2022-03-15                     Senate Journal                      Page 2017
SB 231                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 231 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act providing that the Alaska Railroad                                                                            
          Corporation is subject to the Executive Budget Act;                                                                   
          providing that expenditures of the Alaska Railroad                                                                    
          Corporation are subject to appropriation; and                                                                         
          providing for an effective date."                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Transportation and Finance                                                          
Committees.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, Department of Commerce, Community, and                                                                      
  Economic Development                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated March 11:                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Micciche:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill making the Alaska Railroad                                                               
Corporation (ARRC) subject to the Executive Budget Act (AS 37.07)                                                               
and providing that the expenditures of the ARRC are subject to                                                                  
legislative appropriation.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                

2022-03-15                     Senate Journal                      Page 2018
This bill requires the ARRC to comply with the Executive Budget Act                                                             
similar to other public corporations and state agencies. This bill also                                                         
requires that the ARRC be responsible for the operating, capital, and                                                           
debt service expenditures of the corporation in accordance with                                                                 
appropriations made by the Legislature.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
This bill increases the accounting and fee collection oversight by the                                                          
legislature and the executive branch in relation to the operations of the                                                       
ARRC, requiring it to engage in the same budgeting and accounting                                                               
processes as other state agencies.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor