Amended petty theft bill earns small business' thumbs up
NFIB/Alaska State Director Denny DeWitt’s report from the State Capitol on the Special Session as of November 4.
The Legislature is still in its Fourth Special Session. The main focus remains Senate Bill 54, the measure amending Senate Bill 91, the crime reform bill enacted in 2016.
SB 54 has passed both the Judiciary Committee and the House Finance Committee and is scheduled to be debated on the House floor November 4. The House Finance Committee added an amendment favorable to small business reducing the felony threshold from the $1,000 enacted in SB 91 back to the $750 threshold negotiated in an earlier bill in 2014. Thank you, Representative Lance Pruitt.
The current version continues to address penalties for:
- Fourth-degree theft
- Class A-misdemeanors
- and Class C-felonies
The Judiciary Committee added penalties for repeat petty theft offenders. NFIB continues its strong support SB 54. The Senate has scheduled a joint hearing of the Finance and Judiciary committees November 8 at 2 p.m. to review House changes to SB 54.
Tax Bills
There is passing attention to Gov. Bill Walker’s employment tax bills, House Bill 4001 and Senate Bill 4001.
SB 4001 is scheduled for a hearing in Senate Finance November 9 at 1:30 p.m.
[Tile photo courtesy of The Alaska State Legislature website]
Previous Reports, Related News Releases, And Editorials
October 27 Report—Bill Restoring Petty Theft Penalties Advances
October 21 Report—Small Business Readies for Special Session
October 13 News Release—Walker Thanked for Adding SB 54 to Special Session Call
May 19 Report—Restoration of Petty Theft Penalties Fails to Pass
May 12 Report—Alaska Senate Votes Down State Income Tax Revival
May 9 Editorial—Fundamental Income Tax Lessons for Alaska
May 5 Report—Income Taxes, Petroleum Taxes and Little Else
April 28 Report—Which Will Cave First Over State Income Tax, House or Senate?
April 21 Report—One Adjournment Deadline Ignored. Will a Second Be?
April 14 Report—NFIB Victory: Independent Contractors Pulled out of State’s Crosshairs
April 7 Report—NFIB Forcing Legislature to Practice What it Preaches
March 31—NFIB Testifies in Favor of Tougher Petty Theft Penalties
March 24 Report—Hearings on a New State Income Tax Take Center Stage
March 17 Report—NFIB Victory: Deceptive Income Tax Proposal Put Aside
March 10 Report—NFIB, State Still Far Apart on Defining Independent Contractors
March 3 Report—NFIB to Fight Alaska bid to Spike UI Wages
February 24 Report—Gas Tax Increase, State Income Tax Bills Still Alive
February 17 Report—NFIB to Testify Against Assault on Independent Contractors
February 10 Report—NFIB Looking at Four Fixes to Omnibus Crime Bill
February 3 Report—Flaw in SB 91: What Penalty for Petty Theft?
January 27 Report—Independent Contractors Once Again in Crosshairs of Alaska Legislature
January 20 Report—Costly Bills Make Return Engagement in Juneau
January 5 News Release—Poll: Alaska Should Not Be in The Retirement Business
