Legislature(2005 - 2006)HOUSE FINANCE 519

05/03/2005 01:30 PM House FINANCE


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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ HB 186 PERMANENT FUND: QUARTERLY PAYMENTS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ SB 133 AVIATION ADVISORY BOARD TELECONFERENCED
Moved Out of Committee
+ SB 174 EXEMPT UHAULS FROM VEHICLE RENTAL TAX TELECONFERENCED
Moved HCS SB 174(FIN) Out of Committee
+= SB 139 OCCUPATIONAL BDS/AGENCIES TELECONFERENCED
Moved HCS CSSB 139(FIN) Out of Committee
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
SENATE BILL NO. 133                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     An Act establishing the Aviation Advisory Board; and                                                                       
     providing for an effective date.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
NORA    WILSON,    LEGISLATIVE   LIAISON,    DEPARTMENT    OF                                                                   
TRANSPORTATION &  PUBLIC FACILITIES, explained  that the bill                                                                   
would  establish  a  permanent   advisory  board  within  the                                                                   
Department of  Transportation and  Public Facilities  to make                                                                   
recommendations  to  the  Commissioner  with respect  to  the                                                                   
Department's aviation functions.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The permanent  board would have  the same composition  as the                                                                   
current  10-member  interim board,  with  representatives  of                                                                   
various  stakeholders  in  aviation matters.    However,  one                                                                   
additional  board member would  be added,  to provide  for an                                                                   
uneven number  of members to avoid  tie votes.   The Governor                                                                   
would appoint the  board to staggered three-year  terms.  The                                                                   
existing   interim   board  members   would   serve   without                                                                   
compensation  other   than  travel  coverage  and   per  diem                                                                   
expenses.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Wilson   concluded   that  SB  133   would  afford   the                                                                   
Commissioner  of  the  Department  valuable  input  from  the                                                                   
perspective  of the  aviation  industry and  the two  largest                                                                   
airport  hub   communities  regarding  aviation   policy  and                                                                   
management.   It would ensure  that those stakeholders  would                                                                   
have   an   ongoing   opportunity    to   advise   and   make                                                                   
recommendations to the Commissioner.  She urged support.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:06:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Stoltze  asked  for   a  list  of  current  board                                                                   
membership.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:07:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KIP   KNUDSON,   (TESTIFIED   VIA   TELECONFERENCE),   DEPUTY                                                                   
COMMISSIONER,  AVIATION,   DEPARTMENT  OF   TRANSPORTATION  &                                                                   
PUBLIC FACILITIES, ANCHORAGE, listed the members:                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
*    Dan Klase  - Representing  the unorganized  community of                                                                   
     Beetles                                                                                                                    
*    James Dodson - Fairbanks                                                                                                   
*    William   Flower,   President,   Northern   Air   Cargo,                                                                   
     Anchorage                                                                                                                  
*    Bob Jacobsen, Owner, Wings Alaska, Juneau                                                                                  
*    Paul  Landis,   Senior  Vice-President,   ERA  Aviation,                                                                   
     Anchorage                                                                                                                  
*    Felix Maguire,  Government Affairs Coordinator,  Alaskan                                                                   
     Airman's Association                                                                                                       
*    Wilbur O'Brien, Past President, ERA Aviation                                                                               
*    Mayor  Mike  Salazar,  Former  President,  Air  Carriers                                                                   
     Association, Ketchikan                                                                                                     
*    Richard Wien, Name Says it All                                                                                             
*    Kim Lythgoe, Manager, Cargo Port, Anchorage                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:08:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Stoltze  asked about  the definition  of statewide                                                                   
membership.   Mr. Knudson  explained that  the intent  was to                                                                   
allow an appointment from anywhere within the State.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Stoltze  asked about  any  mayor  representatives                                                                   
having a  conflict of  interest.   Mr. Knudson replied  there                                                                   
has not yet been a problem.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:11:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hawker asked  about  fiscal note  #2 for  the                                                                   
interim advisory board  created in 2003.  He  wondered why an                                                                   
increase was needed when the current  system has worked well.                                                                   
Mr. Knudson thought there would  be some expense involved and                                                                   
that  to date,  coverage  has  come from  the  Office of  the                                                                   
Commissioner.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:13:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Chenault referenced both  fiscal notes.  Mr. Knudson                                                                   
clarified  that  originally  the   Department  requested  $20                                                                   
thousand dollars  through the  operating budget.   The Senate                                                                   
removed  that from  the operating  budget and  then a  fiscal                                                                   
note was forwarded to accompany the bill.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:14:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TOM GEORGE,  (TESTIFIED VIA TELECONFERENCE),  AIRCRAFT OWNERS                                                                   
AND PILOTS  ASSOCIATION (AOPA),  ANCHORAGE, spoke  in support                                                                   
of SB 133 and urged the Committee to pass it.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:17:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hawker MOVED to  zero out  fiscal note  #2 by                                                                   
the Department  of Transportation and Public  Facilities.  He                                                                   
pointed  out that  it has  operated  for the  past two  years                                                                   
within the Department's budget  and believed that it could be                                                                   
accommodated as such in next year's budget.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:19:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Joule questioned  the effectiveness of a board                                                                   
with a  zero note.   Representative  Hawker responded  it was                                                                   
not his  intent to harm  the board in  any way.   He believed                                                                   
that  the  Department  could continue  to  manage  the  board                                                                   
without the additional fiscal expense.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, fiscal note #2 was zeroed out.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Stoltze  MOVED to REPORT  SB 133 out  of Committee                                                                   
with  individual recommendations  and  with the  accompanying                                                                   
fiscal note.  There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SB  133  was reported  out  of  Committee  with a  "do  pass"                                                                   
recommendation  and   a  zero  note  by  the   Department  of                                                                   
Transportation & Public Facilities.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:22:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                

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