Legislature(2003 - 2004)
04/29/2004 04:12 PM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
CSHB 476(STA)-AK STATEHOOD CELEBRATION COMMISSION
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced CSHB 476(STA) to be up for
consideration.
JIM SHINE, staff to Representative Tom Anderson, introduced the bill
for the sponsor and paraphrased the sponsor statement:
January 2009 will mark the 50th anniversary of Alaska's
admission as the 49th state of the United States of
America. It's important that we celebrate this landmark
with a celebration of the state's magnificent heritage and
reflect upon the opportunities that 50 years of Statehood
have brought to this state.
This bill establishes a commission, which will consist of
nine members. Four public members will be appointed by the
governor, of whom one member shall be a resident of and be
appointed from each of the four judicial districts in the
state. The presiding officer from the Alaska House of
Representatives and the Alaska Senate will appoint a
majority and a minority member from each body. The
governor and or the governor's designee will occupy the
9th seat.
This commission shall be planning and administering all
the official state activities leading up to the 50th
anniversary of Alaska Statehood. This commission will
initiate a public process to solicit ideas about this
celebration.
The commemorative quarter honoring the State of Alaska,
which is HB 467, which is also in this committee, will be
issued in the same calendar year as Alaska celebrates its
50th year.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS remarked that the two bills certainly have
similarities yet two separate commissions are to be established. He
questioned why the Commemorative Quarter Commission shouldn't be a
responsibility of the Alaska Statehood Celebration Commission.
MR. SHINE told him that the drafters decided on two separate
commissions. Although one certainly could be a subcommittee of the
other, it might be too much to combine the two considering the
magnitude of the Statehood Celebration and that the Commemorative
Quarter Commission entails working with the U.S. Mint.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS agreed that the argument had merit. He asked if
he knew that the University of Alaska was planning a celebration of
the writing of the Alaska State Constitution as well as the
statehood issue.
MR. SHINE said he was aware of that and learned from Gail Phillips
that U.S. Senator Ted Stevens requested $450,000 for the university
to develop an Alaska online curriculum for students to participate
in during the year leading up to the statehood celebration.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS said he also thought the university was involved
in celebratory plans.
MR. SHINE admitted he wasn't aware of that.
SENATOR BERT STEDMAN asked why the commission should be started so
early.
MR. SHINE said that a celebration of this magnitude takes
considerable time to plan because of the number of issues and
activities that must be addressed.
SENATOR GRETCHEN GUESS noted that the fiscal note was zero even
though the commission would receive per diem and travel expenses.
She asked whether those expenses would come out of the governor's
contingency fund or somewhere else.
MR. SHINE said the House Finance Committee zeroed the fiscal note
because the bill gives the commission the power to establish a
budget.
SENATOR GUESS asked whether an indeterminate fiscal note wouldn't be
more appropriate.
MR. SHINE referred to Gail Phillips' proposal stating that for the
first three years the commission should be voluntary and the last
two years should be paying positions.
SENATOR GUESS stated for the record that his explanation causes her
concern because that's starting down a path that you might not want
to take. Volunteering time is one thing, but everyone can't
necessarily afford to pay for travel expenses and some people would
therefore be excluded if those expenses weren't reimbursed. When
you're trying to develop a diverse commission, socio-economic
diversity should certainly be a consideration.
MR. SHINE said that the House Finance Committee also made the
comment that something of this magnitude might attract other
organizations that might want to help financially.
SENATOR STEDMAN reiterated Senator Guess's remark that the zero
fiscal note is inaccurate. Clearly the 50th statehood celebration
isn't going to be free for the State of Alaska.
MR. SHINE agreed.
SENATOR GUESS expressed appreciation that the commission would
represent both the majority and the minority.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS commented that the majority party could change
over the course of five years.
SENATOR GUESS motioned to report CSHB 476(JUD) from committee with
individual recommendations and attached zero, but should be
indeterminate, fiscal note. There being no objection, it was so
ordered.
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