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Here’s a shot of her, via Michael Penn: <\/p>\n

\"Sen.<\/a>

Sen. Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, listen from the House gallery, as representatives speak to concur with the senate crime bill at the Capitol on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:53 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

So, this bill hangs in purgatory with just one full day left in the normal session.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

If I’m not mistaken, the Legislature can get a 10-day extension to the session. Or, of course, the Legislature or governor can call a special session.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Oh, and the size of the Permanent Fund Dividend also hasn’t been figured out. We’re going to be here a while longer, folks.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:50 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Here’s the board:<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The vote on HB 49.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t

2:45 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Quickly, the vote comes up whether to concur with the Senate’s version. By a slim 22-18 margin, the vote fails. This bill will not pass today. Two members of the Majority — Andy Josephson and Chris Tuck — voted to concur. The rest was along caucus lines.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:40 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Rep. Chuck Kopp is the first Majority member to speak. He says the Senate added more than 20 pages to this bill and added hundreds of millions in spending to it. He says he strongly believes there needs to be a conference committee with members of both body to work out changes.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

“Rubber-stamping changes of this magnitude is irresponsible,” Kopp says.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

He says he won’t vote to concur because he wants to meet with members of the other body to make sure he understands everything in this bill.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Of course, session is supposed to end tomorrow. That conference committee would have to work mighty quickly to make deadline.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:31 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Everyone who’s spoken since Wilson has been in favor (none of whom are members of the House Majority): Pruitt, Sara Rasmussen, David Eastman, Gabrielle LeDoux, Laddie Shaw, Sarah Vance, Sharon Jackson and Dave Talerico.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Vance says this version of the bill does a better job of giving victims a voice. She says friends of hers have not reported assaults because they didn’t have faith in the system to properly prosecute crimes. This bill, Vance says, will allow victims “to feel like we are fighting for them” and they’ll be more interested in coming forward.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:26 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Minority Leader Lance Pruitt is stoked. He says this updated bill takes a much tougher stance on crime, but that it also compromises with the House version. For example, he says, the House wanted to make a person’s first two drug possession charges misdemeanors. The Senate makes the first one a misdemeanor and the second one a felony.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Pruitt says this goes much farther toward repealing the bulk of SB 91.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

“That’s what the public has asked us to do,” he says.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

He also says he and others got phone calls from public safety employees who urged lawmakers to concur with the Senate’s changes.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:21 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Speaker<\/a>

Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham, watches votes being tallied as the legislature rushes to finish at the Capitol on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t

The bill requires for electronic monitoring after a person’s first DUI, Wilson says.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

She takes about five minutes to read all the changes. For the most part, it makes sentences more harsh and takes particular aims at drug and sex charges.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

“There are a tremendous amount of differences,” Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon says. “The dialogue can go on for a very long time.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:20 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Rep. Tammie Wilson is tasked with detailing the changes between the House and Senate versions. She says she’s going to give it her best shot.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

She says the bill, among other things, eliminates the marriage defense in the state’s law. Read more on what that means here<\/a>. It also returns most drug charges to what they were before SB 91.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:14 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

The House is up and running. They’re starting to look at the Senate’s amended version of HB 49. Hold on to your gavels.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:05 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

The House is set to reconvene momentarily. Fireworks might ensue. Stay tuned.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

12:50 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

The House is at ease for lunch now. The crime bill still hasn’t hit the floor. I’d be willing to bet many of the representatives are eating their lunch while looking over the amendments to HB 49.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

— Alex McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

11:50 a.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Dunleavy (or the staff member who runs his social media) also takes to Twitter to put pressure on the House Majority on this bill.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

The entire Senate — Democrats and Republicans — just voted to approve a public safety package to protect Alaskans. Now we look to the House to concur. #akleg<\/a> #akgov<\/a><\/p>— Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) May 14, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n