1997-01-29                     House Journal                      Page 0164
HB 92                                                                        
HOUSE BILL NO. 92 by the House Rules Committee by request of                   
the Governor, entitled:                                                        
                                                                               
An Act relating to domestic animals, to food, and to the Alaska               
Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act; and providing for an effective                    
date.                                                                          
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Resources, Labor &                 
Commerce and Finance Committees.                                               
                                                                               
The following fiscal note applies:                                             
                                                                               
Zero fiscal note, Dept. of Environmental Conservation, 1/29/97                 
                                                                               

1997-01-29                     House Journal                      Page 0165
HB 92                                                                        
The Governors transmittal letter, dated January 27, 1997, appears              
below:                                                                         
                                                                               
Dear Speaker Phillips:                                                         
                                                                               
Included in my effort to create greater efficiencies in state government       
is getting rid of archaic laws that are no longer used, but just remain        
on the books gathering dust.  This bill is a cleanup of various statutes       
relating to food and animals under the Department of Environmental             
Conservation (DEC), either deleting unnecessary items or transferring          
them to consolidate our statutes.  This will facilitate the publics use        
and understanding of these laws.                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
History has left the statutes governing food scattered throughout both         
Title 3, which covers agriculture and animals, and Title 17 on food and        
drugs.  With this bill, statutes governing organic food under the              
jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources would remain in            
Title 3, while statutes governing processed food that fall under the           
DEC purview would be consolidated in Title 17.                                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
Additionally, this bill makes other streamlining and housekeeping              
measures including deleting unnecessary flour and bread standards,             
statutes regarding rabies control, and staff reimbursement requirements        
that conflict with the state Procurement Code.                                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
The bill also allows the DEC to use future revisions of three important        
federal milk and seafood program standards to be sure state standards          
always conform, to avoid confusion in the industry, and ensure                 
marketability of our milk and seafood products.                                
                                                                               
The people of Alaska are asking for government programs to be                  
consolidated and streamlined.  This bill is a step toward that goal.           
                                                                               
							Sincerely,                                                              
							/s/                                                                     
							Tony Knowles                                                            
							Governor