02/04/2015 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 26                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act making appropriations, including capital                                                                           
     appropriations   and   other   appropriations;   making                                                                    
     appropriations to capitalize funds; and providing for                                                                      
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:47:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Pitney  pointed out to  the committee that  the original                                                                    
Capital  Budget  put  forth  by  the  administration  was  a                                                                    
stripped down budget totaling $106  million. She stated that                                                                    
the budget mainly included  Department of Transportation and                                                                    
Public  Facilities  (DOT)  federal match  requirements.  She                                                                    
shared that the  amended budget project line  items had been                                                                    
made available  10 days  prior and  the detail  budget items                                                                    
would be available  on February 5, 2015.  She explained that                                                                    
the amended  budget included $150  million in  general funds                                                                    
and  $1.4  billion total,  primarily  federal  match on  the                                                                    
other  fund sources.  She relayed  that the  components were                                                                    
transportation  and  federal  matching funds  and  included:                                                                    
Department  of Environmental  Conservation  (DEC) water  and                                                                    
sewer  projects, Alaska  Housing Finance  Corporation (AHFC)                                                                    
weatherization   funds,  a   small  continuation   of  major                                                                    
maintenance,  and  two  small Department  of  Public  Safety                                                                    
programs. She  noted a  small amount  of funding  for Arctic                                                                    
Policy;  Alaska  would  work  with  the  Legislative  Arctic                                                                    
Commission to  take advantage of  the U.S.  Chairmanship for                                                                    
the Arctic  Council over the  course of the next  two years.                                                                    
She stressed that the state  needed to take advantage of the                                                                    
short timeframe of the U.S. chairmanship.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:51:30 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:51:37 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  asked Ms.  Pitney whether  the administration                                                                    
anticipated support  for increased broadband in  rural areas                                                                    
of Alaska.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Pitney noted  that the  discussion  on broadband  would                                                                    
take  place  with the  Department  of  Administration.   She                                                                    
shared  that the  use of  technology was  in the  infancy of                                                                    
discussion, but was a huge priority to the administration.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SB  26  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.