Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/30/1993 03:00 PM House HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
Number 163
HB 190: ALASKA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION GRANTS
TOM ANDERSON, LEGISLATIVE AIDE TO REP. TERRY MARTIN,
testified on behalf of Rep. Martin, the prime sponsor of the
bill. He conveyed Rep. Martin's apologies for having to be
at a Finance Committee meeting which necessitated his
absence from the HESS Committee meeting. He said HB 190 was
a simple bill which made it clear that the board of
directors of the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation
(ASTF) could issue grants to the University of Alaska. He
said the ASTF directors already had such authority under the
statute granting the foundation authority to give preference
to Alaska organizations. He said the university would get
no special preference in its grant applications through the
bill.
Number 190
REP. BRICE asked whether the bill would mean the university
would no longer have to compete in the regular grant
application process.
MR. ANDERSON answered no, there would be no change in the
application process.
REP. BRICE asked if there had been any talk of giving any
preference to K-12 education (in funding grants).
REP. TOOHEY asked what the question had to do with the
university.
REP. BRICE said none, but given the concern in the state
over education, there might be a need for such preference as
well.
MR. ANDERSON said there was no preference granted under
HB 190. He repeated that Rep. Martin wanted to make clear
that the university could receive grants from the ASTF. He
said that several grants had already been made to K-12
education.
Number 219
CHAIR BUNDE commented that the bill was an effort to
encourage the university to look to the ASTF for research
funding.
Number 224
REP. TOOHEY asked if the ASTF funded basic research.
MR. ANDERSON said that was correct.
Number 225
CHAIR BUNDE noted that the director of the foundation would
soon offer testimony by teleconference and could answer some
questions.
Number 228
REP. KOTT asked Mr. Anderson what was classified as an
institution under the bill.
MR. ANDERSON answered that the university was one
institution and a hospital would be another.
Number 237
JOHN SIBERT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION, testified via teleconference from
Anchorage in support of HB 190. He said the foundation
funded many university projects already. He said the bill
might be unnecessary, as all University of Alaska
researchers already knew of the ASTF. He said that the
foundation had funded about 28 of 107 full proposals from
the university, and that about 30 percent of all projects
the foundation has funded have involved the university. He
said the foundation did not fund the kind of basic research
performed by the university, but served a niche of needs
driven research.
MR. SIBERT stated that the bill would not increase the
number of university projects funded by the ASTF. He also
expressed worry over having a bill relating to the
foundation on the floor of the legislature late in the
session. He said the foundation directors, in evaluating
grant applications, tried to focus on the effect of issuing
the grant, and not focus on the identity of the originating
institution. He said that part of the foundation's mission
was to fund projects dealing with K-12 education. He noted
two programs to provide teachers with direct grants. One
allows teachers to learn how better to teach math, science
and physics using local culture and environment, while
another provides a summer industrial fellowship to involve
teachers in research projects funded by the foundation. In
summary, he said that while he appreciated Rep. Martin's
intent, the legislation was probably unnecessary.
Number 302
MR. ANDERSON commented that Rep. Martin, as a member of the
House Finance Committee, believed that some research funding
was wasteful. He said the state might save some money by
pointing out that the ASTF was a source of funding for some
research.
REP. BRICE noted that the bill indicated, in Section 1,
lines 5-7, that the directors of the ASTF would give
preference in awarding grants to Alaska residents or
institutions.
CHAIR BUNDE closed public testimony on HB 190 and asked the
will of the committee.
REP. KOTT moved passage of HB 190 with individual
recommendations.
REP. B. DAVIS objected.
CHAIR BUNDE called for a roll call vote on the motion.
Those voting yes were Reps. G. Davis, Kott, Olberg, Toohey
and Bunde. Those voting no were Reps. B. Davis and Brice.
The motion passed 5-2. He then brought HB 174 to the table.
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