04/13/2000 12:08 PM Senate FIN

     HOUSE BILL NO. 437                                                                                                         
     "An Act relating to the reinstatement of Native                                                                            
    corporations; and providing for an effective date."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This  was the  first hearing  for  this bill  in the  Senate                                                                    
Finance Committee.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
BILL   LAWRENCE,  staff   to  Representative   Carl  Morgan,                                                                    
testified that this legislation  provides an opportunity for                                                                    
several  dissolved Native  village  corporations to  address                                                                    
viable  business  matters  to  become  viable  entities.  He                                                                    
explained that this bill extends,  to December 31, 2000, the                                                                    
date that  Native village corporations may  be reinstated in                                                                    
accordance with state law.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lawrence shared that  the Ohogamiut Traditional Council,                                                                    
whose  corporation had  been involuntarily  dissolved, asked                                                                    
Representative  Morgan  for  assistance  in  establishing  a                                                                    
method that  the Council could  use in order to  file annual                                                                    
business  reports.  These  reports, Mr.  Lawrence  explained                                                                    
would  allow  the Council  to  pay  incurred penalties,  and                                                                    
resume operations as a viable corporation.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Torgerson asked  how many  times this  opportunity                                                                    
has been granted to the corporations.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lawrence  knew of one other  time, but did not  know the                                                                    
total number of opportunities.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Torgerson  remembered the  exemption granted  a few                                                                    
years  ago and  wanted to  know if  the Native  corporations                                                                    
would actually participate.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Lawrence  responded   that  the  Ohogamiut  Traditional                                                                    
Council has  indicated that  they would  pay the  back taxes                                                                    
owed and penalties, if the opportunity is granted.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Torgerson  asked what  would happen if  the council                                                                    
does not use this opportunity.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lawrence  responded that they "would  probably wish they                                                                    
had."                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Torgerson stated that  he had seen this opportunity                                                                    
granted three times since he  took office. He expressed that                                                                    
he did not oppose the legislation.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Leman offered a motion  to report from Committee, HB
 1-LS1564\A  with accompanying zero fiscal  note from the                                                                    
Department of Community and Economic Development.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Without objection the bill MOVED from Committee.