In a state with some of the highest rates of sexual abuse in the nation, why are Alaska’s lawmakers so slow to act on a bill aimed at protecting minors?

House Bill 101 unanimously passed the House last session but has since languished in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it’s been shielded from any action. The reason for that? Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Matt Claman, an Anchorage Democrat who is running for governor, wants to use the bill as an anchor for an omnibus crime package that’s yet to be unveiled. The bill’s sponsor, Anchorage Rep. Andrew Gray, also a Democrat, wants to keep HB 101 a standalone item, arguing it has a better chance of becoming law on its own rather than being watered down in an omnibus package with who-knows-what legislation yet to be attached — and he’s right.

The crux of the bill itself is simple: Raise the age of consent from 16 to 18. It’s a no-brainer of a bill, and it should be passed on its own rather than be cobbled into an omnibus behemoth.

Omnibus bills have a track record of becoming legislative junk drawers — catch-all packages that often include legislators’ pet projects, broadly sweeping proposals or last-minute amendments that can sink legislation. What starts as a clear bill can quickly derail into a diluted version of itself, which benefits no one at the end of the day. It’s exactly for those reasons that some lawmakers — in this case Sen. Claman — build omnibus bills in the first place, and it’s bad governance.

That offense is especially acute here. House Bill 101 didn’t just pass the House — it passed unanimously. That’s a rare feat in this age of partisan gridlock. Ensconcing it in a multi-layered package is pure politics, an attempt to create a prop on which to hang a gubernatorial campaign.

Rep. Gray has been correctly explicit about the danger. The more pieces you weld onto a bill, the more chances you create for opposition to form. A measure that could pass 20-0 in the Senate on its own today suddenly becomes vulnerable when tied to unrelated policies slated for tomorrow. And it’s not just that an omnibus package is harder to pass — the building of these mega-bills is expressly undemocratic. Voters and lawmakers should be able to clearly support initiatives that rise or fall on their own merits. When multiple laws are packaged together, lawmakers are forced to accept or deny the whole package rather than each individual proposal. This subverts a full debate and leads to broadly unpopular laws being passed against voters’ wishes.

There also is a time factor at play. With the legislative session rolling fast toward a scheduled May 20 close, pushing forth a yet-to-be-seen omnibus package is like hitting the emergency brake as the train pulls into the station. In a Legislature where time is short and priorities compete for attention, an omnibus rollout is a risk lawmakers should hesitate to embrace.

Alaska consistently ranks at or near the top in the nation for sexual assault and abuse. More than half of reported sex offenses in Alaska involve crimes against children. The current law leaves a gap that predators can and do exploit. At 16, a teenager in Alaska can legally consent to sex with someone of any age. That means when a 16- or 17-year-old is targeted by a much older adult, the burden often falls on the teen to prove in court that the encounter was not consensual — a high bar that can complicate prosecutions and discourage reporting.

House Bill 101 aims to fix that by shifting the legal framework in a way that better protects minors and gives law enforcement clearer tools. It puts the responsibility where it belongs — on the adult, not the child. Teens ages 13 to 15 could still legally engage with someone up to four years older, and 16- and 17-year-olds with someone up to six years older. The goal is not to police teenage relationships but to draw a clearer, more defensible line when adults prey on minors.

Lawmakers can and should vet this and all bills thoroughly, including fiscal impacts and how the law would be enforced. But those debates belong in the open, on the record, with amendments if needed and votes taken accordingly. They are not a justification for keeping the bill parked in committee or folding it into a broader package that hasn’t even been introduced.

Alaskans deserve to know where their senators stand on this issue. Families, educators and advocates want clarity on whether lawmakers are willing to strengthen protections for minors. And despite Sen. Claman’s grandstanding, victims — past and future — deserve a system that doesn’t make accountability harder than it needs to be.

There is a simple path forward. Move House Bill 101 out of committee as a standalone bill, bring it to the floor and take the vote.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) — State troopers who fatally shot and killed a 24-year-old Fairbanks man on New Year’s Day will face no criminal charges, Alaska prosecutors announced, after an independent review determined they were legally justified in their use of deadly force.

Content Warning: This article contains video and information that some readers might find disturbing.

Newly-released redacted Alaska Department of Public Safety incident records show troopers were called at about 11:28 a.m. Jan. 1 to a home on Gradelle Avenue after a report of a domestic disturbance involving Rexford. Rexford had been released that morning from Fairbanks Memorial Hospital’s behavioral health unit, where he had been admitted since Christmas Day.

According to the incident report, Rexford was sitting on a couch as troopers and family members talked with him about returning to the hospital for an involuntary mental health commitment.

The report says Rexford suddenly ran into the kitchen, grabbed large kitchen knives and began making repeated stabbing motions at a trooper, ultimately forcing him to the ground.

The report also says the trooper sustained a small knife wound to his hand during the struggle, which was confirmed by body-worn camera footage.

Two troopers fired their service weapons during the struggle, the report says. Rexford was struck and pronounced dead at the scene. Rexford’s brother Adam — identified by the family at a January vigil — was also struck by gunfire during the shooting, the incident report says. He was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the head, according to the incident report.

Alaska State Troopers have identified the troopers who fired as Trooper John Faul and Trooper Wyatt Miller. According to AST, both troopers had about five and a half months of service at the time of the shooting. The incident report says Faul also had more than three years of prior law enforcement experience as a patrol deputy with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.

The Alaska Bureau of Investigation investigated the shooting, and the findings were independently reviewed by the Office of Special Prosecutions, which has declined to file criminal charges against the troopers.

