03/04/1998 01:50 PM House FIN

HOUSE BILL NO. 461                                                             
                                                                               
"An Act making supplemental and special appropriations;                        
and providing for an effective date."                                          
                                                                               
Co-Chair Hanley provided members with a proposed committee                     
substitute for HB 461, Work Draft 0-LS1638\E, dated                            
3/4/98(copy on file).                                                          
                                                                               
Representative Martin MOVED to ADOPT Work Draft 0-LS1638\E,                    
dated 3/4/98.  There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                    
                                                                               
Co-Chair Hanley compared CSHB 461 (FIN) with the original                      
version, HB 461. He noted that the language "appropriations                    
that are time sensitive" was removed at the request of the                     
drafter.  The drafter accidentally removed subsection (a).                     
He observed that Amendment 1 would add subsection (a) back                     
into the committee substitute (copy on file).  He observed                     
that section 1 (b) was deleted because it is contained in HB
.   Subsection (c) of the old version is now subsection                     
(a).   He noted that the total amount is the same.  There                      
was a funding source change.  Subsection (c) of the                            
committee substitute is similar to subsection (d) of the                       
previous version.  The funding source was changed from                         
general fund program receipts to federal funds.  The federal                   
funding source is the time study match money received by                       
school districts.  This will not count as general fund                         
expenditures because federal funds will be used.  Subsection                   
(d) and (e) of the committee substitute correspond to                          
subsections (e) and (I).  These sections provide funding for                   
the Poker Flats Research range. Total funding for the Poker                    
Flats project is $20 million dollars.  Subsection (f) in the                   
committee substitute is the same.  Subsection (g) is the                       
same dollar amount.  Subsistence harvest research projects                     
was changed to subsistence data collection.  Subsection (h)                    
was previously subsection (j).  Subsection (i) was                             
previously subsection (k).                                                     
Representative Martin MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1, to add                       
subsection (a).  Subsection (a) would add $1,786,400                           
thousand dollars in Alaska Housing Finance Corporation                         
corporate receipts for operation of the Bank of America                        
building.  There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                        
                                                                               
Mr. Spencer discussed Amendment 2.  Amendment 2 would add                      
$1,303,600 thousand dollars to the Department of Revenue for                   
Child Support Enforcement Division grants (copy on file).                      
He observed that state and federal funding would cover three                   
federal fiscal years, which is the life of the grants.  He                     
suggested that the appropriation be made as a capital                          
expense so that the funding does not lapse at the end of the                   
fiscal year.                                                                   
                                                                               
Representative Davies MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 2 with a                        
conceptual amendment to include the appropriation in the                       
back section as a capital project.  There being NO                             
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                  
                                                                               
Co-Chair Hanley noted that he anticipated an additional                        
amendment from the Department of Corrections.                                  
                                                                               
Representative Davies referred to subsection (f), Glennallen                   
to Tok highway funding.  Co-Chair Hanley noted that the                        
Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) was                        
amended to include the project.  The Department has                            
sufficient funding to provide the state match.                                 
                                                                               
ANNALEE MCCONNELL, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND                          
BUDGET, OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR noted that the condition of                     
the road has deteriorated.  She stressed that the urgency of                   
completing this project is greater than any other project                      
that is underway.                                                              
                                                                               
NANCY SLAGLE, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,                   
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION noted that the Department wants                   
to complete the work this summer.  The bid would have to be                    
released in April.  Poor weather conditions caused the road                    
to deteriorate faster than anticipated.  The Department had                    
projects included in the STIP that went through to the year                    
2004.  These were removed from the STIP and combined into                      
one project.  Approval has been received from the federal                      
Highways Department.  No other projects will be delayed                        
because of the project.  The Department is unsure of the                       
level of federal funding it will receive in FY 99.                             
                                                                               
Representative Grussendorf noted that the original                             
supplemental request included $464 thousand dollars in test                    
fisheries receipts for a project relating to herring roe on                    
kelp.  He stressed the need for quick action on this                           
appropriation.                                                                 
                                                                               
Ms. McConnell stressed that many of the supplemental                           
projects are time sensitive.  She spoke in support of the                      
appropriation.                                                                 
                                                                               
HB 461 was HELD in Committee for further consideration.