Candidate: Mike Hawker

District: 32 - Anchorage

Seat Running For: Representative

Party Affiliation: Republican

1. As a legislator, what have you done to support women and children victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault? What specifically have you done to help end violence against women and children in Alaska ?

• Chair House Finance Committee on Health and Social Services

• Member of the AWAIC board of directors

• Sponsor HB 219, now law, making any strangulation crime a felony

• Sponsor HB 249, now law, giving municipalities ability to improve Emergency 911 call services

• Passed SB 237 increasing number of judges

• Passed SB 218 (co-sponsor) and 234 increasing penalties for sexual offenders and reviewing complaints against actions of justice agencies

• Worked to extend Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) sunset date without changes to statutory references to ANDVSA

• Met CDVSA funding requests.

2.Women in Alaska , particularly Native women, are disproportionately victims of violence. What are the issues or causes you believe increase violence against Alaskan women?

Substance abuse, education, homelessness, economic disparity

3. Alaska has ranked nationally in the top three per capita for sexual assault in the past 29 years (per the Uniform Crime Reporting Code). What type of legislation would you support to increase perpetrator accountability and ensure safety for women and children?

See response to number 1 for legislation sponsored and co-sponsored.

4.  Shelter programs in Alaska are finding it difficult to keep and maintain staff due to a lack of competitive wages.  This causes a high turnover of staff because they can receive better paying jobs working for the state and municipality.  Due to the high rate of staff turnover, the amount and type of services that can be offered to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault are greatly impacted.  As a legislator, what will you do to address this problem?

Work for direct state funding for proven programs, such as AWAIC without intermediart program screening by other non-state agencies. Work to diversify funding sources for community based programs. Do not use temporary funding sources (TANF) for CDVSA funding. Work to use alcohol tax receipts for their intended purpose, not general government. Restructure behavioral health grants process to increase direct program funding to organizations demonstrating performance.

5. Funding for shelter programs has increased only 4% in the last 10 years while services have increased by over 42%. As a legislator, what will you do to address this problem?

See response to number 4.

What is the name of the domestic violence/ sexual assault intervention program(s) that serves your constituents and who are the current executive directors?

AWAIC: Judy Cordell

AWRC: Ida Hildebrand

STAR: Anna Fairclough

 

See Mike Hawker's AK Legislature Page