01/30/2012 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 2                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Proposing amendments to the Uniform Rules of the                                                                           
     Alaska State Legislature relating to the presiding                                                                         
     officer pro tempore.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:10:57 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bettye  Davis explained  that SCR  2 would  create a                                                                    
permanent third  position known as  "Pro Tem"  in leadership                                                                    
for  temporary   presiding  officers  who   heretofore  only                                                                    
presided over the first floor session of a legislature.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Obermeyer stated  that the committee was  looking at the                                                                    
Committee Substitute  Senate Concurrent Resolution  2 (STA).                                                                    
He  explained  the  Sponsor Statement  (copy  on  file).  He                                                                    
stated that  the purpose of SCR  2 was to amend  the uniform                                                                    
rules  to  increase  the   duties  and  responsibilities  of                                                                    
temporary presiding  officers and to allow  more legislators                                                                    
to function  in leadership  positions. He furthered  that CS                                                                    
SCR  2   (STA)  created   a  permanent  third   position  in                                                                    
leadership for  temporary presiding officers  who heretofore                                                                    
only presided over the first  floor session of a legislature                                                                    
until  the  chambers were  organized  and  the permanent  or                                                                    
regular  presiding  officers  were  seated.  He  noted  that                                                                    
Sections  1-3  changed  the nomenclature  in  titles  to  be                                                                    
consistent  throughout the  Uniform  Rules.  He stated  that                                                                    
Section 4  amended Uniform  Rule 4  by establishing  that in                                                                    
the absence  of both the regular  presiding officer (Speaker                                                                    
of the  House) and the  absence of the majority  leader, the                                                                    
presiding officer pro tempore  previously elected in Uniform                                                                    
Rule 1(b) served  as the presiding officer  pro tempore. The                                                                    
result of the language amending Section  4 of SCR 2 was that                                                                    
the presiding  officer pro tempore  elected at the  start of                                                                    
the first  session of  the legislature,  in addition  to the                                                                    
presiding officer  pro tempore's  duties set out  in Uniform                                                                    
Rule 1(b),  would continue for  both sessions to serve  as a                                                                    
"backup"  in the  absence of  the regular  presiding officer                                                                    
(Speaker  of  the  House)  and  majority  leader.  Presiding                                                                    
officers  pro tempore  might also  be assigned  other duties                                                                    
consistent with the Uniform Rules.  As presently provided in                                                                    
Rule 4,  the regular  presiding officers,  majority leaders,                                                                    
and  so the  presiding officers  pro tempore  may relinquish                                                                    
the chair to any member.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman noted an updated  zero fiscal note from the                                                                    
Senate Finance Committee.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bettye  Davis thanked the  committee, and  felt that                                                                    
the subject only pertained to the legislature.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SCR  2  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.