Senate Finance Committee advances bill to require timelines and tracking for sexual assault evidence kits
February 23, 2026 | 2026 Legislature Alaska, Alaska
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The Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 23 voted to report House Bill 62 from committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note after hearing a reintroduction from the Department of Public Safety.
David Kanaris, chief of the Alaska Scientific Crime Detection Lab, and Susie Frenzel, director of the Victim Assistance and Forensic Science Division, told the committee the measure establishes clear timelines for examination and testing of sexual assault evidence kits, codifies a statewide tracking system, and strengthens survivors’ notification rights. ‘‘By establishing clear timelines for assault kit examination and testing, codifying the statewide tracking system and strengthening survivor rights, you are promoting transparency and accountability throughout Alaska’s criminal justice system,’’ Kanaris said.
Key provisions: the bill amends the rights-of-crime-victims statute (as described in the sectional analysis) to give victims the right to be notified of the location and testing date of their kit. It amends AS 44.41.065 so that health-care providers — not just law enforcement — must notify the appropriate law enforcement agency within 14 days after gathering evidence that the kit is available for submission to an accredited laboratory in coordination with the Department of Public Safety. The bill requires that a kit be tested within 120 days of receipt by the receiving laboratory unless the case has been resolved earlier.
The measure creates a new statutory subsection (AS 44.41.067 in the draft analysis) requiring the Department of Public Safety to develop and operate a confidential assault-examination-kit tracking system that allows victims to access the status and location of a kit and to receive automated notifications; the tracking system is designated confidential and not subject to public records requests except as needed for the department’s report on untested kits.
Fiscal note and staffing: Senator Kiehl reviewed the Department of Public Safety fiscal note, which estimates $209,000 of Unrestricted General Fund costs in FY27 and one permanent full-time position in laboratory services; ongoing services costs rise only modestly and the department will need to promulgate regulations under the bill.
Committee action: Senator Stedman moved to report HB 62 from committee with the attached fiscal note and recommendations; with no objection the motion carried and members signed the committee report.
Next steps: HB 62 moves forward from the Finance Committee with the fiscal note and individual recommendations; committee testimony and the sectional analysis will accompany the report to the next floor action.
David Kanaris, chief of the Alaska Scientific Crime Detection Lab, and Susie Frenzel, director of the Victim Assistance and Forensic Science Division, told the committee the measure establishes clear timelines for examination and testing of sexual assault evidence kits, codifies a statewide tracking system, and strengthens survivors’ notification rights. ‘‘By establishing clear timelines for assault kit examination and testing, codifying the statewide tracking system and strengthening survivor rights, you are promoting transparency and accountability throughout Alaska’s criminal justice system,’’ Kanaris said.
Key provisions: the bill amends the rights-of-crime-victims statute (as described in the sectional analysis) to give victims the right to be notified of the location and testing date of their kit. It amends AS 44.41.065 so that health-care providers — not just law enforcement — must notify the appropriate law enforcement agency within 14 days after gathering evidence that the kit is available for submission to an accredited laboratory in coordination with the Department of Public Safety. The bill requires that a kit be tested within 120 days of receipt by the receiving laboratory unless the case has been resolved earlier.
The measure creates a new statutory subsection (AS 44.41.067 in the draft analysis) requiring the Department of Public Safety to develop and operate a confidential assault-examination-kit tracking system that allows victims to access the status and location of a kit and to receive automated notifications; the tracking system is designated confidential and not subject to public records requests except as needed for the department’s report on untested kits.
Fiscal note and staffing: Senator Kiehl reviewed the Department of Public Safety fiscal note, which estimates $209,000 of Unrestricted General Fund costs in FY27 and one permanent full-time position in laboratory services; ongoing services costs rise only modestly and the department will need to promulgate regulations under the bill.
Committee action: Senator Stedman moved to report HB 62 from committee with the attached fiscal note and recommendations; with no objection the motion carried and members signed the committee report.
Next steps: HB 62 moves forward from the Finance Committee with the fiscal note and individual recommendations; committee testimony and the sectional analysis will accompany the report to the next floor action.
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