Legislature(1997 - 1998)

04/29/1997 10:10 AM House RLS

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
txt
HB 63 - MOTOR FUEL TAX EXEMPTION                                               
                                                                               
Number 0035                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN KOTT announced the committee would address HB 63, "An Act             
extending the motor fuel tax exemption for fuel sold for use in jet            
propulsion aircraft to fuel used in those aircraft for flights that            
continue from a foreign country; and providing for an effective                
date."  He noted the committee would address Version R, which is               
the version the committee members had before them the previous day.            
He indicated there is a new committee substitute (CS) and asked Mr.            
Chenoweth to explain the contents of the amendment offered the                 
previous day, which has been rolled into Version X, dated 4/29/97.             
                                                                               
Number 0082                                                                    
                                                                               
JACK CHENOWETH, Attorney, Legislative Legal and Research Services              
Legislative Affairs Agency, came before the committee to explain               
Version X.  He said the current draft deals with the exemption from            
the motor fuel tax in several ways.  The first is on page 4, lines             
29 and 30.  There is presently an exemption for motor fuel that is             
at least 10 percent alcohol by volume.  The amendment on page 4,               
lines 29 and 30, would delete that exemption and makes that                    
"gasohol" fully taxable.                                                       
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH informed the committee members a second point is that            
currently in law there is special handling for bunker fuel.  It was            
enacted in Chapter 42, SLA 1994.  He noted his recollection is that            
it provides for a full application of the motor fuel tax until the             
state takes in $205,000 in a fiscal year, at which point the tax               
either drops to nothing or drops down to a penny.  He noted he                 
couldn't remember which one it was.  He said that will be gone and             
the special handling of it will also be gone.  In place of it, a               
complete exemption from taxation of bunker fuel would be provided.             
He informed the committee members that the elimination of the                  
special handling is on page 5, line 20.  The full exemption of                 
bunker fuel is on page 5, lines 12 through 19.                                 
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH explained also included in the bill is a proposal to             
exempt from taxation motor fuel used in jet propulsion aircrafts               
that start out in a foreign country, refuels in Alaska and then                
continues on.  There is currently an exemption that goes the other             
way for airplanes that take off from Seattle, refuels in Anchorage             
and continues on to the Far East.  If an aircraft comes from Japan,            
China or the Far East, lands in Anchorage and goes on, there is no             
exemption and that fuel is subject to taxation.  He referred to                
page 4, lines 19 through 23, and said, "It exempts from taxation               
sales of motor fuel that are in conjunction with flights that                  
originate elsewhere in a foreign country, land and refuel in Alaska            
and continue on.  What the exemption then has is a contingency and             
that begins with the words, 'unless exemption of the motor fuel                
from taxation is disallowed because of the refiner's failure to                
comply with the provisions of a voluntary agreement under [AS]                 
43.40.092 in conjunction with expansion of refinery capacity.'"                
Mr. Chenoweth referred the committee to page 2, Section 2, and said            
that is the disallowance referred to.  He informed the committee               
if a refiner operating in Alaska makes a determination that the                
refiner wants to expand its capacity and voluntarily commits by                
agreement to do the things that are laid out on the bottom of page             
2, in subsections (A) and (B), and at the top page 3, subsection               
(C), and then fails to perform in accordance with that voluntary               
agreement, then motor fuel refined as jet fuel  at that refinery               
can no longer be claimed for exemption.  He said, "One of things               
that the refiner may voluntarily commit to do, and the failure of              
which to do would cost him the exemption, and those are 'use the               
refiners' -- and I'm on page 2, line 25, 'use the refiner's best               
efforts to advertise for, recruit, and employ in the construction              
activities associated with expanding refinery capacity resident                
workers who have experience in the specific fields in which they               
are hired to work.'"  Mr. Chenoweth explained the second is a                  
requirement to contract with Alaska licensed firms to prepare                  
materials used in construction activities.  The third is  to enter             
into contracts with Alaska-licensed vendors, contractors, and                  
suppliers for supplies and services used on conjunction with the               
expanded refinery capacity.  Mr. Chenoweth noted the provisions are            
the same provisions the committee saw the previous year relating to            
the Northstar lease, but are slightly reworded.  He stated the                 
definitions of "resident worker, Alaska licensed contractor and                
Alaska firms," are on the bottom of page 3 and on the top of page              
4.                                                                             
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH said, "The point of this exercise is this: The                   
exemption for motor fuel used in jet aircraft that come from                   
another country, are refueled in this state and continue on would              
be exempt unless the refiner, deciding to expand in capacity, makes            
a voluntary commitment to use these or adhere to these three                   
provisions and then fails to do so.  At that point, the exemption              
could be lost."                                                                
                                                                               
