HB 274: "An Act relating to public hearings on initiatives and referenda scheduled to appear on the ballot; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 274 01 "An Act relating to public hearings on initiatives and referenda scheduled to appear on 02 the ballot; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 15.45 is amended by adding a new section to read: 05 Sec. 15.45.425. Public hearings. (a) At least 30 days before the election at 06 which a referendum is to appear on the ballot, the lieutenant governor shall hold two 07 or more public hearings concerning the referendum in each judicial district of the 08 state. The lieutenant governor shall ensure that at least one supporter and one 09 opponent of the referendum provide written or oral testimony at the hearing. 10 (b) The lieutenant governor shall provide reasonable notice of each public 11 hearing required under this section. The notice must include the date, time, and place 12 of the hearing. The notice may be given using print or broadcast media. The lieutenant 13 governor shall provide notice in a consistent fashion for all hearings required under 14 this section.
01 (c) A violation of this section is not cause to remove a referendum from the 02 ballot. 03 (d) If the lieutenant governor determines that it is technologically and 04 economically feasible, the division shall provide a live audio and video broadcast of 05 each hearing held under (a) of this section on the division's Internet website. 06 * Sec. 2. AS 24.05.186 is amended to read: 07 Sec. 24.05.186. Legislative hearings on initiatives and referenda certified 08 by the lieutenant governor. (a) A standing committee of the legislature, selected 09 jointly by the presiding officers of the house of representatives and senate, shall hold 10 at least one hearing on an initiative or referendum that the lieutenant governor has 11 determined was properly filed under AS 15.45.160 or 15.45.390. 12 (b) The standing committee selected jointly by the presiding officers of the 13 house of representatives and senate under (a) of this section shall hold at least one 14 hearing under this section within 30 days after the convening of the legislative session 15 preceding the statewide election at which the initiative or referendum proposition 16 must appear on the election ballot under AS 15.45.190 or 15.45.420. 17 * Sec. 3. AS 24.05.186 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 18 (c) A hearing under this section shall include 19 (1) the public review of a fiscal note for the law proposed by initiative 20 or rejection of the act referred, prepared in the same manner and containing the same 21 information required for a bill under AS 24.08.035(a) and (c)(1) - (8); and 22 (2) if offered by the governor or a designee of the governor, a 23 statement presenting the position of the executive branch as to the merits of 24 (A) implementing a law proposed in the initiative; or 25 (B) rejecting the act that is the subject of a referendum. 26 (d) The department or departments affected shall prepare the fiscal note 27 required under (c) of this section in conformity with the requirements of this section. 28 The office of management and budget may review the fiscal note. 29 * Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 30 read: 31 APPLICABILITY. (a) Section 1 of this Act applies to a referendum that will appear
01 on the ballot after the effective date of this Act. 02 (b) Section 2 of this Act applies only to a referendum scheduled to appear on the 03 ballot after the August 2014 primary election. 04 (c) Section 3 of this Act applies only to an initiative or a referendum scheduled to 05 appear on the ballot after the August 2014 primary election. 06 * Sec. 5. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).