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HB 324                                                                                            
HOUSE BILL NO. 324 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                       
the Governor, entitled:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
     "An Act making supplemental and other appropriations for                                       
     homeland security; and providing for an effective date."                                       
                                                                                                    

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was read the first time and referred to the House Special Committee on                              
Military and Veterans' Affairs and the State Affairs and Finance                                    
Committees.                                                                                         
                                                                                                    
A spreadsheet of cost estimates by department from the Office of                                    
Management & Budget was attached and is on file in the Chief Clerk's                                
office.                                                                                             
                                                                                                    
The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 14, 2002, appears                                   
below:                                                                                              
                                                                                                    
"Dear Speaker Porter:                                                                               
                                                                                                    
Today I am formally transmitting to the Legislature an appropriations                               
bill to implement the recommendations of the administration's                                       
Terrorism Disaster Policy Cabinet regarding state security and                                      
response capabilities in the aftermath of September 11th.   The bill                                
covers costs incurred to date fulfilling immediate requirements such as                             
airport security, as well as increased preparedness and response                                    
capabilities for the rest of FY2002 and all of FY2003. This                                         
comprehensive bill also funds capital investments for transportation                                
security, emergency response equipment and other high priority                                      
recommendations of the cabinet group.                                                               
                                                                                                    
I forwarded a draft of this legislation to you in November with a                                   
request for advance hearings to facilitate prompt consideration of the                              
proposal in the beginning weeks of the session.  Although those                                     
hearings were not held, we made the Terrorism Disaster Policy                                       
Cabinet's report and budget detail on their recommendations widely                                  
available to legislators and the public via the Internet. As anticipated                            
in my November letter, the final bill has some updates from that                                    
earlier version although there are no changes to the basic                                          
recommendations for action.                                                                         
                                                                                                    
Detecting and responding to threats of terrorism is no longer a                                     
theoretical exercise.  Like all other states, Alaska must make its own                              
risk assessment and determine the appropriate levels of security and                                
emergency response capabilities to meet our responsibilities to our                                 
citizens.                                                                                           
                                                                                                    

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This critical state policy decision requires the best efforts of the                                
administration and the legislature.  I pledge the full assistance of my                             
commissioners and others to assist you in your earliest possible review                             
of these recommendations.                                                                           
                                                                                                    
                                 Sincerely,                                                        
                                 /s/                                                                
                                 Tony Knowles                                                       
                                  Governor"