03/12/2009 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

HB  19-ELIMINATE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:03:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HERRON announced that the  first order of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO.  19,  "An Act  exempting  the  state and  its                                                               
political subdivisions from daylight saving time."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:03:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   ANNA  FAIRCLOUGH,   Alaska  State   Legislature,                                                               
speaking as  the sponsor  of HB 19,  informed the  committee that                                                               
due to questions at the  prior hearing she requested extra energy                                                               
data  from   Nome,  Anchorage,  and  multiple   other  utilities.                                                               
Chugach  Electric  provided  some  energy  information,  although                                                               
anecdotal,  that the  weekend  after  implementation of  daylight                                                               
savings  time  (DST) there  is  a  decrease in  electrical  usage                                                               
whereas   there's  an   increase   in   electrical  usage   after                                                               
implementation of DST.  However,  Chugach Electric noted that the                                                               
largest factor  related to electrical  usage is  the temperature.                                                               
She then related that Channel  2 performed a survey that reported                                                               
that  75 percent  of those  responding  supported repealing  DST.                                                               
The sponsor's own  survey has an increased  number of respondents                                                               
as has  those in support  of repealing DST.   With regard  to the                                                               
questions  about fuel  usage on  the North  Slope, Representative                                                               
Fairclough explained that the fuel  is purchased in bulk and thus                                                               
DST  doesn't  impact  the  cost,   although  it  may  impact  the                                                               
consumption.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:06:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HERRON related  that he has only received  support for a                                                               
change from the current system  and has received no opposition to                                                               
HB 19 from his district.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:06:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  MUNOZ moved  to  report  HB 19  out  of committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being no objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:07:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 8:07 a.m. to 8:09 a.m.