Number 0428                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN PORTER said the legislation does not affect               
the taxation rate on fuel used for a plane that started in Seattle,            
comes to Alaska and then goes on to Japan.                                     
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH said that is already exempt.                                     
                                                                               
Number 0445                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE KIM ELTON informed the committee he is puzzled by               
the use of the word "voluntarily" on page 2, line 21 and on page 4,            
line 21.  He said "voluntarily" seems to be a strange word if you              
enter into an agreement, you have to have that agreement before you            
get the exemption.                                                             
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH said that is incorrect.  He explained if the proposed            
legislation passes, those dealers and users who are subject to the             
tax and buy their jet fuel from an Alaskan refiner can claim the               
exemption on that fuel.  It is only if the refiner decides to                  
expand and says, "I think it's a good idea, for whatever reason, to            
hire locally and to use Alaska contractors and so forth - so on, so            
I am going to write a letter to the commissioner of Revenue and                
commit to doing that..."  If the refiner sends the letter and then             
doesn't carry through on it, the exemption is lost.                            
                                                                               
Number 0514                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said the exemption would be lost if the                   
refiner doesn't send that letter.  The commissioner has no role in             
determining what the contents of that letter are, and the                      
commissioner can remove the fuel tax exemption of in fact he/she               
doesn't agree with the contents of the letter or if he/she makes a             
determination that the refiner didn't live up to the contents of               
the letter.                                                                    
                                                                               
Number 0553                                                                    
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH said that is not what the bill says.  He said it                 
relies upon the refiner to come forward and say, "It's good for                
business - it's good for my business in Alaska for me to enter into            
this voluntary agreement and to do this."                                      
                                                                               
Number 0570                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said if a refiner decides to expand in                    
capacity, they would send the letter to the commissioner.  He asked            
if the commissioner is required to accept the letter regardless of             
the contents of that letter.                                                   
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH explained the letter would have to stipulate an                  
agreement to do the things that are outlined in AS 43.40.092 (A),              
(B) and (C).  He said he would assume that if one of those points              
is not met, then the commissioner would not be under any                       
obligation.  If the refiner agrees to all of the points, then the              
letter would stand.                                                            
                                                                               
Number 0617                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said assume that happens and the commissioner             
determines at a later date that the refiner did not adhere to the              
provisions of paragraph (A), then the fuel tax exemption allowed to            
that refiner for that product would go away.                                   
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH indicated that is correct.                                       
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said that doesn't sound very voluntary to him.            
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH said suppose the refiner just expands capacity and               
doesn't write the letter.                                                      
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said that doesn't sound very voluntary to him             
either because they wouldn't be given the exemption.                           
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH pointed out they have the exemption.  He explained               
that the exemption does not turn upon the sending of the letter.               
The exemption turns upon the sending of the letter coupled with the            
failure to perform as agreed to.                                               
                                                                               
Number 0657                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said if they expand capacity and don't send               
the letter, the expectation would be that the commissioner would               
revoke the exemption.                                                          
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH explained if a letter isn't sent, the commissioner is            
without the ability to revoke the exemption.                                   
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said if the refiner does decide not to send               
the letter, there is nothing in statute that allows the revocation             
of the exemption that's granted in the provisions of the bill.                 
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH stated that is correct.                                          
                                                                               
Number 0747                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER pointed out it doesn't prohibit a future                 
legislature from taking whatever action it so chooses to take.                 
                                                                               
