The Empty Office Podcast – Season 4, Episode 17
This episode of The Empty Office Podcast features a wide-ranging conversation with Alaska State Representative Andrew Gray from Anchorage. He was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 2022, representing the UMED District of Anchorage. Rep. Gray is a physician’s assistant by trade. He has a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Baylor College of Medicine.
One of the main topics of discussion during this episode of the podcast is the Veterans Justice Act, which will help veterans avoid involvement in the criminal justice system. The Veterans Justice Act will allow judges in Alaska to consider veterans’ national service and military experiences when sentencing. The Act will also create a Veteran Sentencing Option (VSO) that uses probation and treatment instead of incarceration.
The Veterans Justice Act is a model policy developed by the Veterans Justice Commission, which was formed in 2022 to examine the extent and nature of veterans’ involvement in the criminal justice system. The Commission was composed of senior military and criminal justice leaders, including former U.S. Defense Secretaries Charles Hagel and Leon Panetta. The Veterans Justice Act model policy was adopted by Nebraska in 2024.
“While parades, monuments, and other symbolic expressions of appreciation feel good, they are no substitute for policy solutions that can catch veterans when they fall into the criminal justice system and return them, as assets, to the communities they served to protect.” - Brock Hunter, advisor to the Veterans Justice Commission
Senator Tobin is sponsoring the Veterans Justice Act model policy in the Alaska State Senate as Senate Bill 236. The House version of the bill is House Bill 299, sponsored by Representative Will Stapp from Fairbanks. HB 299 is currently in the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Gray.
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