03/19/2003 03:16 PM House L&C

HB 111-EXTEND REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
CHAIR ANDERSON  announced that the  first order of  business would                                                              
be HOUSE BILL NO.  111, "An Act extending the  termination date of                                                              
the  Regulatory  Commission  of   Alaska;  and  providing  for  an                                                              
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  ANDERSON informed  the committee  that he was  assigning                                                              
HB   111   to   a   subcommittee   consisting   of   himself   and                                                              
Representatives Dahlstrom  and Guttenberg.  He announced  that the                                                              
subcommittee  would  meet  next  Thursday,  March 27,  2003.    He                                                              
requested  that interested  parties  provide  a one-page  position                                                              
statement identifying their suggested changes.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0152                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
DAVE  HARBOUR,  Chair,  Regulatory  Commission  of  Alaska  (RCA),                                                              
thanked the  committee for its  role in the confirmation  process.                                                              
He discussed  the circumstances under  which he took  the position                                                              
as chair of  the RCA.  He  commented on the RCA's  dedicated staff                                                              
of  specialists.   Mr. Harbour  related  that he  feels a  special                                                              
sense of  mission from  the legislature  and governor  because one                                                              
appointed him  and the other confirmed  him.  He pointed  out that                                                              
after some  2,000 orders since the  RCA was created in  1999, only                                                              
about  15 major appeals  have occurred.   Virtually  all of  those                                                              
appeals  have  been  sustained  by  the  court  system,  with  the                                                              
exception of  one which was turned  back for a  procedural reason.                                                              
Mr.  Harbour  emphasized  the importance  of  RCA's  communication                                                              
with  the  legislature,   the  administration,  as   well  as  the                                                              
regulated community.   He encouraged dialogue about  improving the                                                              
processes effecting  the public interest and maximizing  the RCA's                                                              
efficiencies.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ANDERSON  reiterated that HB 111  will be held and  heard in                                                              
subcommittee next week.