Number 0762                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE TERRY MARTIN referred to a new provision being added            
that pertains to Alaska hire and said there is a case already in               
court.  He asked if the bill would basically be mute if the same               
provision was in another local hire bill.  He asked what the                   
situation is if the legislature tried to force a company to do                 
something that has been ruled unconstitutional.                                
                                                                               
Number 0956                                                                    
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH explained he thinks Representative Martin's reference            
pertains to the Northstar litigation.  He said when the Northstar              
litigation was commenced, his understanding was there were four                
arguments put forward by the people who were challenging the lease.            
One went to  an equal protection-based challenge to the resident               
hire requirements in the Northstar legislation of last year.  He               
said as he understands, that one challenge has been dropped and has            
been set aside.  It is not before the judge for resolution.  Mr.               
Chenoweth said the judge has to deal with other challenges.  He                
said there won't be a decision from the superior court on the                  
resident or local hire in the context of the Northstar issue.  He              
stated equal protection-based challenges are challenges that are               
made to action by government.  It is true somebody could say that              
this is removed from government, this is the refiner making a                  
voluntary decision to engage in resident hire.  There is no                    
governement coercion or government involvement.  Mr. Chenoweth                 
said, "It is possible that down the road somebody could say look,              
the reason that a - that might trip up a refiner on a local hire -             
on enforcing the local hire or adhearing to the local hire                     
requirement of this is in order to maintain the tax exemption, the             
refiner doesn't have to do it, but having committed himself by                 
agreement, the refiner must go through with this.  And therefore,              
there is a tradeoff here involving state action, mainly the                    
protection of the tax exemption.  Therefore, the state is involved,            
therefore, there is a basis to assert that this has -- that a valid            
equal protection-based argument could be brought against this                  
provision.  It's a complicated argument.  There aren't too many                
direct cases that are helpful on this, but I think that I would be             
uncomfortable in saying that this thing would be free and clear of             
any equal protection-based challenge."                                         
                                                                               
Number 0949                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN said, "The one prediction that you mentioned             
had to do with the permanent fund - was it?  A person had to be a              
year qualified.  Is that the one they dropped out of their case of             
the four provisions - the Northstar?  What provision did they                  
drop?"                                                                         
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH responded, "The Northstar challenge goes forward on              
the Article VIII claim and -- I didn't bring the file.  I don't                
know what the other two are, but they do not involve questions of              
residence as I recall.  They are apart from resident.  And I don't             
know -- we did not put into this, we did not build into this a tie-in that you 
option."                                                                       
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH read from page 3, line 14, "the term 'resident                   
worker' means an individual who (C) possesses a resident fishing,              
trapping, or hunting license, or receives a permanent fund                     
dividend; and'."  He said if you have one of those licenses or                 
receive a dividend, you would meet that qualification.  He noted it            
is not necessary that you qualify for the dividend.                            
                                                                               
Number 1021                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN said, "I'm glad that the permanent fund is               
out because that one really worried me there.  A lot of people stay            
in this state and about 60,000 don't sign up for permanent fund                
dividends and are eligible.  That was my major question -- this                
local hire bit.  I personally think we go overboard on local hire.             
If we can get anybody to work, I think we should, but as long as we            
keep saying 'Alaskans only,' all you have to do is be here one day             
to be an Alaskan and get your drivers' license and unions do it all            
the time.  They hire out of hall from 302 in Seattle, come up - get            
their drivers' license and get their plate on that car then your               
okay."                                                                         
                                                                               
Number 1066                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER moved to adopt CSHB 63, Version X, dated                 
4/29/97.  There being no objection, CSHB 63, Version X was adopted.            
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN KOTT asked Mr. Chenoweth to make a comparison between                 
Version X and the previous Version T that wasn't adopted by the                
House Rules Committee.                                                         
                                                                               
