DEFINITION OF 'VICTIM COUNSELING CENTER'

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text confirms applicability to past, present, and future offenses but leaves the specific effective date blank in the provided metadata.

HB 384: Updating the Definition of Victim Counseling Center

This bill changes Alaska law to define which organizations count as victim counseling centers for keeping certain communications about sexual assault or domestic violence private.

What This Bill Does

• Updates the legal definition of a 'victim counseling center' in state statutes.
• Includes private groups, agencies run by U.S. military branches, and local or tribal government agencies in this definition if they meet specific rules.
• Requires these centers to have providing direct services for trauma from sexual assault or domestic violence as one of their main goals.
• Excludes organizations that are connected with a law enforcement agency or prosecutor's office.
• Excludes organizations under contract with the state to provide services under AS 47.
• Applies this new rule to communications made before, on, or after the date the bill becomes effective.

Who It Names or Affects

• Private organizations that help victims of sexual assault or domestic violence
• Agencies operated by U.S. military branches
• Local government agencies and tribal government agencies in Alaska

Terms To Know

Victim counseling center

A private organization, a military-run agency, or a local/tribal agency that provides direct help for trauma from sexual assault or domestic violence and is not connected to police or prosecutors.

AS 18.66.250(5)

The specific section of Alaska state law where the definition for victim counseling centers is written.

Limits and Unknowns

• The official text does not list a specific calendar date when this change will take effect.
• The source material only defines which groups qualify; it does not explain how courts must handle communications from groups that do not meet the new definition.

Official Summary Text

DEFINITION OF 'VICTIM COUNSELING CENTER'
An Act relating to the definition of 'victim counseling center' for disclosure of certain communications concerning sexual assault or domestic violence.

Current Bill Text

HB0384a -1- HB 384
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1617\N

HOUSE BILL NO. 384

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Introduced: 4/8/26
Referred: House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs, Judiciary

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to the definition of 'victim counseling center' for disclosure of certain 1
communications concerning sexual assault or domestic violence." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 18.66.250(5) is amended to read: 4
(5) "victim counseling center" means a private organization, an 5
organization operated by or contracted by a branch of the armed forces of the United 6
States, or a local or tribal government agency that 7
(A) has, as one of its primary purposes, the provision of direct 8
services to victims for trauma resulting from a sexual assault or domestic 9
violence; 10
(B) is not affiliated with a law enforcement agency or a 11
prosecutor's office; and 12
(C) is not on contract with the state to provide services under 13
AS 47; 14
34-LS1617\N
HB 384 -2- HB0384a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

* Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 1
read: 2
APPLICABILITY. AS 18.66.250(5), as amended by sec. 1 of this Act, applies to 3
communications made before, on, or after the effective date of this Act for offenses 4
committed before, on, or after the effective date of this Act. 5