SJUD-260508-1330

Let's call this meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee to order. It is 1:32 PM on Friday, May 8th, 2026. Before we begin, I want to thank Juliana Singh, the Senate Judiciary Secretary, who makes sure we have a transcript of our meetings, and Doug Bridges from the Juneau LIAO, who makes sure we have sound. I get very dependent on my script.

At this time, I want to remind committee members and all those in the room to please silence your cell phones. Present today, we have Senator Tilton, Senator Tobin, and myself, Senator Clayman. We have a quorum to conduct business. This is the second hearing of the bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Before hearing from the bill sponsor's office, I'd like first to look to the will of the committee to adopt work draft version H as our working document.

Senator Tobin, may I have a motion? Certainly, Mr. Chairman. I move that we adopt Senate CS for House Bill 298, Judiciary, Work Draft 34-LS1285/G, as in Golkana, as our working document. I'll object for purposes of discussion. Here to explain the summary of changes is my staff, Brianna Kakarek.

If you would please come forward, put yourself on the record, and you may begin your summary.

Thank you. For the record, my name is Brianna Kakarik and I'm staff to Senator Clayman. So I'm looking at House Bill 298 summary of changes, version I to version G. The first change shows up in Section 15, page 11, line 5. Following A, we inserted decision end. In Section 24, we have a few changes.

One of the first starting on Page 16, lines 16 through 17, we deleted "when" and inserted "unless the subject of the complaint requests otherwise." Paragraph 1, "when." Page 16, lines 21, 32, we deleted "the" and inserted "the" in a new paragraph 2. And then page 16, 23, we deleted "or decision" and inserted "decision end" following "a." And then on page 17, line 2, following "ends," we inserted "unless the subject of the complaint requests otherwise." That concludes my summary of changes. Any question about the changes? I would note these address many of the discussions we had at our last hearing. I'm going to remove my objection.

Is there any other objection? Hearing and seeing no objection, House Bill 298, the work draft version G, is now adopted as our working document. It's my intention to look to the committee and move on House Bill 298, but before Before we do that, we have two folks from the sponsor— well, there's the sponsor's office and the sponsor's colleague. Either of you would like to make any comments today?

All right. Following the advice in Hamilton, smile more, talk less.

Senator Keehl, might I have a motion? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move the Senate Judiciary Committee report out Senate CS for House Bill 298 Judiciary Work Draft 34LS1285/G, as in Gustavus, from committee with individual recommendations and any attached fiscal notes. Hearing and seeing no objections, House Bill 298 moved from committee. Please stay behind after we adjourn to fill out the paperwork.

We're going to adjourn for the day. Our next meeting will be on Monday, May 11th, at 1:30 PM. And at that point, we stand adjourned. The time is now 1:35 PM.