00SENATE BILL NO. 373                                                                                                     
01 "An Act relating to a comprehensive state financial plan and to the Solving                                             
02 Alaska's Fiscal Emergency (S.A.F.E.) Commission; and providing for an effective                                         
03 date."                                                                                                                  
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
05    * Section 1.  SOLVING ALASKA'S FISCAL EMERGENCY COMMISSION.  (a)  There                                              
06 is created in the legislative branch the Solving Alaska's Fiscal Emergency (S.A.F.E.)                                   
07 Commission to develop and update a comprehensive four-year financial plan for the state.                                
08 The commission consists of the governor or the governor's designee, two public members                                  
09 appointed by the governor, the president of the senate or the president's designee, two public                          
10 members appointed by the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives                           
11 or the speaker's designee, and two public members appointed by the speaker of the house of                              
12 representatives.  The public members may not be elected officials of the state.  The public                             
13 members serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.  The members of the commission                               
14 shall elect public members to serve as chair and vice-chair of the commission.                                          

01  (b)  The commission shall                                                                                              
02   (1)  review and identify anticipated state expenditures, recurring revenue,                                           
03 reserves, and potential revenue sources;                                                                                
04   (2)  review and identify fiscal assumptions concerning state finances that have                                       
05 been made by planners and financial managers in government and the private sector;                                      
06   (3)  recommend strategies for generating sustainable sources of future state                                          
07 revenue and legislation to implement the recommendations;                                                               
08   (4)  if new taxes are recommended, investigate specific tax structures and                                            
09 revenue consequences and submit draft legislation to implement the recommendations;                                     
10   (5)  disseminate information and solicit public input from the various regions                                        
11 of the state in the development and review of the proposed financial plan and tax proposals;                            
12   (6)  review state programs, especially formula-driven programs, and recommend                                         
13 deductions in state expenditures to reach a sustainable level;                                                          
14   (7)  recommend structural changes to the way the state budget is prepared to                                          
15 ensure that the governor and the legislature have information on which to base decisions.                               
16  (c)  The commission may                                                                                                
17   (1) hire staff;                                                                                                       
18   (2) hold public hearings; and                                                                                         
19   (3) adopt rules for the conduct of its business.                                                                      
20  (d)  Public members of the commission are entitled to per diem and travel expenses                                     
21 authorized under AS 39.20.180.                                                                                          
22  (e)  The commission shall submit a final report to the legislature on or before                                        
23 February 1, 1995.  The report must contain a comprehensive state financial plan for fiscal                              
24 years 1996 - 1999, together with recommended legislation to implement the plan.  The                                    
25 commission is terminated February 1, 1996.                                                                              
26    * Sec. 2.  LEGISLATIVE ACTION.  Unless the legislature by April 1, 1996, adopts a                                    
27 resolution rejecting the state financial plan submitted by the S.A.F.E. commission, the plan                            
28 goes into effect and it is binding upon the legislature to implement it in accordance with its                          
29 terms.  The legislature may not reject a portion of the plan or otherwise alter it in any way.                          
30    * Sec. 3.  This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).