HB 298: "An Act relating to long-range plans for the Alaska marine highway system; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 298 01 "An Act relating to long-range plans for the Alaska marine highway system; and 02 providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 05 to read: 06 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds that 07 (1) the long-range planning for the Alaska marine highway system and short- 08 range planning carried on through the annual operating budget process complement each 09 other, and the annual operating budget submitted to the legislature by the governor must be 10 considered in light of the long-range plans and goals of the state for the Alaska marine 11 highway system; 12 (2) the effectiveness of short-range planning carried on through the annual 13 operating budget as budget process cannot be measured without an awareness of long-range 14 plans and goals; and
01 (3) efficient management of the Alaska marine highway system requires that 02 the planning and fiscal activities of the Alaska marine highway system be reported annually in 03 a unified report. 04 * Sec. 2. AS 19.65.011 is repealed and reenacted to read: 05 Sec. 19.65.011. Comprehensive long-range capital improvement plans. (a) 06 The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities shall develop and prepare a 07 14-year comprehensive long-range capital improvement plan for the development and 08 improvement of the Alaska marine highway system and shall revise and update each 09 plan at least every five years. The department shall submit the plan and the plan 10 revisions and updates to the legislature. 11 (b) The comprehensive long-range capital improvement plan must include the 12 following: 13 (1) for each vessel that is a part of the Alaska marine highway system, 14 (A) a description of the vessel and the age of the vessel; 15 (B) the amount of funds expended in the last 10 years to 16 maintain or improve the vessel; 17 (C) the amount of funds the department estimates will be 18 required to maintain or improve the vessel during the next 10 years; 19 (D) the department's estimates of the latest year that the vessel 20 will be able to continue operations without major alterations or retrofitting to 21 meet safety codes; 22 (E) an evaluation by the department of whether a replacement 23 vessel is needed; 24 (F) if a replacement vessel is considered necessary, 25 (i) the type and cost of the replacement vessel 26 recommended by the department; 27 (ii) the date by which construction of the replacement 28 vessel must begin to be completed by the date needed for replacement; 29 (iii) the fund sources and amounts available to the 30 department to fund the cost of the replacement vessel; 31 (2) a description of all fund amounts and fund sources appropriated to
01 the department by the state legislature or received directly from the federal 02 government that were available for the purchase of new vessels over the past 10 years 03 and a description of how the funds were spent; 04 (3) a description of all fund amounts and fund sources that could be 05 used to purchase new vessels and are expected to be received from any source for the 06 next 10 years; 07 (4) an evaluation by the department of the most cost-effective road or 08 terminal improvements that could be undertaken by the state to reduce the operating 09 costs of the Alaska marine highway system; 10 (5) an identification of the challenges in each ferry system route 11 between two ferry terminals based on the number of passengers, fare amounts, vessel 12 used on the route, and terminal constraints; 13 (6) an identification of the possible scenarios for service for each ferry 14 system route between two ferry terminals and an evaluation of each scenario based on 15 operational feasibility, effects on the level of service, customer convenience, financial 16 effects, and implications for capital investments in vessels and terminals; 17 (7) an identification of the preferred scenario for services for each 18 route between two ferry terminals; and 19 (8) an overview of all preferred scenarios and an evaluation of each 20 preferred scenario in relation to the entire system. 21 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 22 read: 23 TRANSITION. The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities shall submit to 24 the legislature and make available to the public the first 14-year comprehensive long-range 25 capital improvement plan prepared under AS 19.65.011, as repealed and reenacted by sec. 2 26 of this Act, by October 15, 2008. 27 * Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).