The Policy-Making Process: How Policies Are Made and Implemented

Domestic Violence occurs when someone maintains excessive control and power over another individual in dating, marital or live-in relationship. The excessive control could include sexual, emotional, economic, and physical abuse and threats. Under Alaska law, it is illegal for another person to hurt another physically, force another to have sex, threaten to kill someone, or destroy property. The Alaska law recognizes that domestic violence occurs when someone is physically, emotionally, or sexually abused by another person that could be related to them (“Information On Domestic Violence”, 2019). It is important to have strict policies and laws and this necessitates an understanding of policy making from the idea phase towards becoming a law. 

The Alaska State Legislature is made of 60 members how are divided into the Senate and the House of Representatives with 20 members and 40 representatives respectively. For a Bill to pass it requires support from two-thirds vote which is 21 in the House and 11 in the Senate (“Legislative Process in Alaska”, 2019). The process of law information first involves the processing of the bill where the idea is proposed for legislation, the bill is drafted, and the bill is introduced. The next step is the first reading where it is read for the first time with the number, sponsors, and title of the Bill. The bill then undergoes committee consideration and then the second reading and the third reading. The third reading involves the bill being read for the third time where it is then placed forth for amendments. After receiving an affirmative vote by majority of the members, it then has an effective date clause for it to become effective. The Bill then goes through reconsideration and consideration in the other house. The conference committee and free conference committee then votes for the bill. The Bill then goes through enrollment and signature and the governor has 20 days to sign the bill for it to become law. The Act that has been enacted would take effect 90 days after the act has been enacted. 

References 

“ Information On Domestic Violence - Domestic Violence is a Crime”. (2019). Retrieved from http://www.law.alaska.gov/department/criminal/victims_assistDV.html 

“ Legislative Process in Alaska – Alaska State Legislature”. (2019). Retrieved from http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/docs/pdf/legprocess.pdf