02/24/2005 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

              SB 104-PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND FRAUD                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
3:43:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT announced SB 104  to be up for consideration and                                                               
asked Senator Seekins to introduce the bill.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR RALPH  SEEKINS, sponsor, explained  the intent of  SB 104                                                               
is to increase  the penalty in Permanent Fund fraud  cases and to                                                               
give  the  Permanent  Fund  Division  the  ability  to  find  and                                                               
prosecute the  people who commit  this type  of fraud. This  is a                                                               
serious crime against all Alaska residents, he emphasized.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:45:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  THERRIAULT  asked  for  a motion  to  adopt  the  proposed                                                               
committee substitute (CS), \G version, as the working document.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR CHARLIE  HUGGINS motioned to  adopt \G version of  SB 104                                                               
as  the working  document. There  being no  objection, it  was so                                                               
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT  explained that  for clarification  purposes the                                                               
words "a public employee" were added on page 2, lines 10-11.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
He asked Ms.  Barton to comment on suggestions  from the previous                                                               
hearing.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:46:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHARON BARTON,  director, Permanent Fund Division,  explained the                                                               
initial  concern   regarding  the  language  in   Section  2  was                                                               
unfounded.  Attorney   Tam  Cook   noted  the  language   may  be                                                               
circuitous and inelegant, but it is not flawed or inaccurate.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:47:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT  noted that the PFD  investigator and Department                                                               
of Law representative were available to answer questions.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:48:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There being  no questions or  discussion, Chair  Therriault noted                                                               
one  fiscal note  from the  Department of  Law then  asked for  a                                                               
motion.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:48:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS motioned  to report \G version  CSSB 104(STA) and                                                               
attached   fiscal    note   from   committee    with   individual                                                               
recommendations. There being no objection, it was so ordered.