2017-01-18                     House Journal                      Page 0044
     "An Act relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing                                                              
     loans made by the Department of Commerce, Community, and                                                                   
     Economic Development."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the House Special Committee on                                                          
Fisheries and the Finance Committee.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HB 57                                                                                                                         
HOUSE BILL NO. 57 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                                                    
the Governor, entitled:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act making appropriations for the operating and loan                                                                   
     program expenses of state government and for certain programs;                                                             
     capitalizing funds; amending appropriations; repealing                                                                     
     appropriations; making supplemental appropriations and                                                                     
     reappropriations, and making appropriations under art. IX, sec.                                                            
     17(c), Constitution of the State of Alaska, from the constitutional                                                        
     budget reserve fund; and providing for an effective date."                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 17 follows:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
"Dear Speaker Edgmon:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill relating to the State's operating                                                        
budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
The FY 2018 budget shares many commonalities with the plan I                                                                    
submitted last year. The budget continues to reduce State spending for                                                          
operating agencies through program reductions, efficiency measures                                                              
such as the new Shared Services Division, provisions to increase                                                                
unrestricted general fund revenue through sustainable use of the                                                                
Permanent Fund Earnings Reserve, and tax increases.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
This year's agency operating budget is $3.75 billion in unrestricted                                                            
general funds. This represents an unrestricted general fund reduction                                                           
of $123.0 million from FY 2017 and $747.7 million from FY 2015.                                                                 
While continuing to reduce total spending, the budget maintains key