2019-04-12                     Senate Journal                      Page 0799
SB 110                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 110 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the community assistance fund and to                                                                   
     community assistance; repealing the civil legal services                                                                   
     fund, power cost equalization endowment fund, power cost                                                                   
     equalization and rural electric capitalization fund,                                                                       
     curriculum improvement and best practices fund, and Alaska                                                                 
     higher education investment fund; disposing of proceeds;                                                                   
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Community and Regional                                                              
Affairs and Finance Committees.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, Department of Commerce, Community, and                                                                      
  Economic Development                                                                                                          
 Fiscal Note No. 2, Department of Commerce, Community, and                                                                      
  Economic Development                                                                                                          

2019-04-12                     Senate Journal                      Page 0800
 Fiscal Note No. 3, Department of Education and Early                                                                           
  Development                                                                                                                   
 Fiscal Note No. 4, Department of Education and Early                                                                           
  Development                                                                                                                   
 Fiscal Note No. 5, Department of Education and Early                                                                           
  Development                                                                                                                   
 Fiscal Note No. 6, Department of Revenue                                                                                       
 Fiscal Note No. 7, Office of the Governor                                                                                      
 Fiscal Note No. 8, Office of the Governor                                                                                      
 Fiscal Note No. 9, Office of the Governor                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated April 11:                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Giessel:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill repealing multiple funds in the                                                          
state's general fund.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
This bill would repeal various funds in the general fund, specifically,                                                         
the civil legal services fund, the power cost equalization endowment                                                            
fund, the power cost equalization and rural electric capitalization fund,                                                       
the curriculum improvement and best practices fund, and the Alaska                                                              
higher education investment fund. The community assistance fund                                                                 
statute would be repealed and reenacted to remove the fund                                                                      
designation, but still allow legislative appropriations for community                                                           
assistance.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Next, the bill would provide for funds received by gift, bequest, or                                                            
donation to be returned to the original donors, while the remainder of                                                          
the fund balances would be deposited into the general fund on the                                                               
bill’s effective date of July 1, 2019. The proliferation of designated                                                          
funds over the years causes complexities in budgeting, and failure to                                                           
apply a fresh look at state spending. Removing these funds will                                                                 
contribute to a more transparent annual budget analysis.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Michael J. Dunleavy                                                                                                             
Governor