Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

State of Alaska
                                                            Fiscal Note
                                                                                              Bill Version:                   HB 95
 2021 Legislative Session
                                                                                              Fiscal Note Number:             1
                                                                                              (H) Publish Date:               2/18/2021
 Identifier:        0645-LAW-CIV-2-11-21                                       Department:        Department of Law
 Title:             ELECTIONS; ELECTION INVESTIGATIONS                         Appropriation: Civil Division
 Sponsor:           RLS BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR                             Allocation:        Special Litigation
 Requester: Governor                                                           OMB Component Number:                2213
 Expenditures/Revenues
 Note: Amounts do not include inflation unless otherwise noted below.                                                               (Thousands of Dollars)
                                                 Included in
                                    FY2022       Governor's
                                Appropriation      FY2022                                            Out-Year Cost Estimates
                                  Requested       Request
 OPERATING EXPENDITURES               FY 2022        FY 2022       FY 2023                      FY 2024            FY 2025          FY 2026        FY 2027
 Personal Services                       283.5                        283.5                       283.5              283.5            283.5          283.5
 Travel                                     1.3                         1.3                          1.3                1.3              1.3            1.3
 Services                                 45.9                         45.9                         45.9               45.9             45.9          45.9
 Commodities                                2.6                         2.6                          2.6                2.6              2.6            2.6
 Capital Outlay                             1.1                         1.1                          1.1                1.1              1.1            1.1
 Grants & Benefits
 Miscellaneous
 Total Operating                         334.4            0.0         334.4                        334.4             334.4            334.4             334.4
 Fund Source (Operating Only)
 1004 Gen Fund (UGF)                           334.4                            334.4              334.4             334.4            334.4             334.4
 Total                                         334.4              0.0           334.4              334.4             334.4            334.4             334.4
 Positions
 Full-time                                        2.0                                 2.0             2.0               2.0              2.0              2.0
 Part-time
 Temporary
 Change in Revenues
 None
 Total                                            0.0             0.0                 0.0             0.0               0.0              0.0              0.0
 Estimated SUPPLEMENTAL (FY2021) cost:                                   0.0                (separate supplemental appropriation required)
 Estimated CAPITAL (FY2022) cost:                                        0.0                (separate capital appropriation required)
 Does the bill create or modify a new fund or account?       No
 (Supplemental/Capital/New Fund - discuss reasons and fund source(s) in analysis section)
 ASSOCIATED REGULATIONS
 Does the bill direct, or will the bill result in, regulation changes adopted by your agency?                 No
 If yes, by what date are the regulations to be adopted, amended or repealed?
 Why this fiscal note differs from previous version/comments:
 Not applicable. Initial version.
 Prepared By:              Valerie Rose, Budget Analyst                                                              Phone:       (907)465-3674
 Division:                 Administrative Services Division                                                          Date:        02/11/2021 11:47 AM
 Approved By:              Amber LeBlanc, Administrative Services Director                                           Date:        02/11/21
 Agency:                   Office of Management and Budget
Printed 2/18/2021                                                       Page 1 of 2                                                        Control Code: RkqUE
                                                                                                                  HB 95 - Fiscal Note 1
                                                 FISCAL NOTE ANALYSIS
STATE OF ALASKA                                                                  BILL NO.
2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Analysis
   This bill creates a new section, AS 15.56.140, authorizing the attorney general to conduct a civil investigation into
   allegations of election misconduct. Under this new statute, the attorney general may investigate allegations of a violation
   of an election law other than a violation of AS 15.13, which is regulated by the Alaska Public Offices Commission. An
   allegation may be submitted to the Division of Elections (division) by a member of the public, identified by the director of
   the division, or identified by the attorney general. Complaints submitted to the division may be forwarded to the attorney
   general for investigation.
   In conducting an investigation, the attorney general may issue subpoenas to compel witness testimony and produce
   documents or other evidence. The attorney general also has the authority to hold hearings and administer oaths, require
   interrogatories, and examine and make copies of documentary evidence. The attorney general is required to
   communicate the results of an investigation to the division and may submit a report of the investigation to the division.
   The records of an investigation are not subject to a public records request and remains confidential unless it is submitted
   to a court as part of a civil action or used by the division as a basis for action.
   If the attorney general determines that there has been, is, or will be a violation of an election law or regulation, the
   attorney general may bring a civil action to compel compliance with the law. The attorney general may also petition for,
   and the court may award the state, a civil penalty of up to $25,000 per violation. The court may also award the state the
   actual attorney fees and costs, including the costs of investigation, to the extent they are reasonable.
   Finally, the attorney general and the division are authorized to adopt regulations to implement this section.
   Should this bill become law, the department anticipates that the new workload would require the addition of one full-
   time investigator and one full-time attorney in Juneau.
(Revised 1/13/2021 OMB/LFD)                                                                                        Page 2 of 2
0645-LAW-CIV-2-11-21                                           Page 2 of 2                                              Control Code: RkqUE
Statutes affected: 
HB0095A, AM HB 95, introduced 02/18/2021: 
HB0095A, AM HB 95, introduced 02/15/2021: 