Victim testimony urges statute change after health‑care assault case; committee to revisit bill
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Summary
House Bill 242 would close a gap in Alaska’s sexual‑assault statute for incidents involving health‑care providers; victim testimony described how current law’s awareness requirement can prevent prosecution and urged lawmakers to change the law.
Representative Hannon introduced House Bill 242 to amend criminal statutes addressing sexual assault by a health‑care worker, saying the proposal responds to a recent Southeast Alaska case that exposed a statutory loophole.
Jamie Anne Hasselquist, who testified as a victim in the referenced case, described the impact of abuse by a trusted provider and explained that the current statute’s requirement that a victim be unaware of the act can allow perpetrators to avoid accountability. She emphasized that awareness does not equal consent, argued the law fails to reflect the power imbalance in medical settings, and urged lawmakers to close the gap so future victims can seek justice.
Committee members thanked Hasselquist for her testimony. The committee discussed a previously distributed committee version of the bill but did not move it forward at this hearing; HB 242 was set aside for further consideration and will return to committee at a later date.
The chair closed committee business for the day and adjourned.