HB 80: "An Act expanding the Alaska marine highway system to Yukon and Kuskokwim River locations and relating to the duty of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to construct, purchase, or lease ferry terminal facilities."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 80 01 "An Act expanding the Alaska marine highway system to Yukon and Kuskokwim River 02 locations and relating to the duty of the Department of Transportation and Public 03 Facilities to construct, purchase, or lease ferry terminal facilities." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. AS 19.65.011 is amended to read: 06 Sec. 19.65.011. Comprehensive long-range plan. The Department of 07 Transportation and Public Facilities shall prepare a comprehensive long-range plan for 08 the development and improvement of the Alaska marine highway system, including a 09 study on the feasibility of expanding to Yukon and Kuskokwim River locations, 10 and shall revise and update the plan at least every five years. The department shall 11 submit the comprehensive long-range plan and revisions and updates of the plan to the 12 legislature. 13 * Sec. 2. AS 19.65.030(a) is amended to read: 14 (a) The department may [SHALL] construct, purchase, or lease ferry terminal
01 facilities at locations, including communities along the Yukon and Kuskokwim 02 Rivers, it selects for the loading and unloading of passengers and vehicles under their 03 own power, on and off ferries. The department shall repair and maintain these 04 facilities. Construction and purchasing under this subsection are governed by 05 AS 36.30 (State Procurement Code). 06 * Sec. 3. AS 19.65.050(a) is amended to read: 07 (a) The legislature finds that 08 (1) the Alaska marine highway system is an essential part of the state 09 transportation system, and that it warrants continued and predictable state support; 10 (2) many communities' economies are dependent on a steady and 11 stable marine highway system service level; 12 (3) many communities along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers 13 will greatly benefit from regular marine highway transportation service for 14 passengers and freight; 15 (4) the state's tourism industry is greatly enhanced by a dependable 16 marine highway transportation network; and 17 (5) [(4)] efficient and prudent management of the system will benefit 18 the state's economy and foster economic development.