Alaska: Voting in Anchorage During Special Session Likely Illegal - Governor Bill Walker's press secretary Grace Jang, clarified today in a news release that the Governor has not given the legislature “permission” to hold special session outside of Juneau, as some media outlets have reported.

Jang, stressed that the governor's special session call is for Juneau. She said, "His number one priority right now is that legislators finish their work to pass a fully funded budget."

"However, he is concerned that any official action the legislature takes outside the capital city could result in a court challenge," said Jang. "That is a risk of which the legislature has been advised by its own legal counsel."

Governor Walker issued a special session proclamation on April 27th to take up the issues of Medicaid expansion, a fully funded budget, and Erin’s Law. That proclamation stated the session was to occur in Juneau.

On Monday, May 18th, the House and Senate majorities notified legislators that the Legislature would convene this week in Anchorage for floor sessions at the Anchorage Legislative Information Office on Thursday. It was announced the Senate will gavel in at 11:00 a.m. and the House at 1:00 p.m. May 21.

Senator Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage) requested a legal opinion from the non-partisan Legislative Legal Services regarding the constitutionality of holding floor sessions in Anchorage when the Governor's proclamation declared Juneau as the session location. An opinion from Legislative Legal Services offers that if voting were to occur in Anchorage when the proclamation specifically called for convening in Juneau, the action would likely violate Alaska's Constitution.

“It is my advice that a court faced with this situation, absent an agreement between the legislature and governor, would find that the legislature may not meet in floor sessions in Anchorage during a special session called by the governor in Juneau,” said Director of Legal Services Doug Gardner. Director Gardner concluded, "So, the legislature must meet in Juneau under the Governor's current proclamation of April 27, 2015, to comply with the Constitution." - More...
Wednesday PM - May 20, 2015

Alaska: Legislation to Protect Alaska's Children from Sexual Predators "Hijacked" by Senate Education Committee - Wednesday, the Senate Education Committee passed a new version of a bill that includes Erin’s Law, which is a proven tool to prevent child sexual abuse. House Bill 44 also included language calling on public schools to teach students about how to prevent dating violence. The new version of the bill was amended by the Senate Education Committee, at the behest of Senator Mike Dunleavy (R-Wasilla), to bar organizations like Planned Parenthood from teaching students about sexuality or sexually transmitted diseases. It also requires school districts to get parental permission before students can take classes about human reproduction or sexual matters. The new version of House Bill 44 also eliminates requirements for schools to offer college readiness tests.

Representative Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage) has been working on getting Erin’s Law passed for the last two years and sponsored one of the four pieces of legislation considered during the ongoing legislative session. Rep. Tarr was hopeful Governor Walker’s decision to add Erin’s Law to the call for the Special Session would result in prompt passage by the House and Senate.

“Senator Dunleavy has taken a non-partisan bill to protect future generations of Alaskans from being sexually abused and changed it so dramatically that I can no longer support it,” said Rep. Tarr. “To add language from bills that haven’t received a single hearing is an abuse of the process. The public is outraged by these actions.”

Erin’s Law is named for child sex abuse survivor Erin Merryn who is working to get the law passed in all 50 states. Merryn visited Alaska last year to testify before the Alaska Legislature and she has been following the developments with the bill this session.

“The new version of House Bill 44 is no longer Erin’s Law and I won’t consider it a success if this bill is passed,” said Merryn. “Senator Dunleavy and the members of the Senate Education committee who supported this action have twisted the purpose of Erin’s law and are playing politics with children’s lives.” - More...
Wednesday PM - May 20, 2015

Alaska: Three Life Sentences Imposed On Man Following Convictions - This week United States District Court Judge, Ralph R. Beistline, sentenced an Anchorage man, Stuart T. Seugasala, a.k.a. “Tone,” age 40, to three terms of life imprisonment following his January 2015 convictions on drug trafficking conspiracy and two kidnapping charges. Judge Beistline imposed a consecutive seven year sentence on firearms violations, as well as concurrent ten year terms of convictions for unauthorized access to private health information (HIPAA). There is no parole in the federal penal system. Seugasala will spend the rest of his natural life in custody.

In imposing the life sentences on Seugasala, Judge Beistline stated, “You enjoyed being a drug kingpin, you seemed to enjoy the misery that you created, and you enjoyed your criminal posse,” who Seugasala directed to commit home invasion robberies to steal money and/or drugs.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan A. Collins and Frank V. Russo, who tried the case, Seugasala had previously been convicted of drug trafficking in 2000 and served over nine years in prison. Following his release, Seugasala returned to Anchorage, Alaska where he opened and operated a video gaming place that catered to youths called “Friendly Fire.” Seugasala also returned to drug trafficking.

In late 2012 to early 2013, Seugasala became associated with Phosavan Khamnivong,a.k.a. “P.K,” a convicted murder who served eight years of a 20 year sentence. The men started bringing nearly pure methamphetamine, as well as other drugs, into Alaska from California. On March 13, 2013, Seugasala, Khaminvong, Timothy Miller, a.k.a. “Lil Tone,” and Anoai Sialofi, a.k.a. “A-Loc,” kidnapped, tortured, and sexually assaulted two men because one of the men owed Khamnivong a past due heroin debt. At Seugasala’s direction, the sexual assault of one of the victims was videotaped so that he could intimidate others that owed the group money. The victims were released after over three hours, and only after one of the victims agreed to repay the drug debt. - More...
Wednesday - May 20, 2015