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Legislation Creating an Address Confidentiality Program to Protect Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Passes Senate
JUNEAU – The Alaska Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 12, sponsored by Senator Jesse Kiehl (D-Juneau). Senate Bill 12 lets sexual assault and domestic violence survivors, along with peace and correctional officers, keep their address confidential from public records. Currently, forty-one states provide address protection for victims. Senate Bill 12 requires the State of Alaska to confidentially forward mail to public safety professionals and survivors.
“Alaskans who escape from physical and sexual violence deserve the chance to live without fear,” said Sen. Kiehl. “This is a path to minimize the possibility they will be found by their assailant.”
Alaska has the highest rates of sexual assault and domestic violence in the nation. In 2017, the Department of Public Safety reported Alaska’s sexual assault rate was four times the national rate. To help address this scourge of sexual assault in Alaska, Sen. Kiehl worked across party lines in 2022 to update Alaska’s “consent” laws.
“Addressing our state’s high rate of sexual assault and domestic violence is not a one-idea fix, but multifaceted and complex. Though, there are common sense protections we can put in place to help prevent reoccurring acts of violence on victims,” Sen. Kiehl concluded.
Senate Bill 12 now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.
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