04/13/2010 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 114(TRA) am                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An   Act    relating   to   availability    of   state                                                                    
     transportation facilities and state-owned or state-                                                                        
     operated    transportation    modes   for    delivering                                                                    
     compassionate aid."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman noted  it  was the  first  hearing on  the                                                                    
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JAY RAMRAS,  SPONSOR, explained  the content                                                                    
of  HB 114.  The  need for  the legislation  came  out of  a                                                                    
economic  disaster in  Western  Alaska.  He shared  problems                                                                    
experienced  when  trying  to  move  food  and  aid  to  the                                                                    
villages.  The bill  "passionate  aid" would  allow, at  the                                                                    
governor's discretion,  the use  of state  transportation to                                                                    
transport  food and  aid. He  noted a  zero fiscal  note. He                                                                    
shared his involvement with delivering food to the sites.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:21:43 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson commented about how  frustrating it was during                                                                    
the crisis. He spoke strongly in favor of the bill.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator Huggins  thanked Representative Ramras for  his work                                                                    
on the bill.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Ramras  thanked the committee. He  shared the                                                                    
need  to  address and  prevent  future  situations in  rural                                                                    
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:23:44 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  commented that  the state must  respond to                                                                    
citizens' needs in every way  possible. He opined that there                                                                    
was a need to put into  statute what once would have been an                                                                    
automatic response.  Representative Ramras reported  that he                                                                    
was told in a House caucus  that it would be against the law                                                                    
to use  state assets  to move  food to a  place in  need. He                                                                    
said  that  HB  114  was  the  emotional  response  to  that                                                                    
statement.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  noted four zero fiscal  notes. He stressed                                                                    
that the state must respond to its citizens.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson suggested passing the bill out today.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HB  114  was  heard  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:26:31 AM