1996-01-12                     Senate Journal                      Page 2124
SB 216                                                                       
SENATE BILL NO. 216 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                              
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                          
                                                                               
An Act relating to fees or assessment of costs for                            
certain services provided by state government,                                 
including hearing costs related to the real estate                             
surety fund; fees for authorization to operate a                               
postsecondary educational institution or for an                                
agents permit to perform services for a                                        
postsecondary educational institution; administrative                          
fees for self-insurers in workers compensation;                                
business license fees; fees for activities related to                          
coastal zone management, training relating to                                  
emergency management response, regulation of                                   
pesticides and broadcast chemicals, and subdivision                            
plans for sewage waste disposal or treatment; and                              
providing for an effective date.                                               
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs, Labor and           
Commerce and Finance Committees.                                               
                                                                               
Fiscal notes published today from Department of Revenue, Office of             
the Governor (2), Department of Military and Veterans Affairs,                 
Department of Environmental Conservation (2), Department of                    
Commerce and Economic Development, Department of Labor.                        
                                                                               
Governors transmittal letter dated January 12:                                 
                                                                               

1996-01-12                     Senate Journal                      Page 2125
SB 216                                                                       
Dear President Pearce:                                                         
                                                                               
As we work to close Alaskas budget gap, my fiscal plan combines                
spending cuts with increases in certain fees and taxes. This fee bill          
asks users of state services to take responsibility and help cover the         
costs of the agencies that serve them.                                         
                                                                               
Section 1 of the bill would grant to the Real Estate Commission the            
power to charge the real estate surety fund for claim hearing costs            
as they are incurred.  Presently, the commission must await the                
conclusion of a hearing before charging the fund.  Because these               
costs may have been incurred during a fiscal year that has since               
been closed out, the costs often cannot be reimbursed from the                 
surety fund.  In addition, this section would delete a misleading              
statutory reference to clarify that only the costs of surety fund claim        
hearings, and not the costs of all disciplinary hearings, may be               
charged to the fund.                                                           
                                                                               
Section 2 would allow the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary                   
Education to charge fees for processing educational institutions               
applications for authorization to operate, along with application fees         
for the institutions agent permits.                                            
                                                                               
Section 3 of the bill would authorize the State Commission for                 
Human Rights to establish and charge fees for educational and                  
training services and for information and materials the commission             
provides to the public.  This amendment would help the commission              
cover costs associated with its education efforts to eliminate                 
discrimination.                                                                
                                                                               
Section 4 of the bill would establish an administrative fee for self-          
insured employers under the Alaska Workers Compensation Act.                   
Most employers currently pay a portion of the cost of running the              
state workers compensation program  through their insurance                    
premium tax.  Self-insured employers, however, are receiving the               
same state services but are not currently contributing to the cost of          
running the system.   Under this bill, employers would share in                
those costs.                                                                   
                                                                               
Section 5 would change the biennial fee for a business license from            
$50 to $75.  This would mark the first fee increase since statehood.           

1996-01-12                     Senate Journal                      Page 2126
SB 216                                                                       
Section 6 of the bill would allow the Division of Governmental                 
Coordination in the Office of the Governor to adopt regulations to             
charge for services related to federal consistency determinations and          
certifications under the Coastal Zone Management Act.                          
                                                                               
Section 7 of the bill would authorize the Department of Military and           
Veterans Affairs to adopt regulations setting reasonable fees for              
classes and seminars on emergency response procedures.                         
                                                                               
Section 8 of the bill would authorize the Department of                        
Environmental Conservation to adopt regulations setting fees for the           
regulation of pesticides and broadcast chemicals and for the review            
of subdivision plans for sewage waste disposal or treatment.                   
                                                                               
This legislation, coupled with my spending plan, is a step toward              
closing Alaskas budget gap.  I urge your prompt consideration and              
passage of this bill.                                                          
                                                                               
						Sincerely,                                                               
						/s/                                                                      
						Tony Knowles                                                             
						Governor