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Committee restores 48‑hour notice, adds officer‑assistance language and reports eviction‑related bill from committee
Summary
Senate Bill 207 returned to the committee with a CS restoring a 48‑hour notice and adding a requirement for officers to attempt to help occupants find shelter; the committee reported the CS from committee after members discussed operational and fiscal effects.
Senate Bill 207 returned to the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee for its fourth hearing May 11 with a proposed committee substitute that restores a 48‑hour notice period and adds a provision requiring peace officers to attempt to assist occupants in finding another place to stay or to provide information about available shelters.
Matt Churchill, staff to Chair Bjorkman, explained the only substantive change from the version that came from judiciary was language inserted to require that "a peace officer shall attempt to assist an occupant in finding another place to stay or provide information to the occupant on available shelters." The committee also reinstated the 48‑hour waiting period discussed in earlier hearings.
Committee discussion focused on operational impacts and fiscal cost. Captain Bartlett of the Alaska State Troopers told the committee the change could increase on‑scene time and require additional training: "The time that we spend on scene is gonna definitely increase ... we would just have to basically train our folks to know a lot more about landlord tenant specific to the process outlined in whatever the final version ... looks like." He also said his team prepared a fiscal note (estimated multi‑million dollars) and that the agency would review the revisions and update the fiscal estimate.
Senators and staff said the CS aims to provide an off‑ramp for property owners and a mechanism for law enforcement to verify claims before long court processes begin; the committee voted to report the substitute from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.
