2017-02-01                     Senate Journal                      Page 0151
saving measures are in progress. Without this rate increase the Group                                                           
Health and Life Benefits fund is projected to be exhausted by January                                                           
2018. Given recent budget reductions agencies cannot absorb these                                                               
cost increases.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Thank you for your consideration of this bill.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Bill Walker                                                                                                                     
Governor                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SB 44                                                                                                                         
SENATE BILL NO. 44 BY SENATOR GARDNER, entitled:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act relating to information concerning oil and                                                                    
          gas taxes, including information about expenditures                                                                   
          that must be provided to claim an oil and gas                                                                         
          production tax credit for those expenditures; relating                                                                
          to the disclosure of that information; and providing                                                                  
          for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Resources and Finance                                                               
Committees.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB 45                                                                                                                         
SENATE BILL NO. 45 BY THE SENATE LABOR AND                                                                                      
COMMERCE COMMITTEE, entitled:                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act relating to an exemption from the regulation                                                                  
          of construction contractors."                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Labor and Commerce and                                                              
Finance Committees.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SB 46                                                                                                                         
SENATE BILL NO. 46 BY SENATOR WILSON, entitled:                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act establishing October 25 of each year as                                                                       
          African American Soldiers' Contribution to Building                                                                   
          the Alaska Highway Day."