Governor Parnell has vetoed legislation that would bar a convicted felon from serving on a state government board or commission unless the conviction has been set aside.
The provision was tucked within a bill extending the termination dates of several boards, including the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. Parnell called the provision overly broad. In a letter to House and Senate leaders, he said it failed to recognize that a person may have been convicted of a non-violent felony, rehabilitated and able to benefit society. He also said no legislative committee record was established for the prohibition.
Besides the ABC board, the bill would have extended the Boards of Nursing, Dental Examiners, and Barbers and Hairdressers past their June 30th sunset dates. But Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Director Shirley Gifford says the veto does not mean the boards stop operating after that date.
In his letter to lawmakers Parnell suggested they pass a clean extension of the boards next session.
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Casey Kelly is a reporter at KTOO in Juneau.
