HB 209: "An Act relating to an Alaska Water and Sewer Advisory Committee; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 209 01 "An Act relating to an Alaska Water and Sewer Advisory Committee; and providing for 02 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 over 6,000 families in the state 07 do not have safe potable water or safe sanitation systems in their homes. Of the over 08 $100,000,000,000 earned by the state in oil revenue since 1977, less than half of one percent 09 was expended on rural water and sewer projects. In an effort to protect the public health and 10 welfare of the state's citizens and promote healthy communities, the legislature finds that it is 11 the responsibility of the legislature to ensure that safe and sustainable water and sewer 12 systems are provided for all state residents. 13 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 14 read:
01 ALASKA WATER AND SEWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The Alaska Water 02 and Sewer Advisory Committee is created in the legislative branch. 03 (b) The advisory committee consists of nine members, as follows: 04 (1) one member of the senate appointed by the members of the bush caucus; 05 (2) one member of the house of representatives appointed by the members of 06 the bush caucus; 07 (3) one member of the senate appointed by affirmative vote of a majority of 08 the full membership of the senate; 09 (4) one member of the house of representatives appointed by affirmative vote 10 of a majority of the full membership of the house of representatives; 11 (5) one member of the public who is a civil engineer appointed by the 12 members of the bush caucus; 13 (6) one member who represents an appropriate federal agency appointed by 14 the members of the bush caucus; 15 (7) one member who represents an appropriate state agency appointed by the 16 members of the bush caucus; and 17 (8) two members of the public who reside in rural communities in the state 18 that are not connected by road or the Alaska marine highway to the main road system of the 19 state appointed by the members of the bush caucus. 20 (c) The members of the advisory committee shall select co-chairs from the advisory 21 committee's legislative membership; one co-chair shall be from the house of representatives 22 and one co-chair shall be from the senate. 23 (d) Members serve without compensation and may not receive travel and per diem 24 expenses. 25 (e) The advisory committee shall meet during and between legislative sessions to 26 accomplish its duties. Meetings of the committee may be conducted by telecommunication or 27 electronic communication. 28 (f) Vacancies on the advisory committee shall be filled in the same manner as the 29 original appointments. 30 (g) The advisory committee shall develop and submit findings and proposed 31 legislation addressing the provision of safe and sustainable water and sewer systems to all
01 rural areas of the state. The advisory committee shall prepare a report with the advisory 02 committee's findings and proposed legislation by December 1, 2016, deliver the report to the 03 senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of representatives, and notify the legislature 04 that the report is available on or before the first day of the 2017 regular legislative session. In 05 developing its findings and legislation, the advisory committee shall, to the extent possible, 06 (1) establish a more accurate estimate of the number of homes without safe 07 water and sewer systems; 08 (2) determine the state's needs in providing safe water and sewer systems to 09 rural residents and establish a methodology for determining which projects should be 10 prioritized among those needs; 11 (3) explore which water and sewer system technologies are most appropriate 12 for use in rural communities in the state; 13 (4) research water and sewer systems used in other Arctic nations; 14 (5) determine means by which state and federal resources, funds, and agencies 15 might be better coordinated to construct, maintain, and service water and sewer systems; 16 (6) investigate and recommend strategies to protect public investments in rural 17 water and sewer systems and promote the long-term operational life of rural water and sewer 18 systems by ensuring, to the greatest extent practicable, that the systems can be maintained by 19 local personnel and with local resources; 20 (7) investigate and evaluate previous state and federal efforts to provide water 21 and sewer systems in rural areas of the state; 22 (8) consult with representatives of appropriate state and federal agencies 23 regarding how safe water and sewer systems might be more quickly provided to the rural 24 areas of the state; and 25 (9) hold public hearings and employ other means the task force determines 26 will best solicit useful information on rural water and sewer needs from the residents of the 27 state. 28 (h) In the preparation of the report described in (g) of this section, the advisory 29 committee may only use existing legislative resources and staff. 30 (i) In this section, "bush caucus" means a group of legislators that represents rural 31 areas of the state.
01 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 02 read: 03 TRANSITION. The advisory committee shall begin work as soon as a majority of its 04 membership has been appointed. 05 * Sec. 4. Sections 1 and 2 of this Act are repealed July 1, 2017. 06 * Sec. 5. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).