Alaska’s News Source has reviewed body-worn camera footage and 911 audio released as part of the investigation.

Incident report details

The report says the first 911 call came from Rexford’s brother, who told dispatch his brother was having medical issues and was breaking items in the home and asked that two troopers respond.

The report says a second call came from Rexford’s father, who told dispatch his son was destroying property and had just been released from the hospital’s fourth floor. The father told dispatch no one had been hurt but that Rexford might need to be restrained, according to the report.

The report says troopers were talking with Rexford about a Title 47 — an involuntary mental health commitment — to return him to the hospital. During that conversation, Rexford said multiple times that he wanted to die, according to the report.

Investigators wrote that from the time Rexford stood up and rushed to the kitchen until the final shots were fired was about eight seconds, based on their review of body-worn camera video.

Vigil held for Rexford

The decision comes nearly three months after family and friends gathered Jan. 26 at Golden Heart Plaza in downtown Fairbanks for a candlelight vigil to remember Rexford.

Rexford’s sister, Linda Rexford, read a statement from their parents.

“He liked to go biking, walking and fishing with his family. We were very proud of him buying his first brand new car this past summer by himself,” she said. “He was a kind, thoughtful, caring person who wanted to become a registered nurse. He was excited about being able to do the things he wanted to do and looked forward to working in the medical field in the future.”

Linda Rexford said her brother was born Nov. 7, 2001, in Fairbanks. She said he attended University Park Elementary School, Ryan Middle School and West Valley High School, and became a certified nursing assistant through the University of Alaska Community and Technical College.

Rexford’s uncle, Robert Kious, said at the vigil he wished troopers had used tasers.

What’s next

DPS has said an administrative process can follow officer-involved shootings to review tactics, training and whether any policy violations occurred. AST has confirmed the next steps will be an administrative review to look at tactics, training and whether policies were followed.

The Alaska Department of Law said it was in the process of being released the Office of Special Prosecutions’ official review on Friday.

The Rexford family’s supporters are now calling for a rally at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 11 at Geist and University in Fairbanks in support of William and Adam Rexford.

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I know I’m not the only Alaskan who is sick and tired of snow. We’ve had a long and unusually cold winter, and I want my lawn back. Probably, you do too, even if you don’t want to admit it. After nine months, it is not that hard to see the snow finally melt away.

As always, I can’t help but marvel how we lose most of our memories of last year’s arduous lawn chores, maybe the only good outcome of a long winter. Otherwise we might not have lawns at all.

Anyway, right now we are in the first part of the Alaska growing season. The seed racks are out and calling. No, they are screaming to us: Buy seeds! Be careful. It is easy to get carried away.

The fact of the matter is that many of us have already started seeds and many more will certainly be doing so this month. (You know the rule: You are not a real gardener unless you start at least one thing from seed by yourself.)

As I write this, I know the geese will be back late this week. It’s just like the swallows returning to Capistrano, and we all should be waiting and celebrating as a community. The first advance teams always arrive, snow or no, the first week of April. By mid-month, there are thousands of them, noisily and eagerly searching for food to sustain themselves.

Some stop here, but many continue migrating even farther north. And they are joined by trumpeter swans, snow geese and so many more birds. What a migratory sensation! Someone told me there are over 60,000 birds flying through Anchorage. Living on the bluff, I can believe it.

Anyhow, we threw down lots of wildflower seeds last fall, and I am hoping that they will germinate in a few weeks when this darn snow cover finally melts off.

The lawn beautification process that is characteristic of a northern population starved for flowers by a too-long winter will get underway. Ugh, and to continue to confront the dandelion war we have lost and no longer should fight. They are here and not going away. (What we should be doing is trying to develop different-colored ones.)

It is after April 1, a magical time for Alaska’s gardeners. It means there is sufficient natural light now, so you don’t have to have a set of grow lights under which to germinate your seeds (but you should — last nag of the season on this one). You can even grow tomatoes from seeds by the windowsill using natural light.

Remember, compost is the rule here, and if not available then organic potting soil should be used. Anything your plant might need is in organic soil or compost with the exception of mycorrhizal fungi and you can add that.

Remember, we are aiming to completely eliminate plastic materials from gardening. No more plastic pots! You could buy one of those gadgets to make paper ones, assuming you can find a source of newspaper with which to do so. I suppose you could substitute cardboard or paper bags if you can’t.

So, it’s been a long, long winter and one that was as cold as a bucket of penguin poop, as the saying goes. Who isn’t thrilled by the extended daylight? Even the most diehard skier can look forward to the end of the snow season. (The beginning of the garden season may just be why.)

All I can say is yippee! Melt, darn snow! Melt. It is gardening season now. We should all be happy campers.

Jeff’s Alaska Garden Calendar:

Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association: Annual fruit tree grafting workshop at Begich Middle School, Sunday, April 19, 2-4 p.m. Rootstock for sale, free scion wood and instruction available. This is a great event and could be the start of a great hobby

Lilies: If you have been growing yours indoors, take them outdoors and keep there there until planted. Use a nice, wind-protected area in the shade.

Flowers to start from seed: Brachycomes, dianthus, stock, lockspar, asters, nicotiana, cleome, iceplant, zinnia and salpiglossis, schizanthus, nigella, phlox, portulaca, nemesia, marigold and nasturtiums.

Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, cabbage and cauliflower.

Gladioli: What are you waiting for?

Nurseries: Don’t wait. You should be buying plants and supplies. They can be hardened off when the birch tree leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear.

Have an announcement? Send me announcements at least two weeks in advance of the event.