05/01/2001 09:41 AM Senate FIN

                                                                                                                                
     CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 250(FIN)                                                                                             
     "An  Act relating  to missions  and measures  to be applied  to                                                            
     certain   expenditures  by  the   executive  branch   of  state                                                            
     government   and the  University   of  Alaska  from  the  state                                                            
     operating budget for  the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002; and                                                            
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
DENNY DEWITT, Staff, Representative  Eldon Mulder, explained that HB
  was   the  missions   and   measures  bill   complied  by   the                                                            
subcommittees  from both  the House and  Senate Finance Committees.                                                             
The bill  started with  last year's  missions and  measures and  has                                                            
been  worked  through  making  the  necessary   adjustments.    That                                                            
information  was complied into a draft  bill, which was distributed                                                             
to each of the Senate Finance subcommittees.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. DeWitt  pointed out that the only  significant amendment  to the                                                            
bill was  in the  initial draft  on Page  2, Lines  15 and 16,  "The                                                            
average time taken to respond  to complaints and questions that have                                                            
been elevated  to  the Commissioner's  office".   That language  was                                                            
added to the  final draft from the  House Finance Committee  version                                                            
in  order  to  determine  how  the  departments  were  handling  the                                                            
consumer complaints  and concerns.  He noted that  the Department of                                                            
Revenue used it last year  and that found it to be simple to respond                                                            
to using the measure last year.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wilken  asked  if it  was  intended  that the  mission  and                                                            
measures  would be consolidated  at  some point  to a book-form  for                                                            
each department to have on hand.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Dewitt explained that  last year; both the operating budget bill                                                            
and the  missions and measures  bill were  included together  in one                                                            
stapled  edition.     This year,  the departmental   order has  been                                                            
reorganized to mirror the operating budget bill.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Donley  pointed out that the House has been  working on the                                                            
bill  for nearly  four  months.   He  asked  if there  was  anything                                                            
essential  which  must  be  addressed  this  year, or  would  it  be                                                            
reasonable to  undertake the concerns of the bill  over the interim.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Dewitt  stressed that it was important  that the bill  move this                                                            
budget  year, as these  missions  and measures  match the  operating                                                            
budget for FY02.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Donley  stated that HB 250  would be HELD in Committee  for                                                            
further consideration.