02/25/2002 03:20 PM House L&C

HB 333-EXTENDING THE REGULATORY COM. OF ALASKA                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MURKOWSKI announced  the  first order  of business,  HOUSE                                                               
BILL  NO. 333,  "An Act  extending  the termination  date of  the                                                               
Regulatory Commission  of Alaska; and providing  for an effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MURKOWSKI informed  the committee  that there  had been  a                                                               
letter of  intent drafted  to accompany HB  333, which  was moved                                                               
from  committee on  February 20  [2002].   The  letter of  intent                                                               
indicates  the House  Labor and  Commerce Standing  Committee and                                                               
the  Senate Labor  and Commerce  Standing Committee  will conduct                                                               
annual oversight hearings of the  Regulatory Commission of Alaska                                                               
(RCA).     The   purpose  of   these  hearings   is  to   discuss                                                               
investigations and complaint follow-up,  case backlogs, and other                                                               
matters of public inquiry regarding the RCA's activities.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
[Recording begins here]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 02-24, SIDE A                                                                                                              
Number 051                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HALCRO  moved  that  the  committee  rescind  its                                                               
action  on  HB 333  [in  moving  the  bill  out of  committee  on                                                               
2/20/02].   There  being  no  objection, HB  333  was before  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Number 060                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HALCRO moved to adopt  the letter of intent and to                                                               
report HB  333 out of  committee with  individual recommendations                                                               
and the accompanying fiscal notes.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MURKOWSKI  asked  whether  there was  any  objection;  she                                                               
specifically asked  Representative Kott, who hadn't  been present                                                               
at the February 20 meeting.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KOTT answered  that  he does  have some  concerns                                                               
regarding the way  the RCA has been doing business  over the last                                                               
three  or  four years.    He  explained  that  when the  RCA  was                                                               
structured,  one  of  the  main concerns  was  "would  we  become                                                               
proficient and efficient."   He said from what he  has heard from                                                               
a number  of utilities across  the state, the main  objective has                                                               
not been met.  He told members:                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     I think we need to  revisit with the RCA membership and                                                                    
     find out what the problem  is, and take some corrective                                                                    
     action  before  this  continues   to  escalate  into  a                                                                    
     problem that amounts to about  the same size as the one                                                                    
     we dealt with  when we did the reorganization.   I hate                                                                    
     to get into micromanaging  these folks, but [from] some                                                                    
     of the discussions  that I've had, we may  not have any                                                                    
     option.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT  concluded by saying  he had no  objection to                                                               
advancing the bill.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 096                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI announced  that there being no  objection, HB 333                                                               
was  moved [again]  from the  House Labor  and Commerce  Standing                                                               
Committee with the attached letter of intent.