Number 1129                                                                    
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH explained the significant change is in the way the               
exemption was treated.  He referred to Version T and said it could             
be argued that the exemption could be lost for failure of a refiner            
to make a commitment or make an agreement to carry through on the              
three things.  He said with Version X, he tried to make it clear               
that the agreement is truly voluntary.  He said, "In other words,              
the motor fuel produced by a refiner has the exemption from the                
time the bill becomes law, and it's only under the unique                      
circumstances of a commitment made by the refiner, voluntarily made            
by the refiner, and not carried through on that the exemption of               
motor fuel out of that refinery would be lost."  He said that                  
seemed to be less clear in Version T.  He noted "resident worker"              
was also substituted for "resident" in both the substantive                    
provisions and in the definition.  He said, "I think we tried to               
rewrite the statement of the exemption so it was a little bit                  
clearer, so that the exemption adhered unless it was lost by                   
failure to comply with this voluntary agreement and things of that             
sort."                                                                         
                                                                               
Number 1220                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON referred to wording on page 3, line 16, "has              
a home in the state;".  He said he is interested in what the                   
definition of "a home" would be.  He asked if it is barracks on a              
construction site, a campground or if you have a spouse, it is                 
where your spouse is.                                                          
                                                                               
Number 1239                                                                    
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH said he doesn't know if it means any more than the               
definition of a resident that is generally used in Title I.  As he             
recalls from the Northstar provisions was to make clear that a                 
person had some formal tie into the state, a formal commitment or              
allegiance.  He said this is a cumulative thing.  You could have a             
home in the barracks in this state, but you also have to maintain              
a residence, you have to have one of the licenses or a permanent               
fund dividend and you may be required to state, under oath, that               
you are not claiming residence or taking advantage of some benefits            
from outside the state.  He said he isn't sure he would want to get            
hung up on whether a home means anything more than some sort of                
place that you consider your place to which you'd always return                
when you finish temporary duty away somewhere.                                 
                                                                               
Number 1302                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN indicated concern about the residency                    
requirement.  He said, "We have a lot of people up here because the            
husband is doing a job with the federal government, with the                   
military, FCC, FAA, and the wife also needs work because she wants             
to work.  And so therefore, they may still be carrying their out-of-state voter
these people would be disqualified.                                            
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH referred to the debate over Northstar last year and              
said he was left with the impression that the effort to tighten up             
the definition of "resident" was to try and draw as clear of a line            
as possible as to who could generally claim to be an Alaskan by                
showing this evidence of being associated with the state.  He                  
referred to page 3, lines 21 through 23, "(D) may be required to               
state under oath that the individual is not claiming residency                 
outside of the state or obtaining benefits under a claim of                    
residency outside of the state;".  He said if somebody suspects                
that you're here still operating under a California divers license,            
they could ask you to sign that oath that you're not claiming                  
residency outside of the state.  He said it would be very                      
interesting to see whether a person in his/her own mind would say,             
"I have all of these ties to Alaska and yet I've maintained my                 
California drivers' license or I've maintained a California voting             
residence," and where they would come out on that.  In a sense,                
we've put the burden both in the Northstar effort and in the                   
current legislation on the individual.                                         
                                                                               
Number 1452                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN said, "What would happen if every state made             
anybody from anywhere across the line -- Texas and Louisiana, every            
day crossing the line -- Oregon and Washington people cross the                
line back and forth.  What about if they had an oath swearing                  
allegiance to the state they work rather than what state they live?            
Article -- what is it -- Amendment Number XIV end of Civil War that            
all people will be treated equally.  But if your Alaskan, no, it's             
a little different."                                                           
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH said he doesn't know the answer to that question.  He            
said, "We have enough of that going on where people will claim a               
residence in state and work in another, and that comes up in tax               
questions all the time as to whether and to what extent you're                 
required to pay a state income tax in the place where you work or              
only in the place that you live.  I'm no expert on residence.  All             
I'm saying is that in the context of trying to decide a resident               
for purposes of North Star and resident worker for purposes of this            
draft, we tried to build into this thing some clearer ways to try              
to pin down whether a person was or was not a bonafide resident                
without relying entirely upon the gray definition in Title 1 of                
this Act."                                                                     
                                                                               
Number 1514                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN asked, "Would it be best to make -- instead              
of just for specific jobs, could we settle with all and any                    
contract in Alaska from state monies or any benefits of taxation               
(indisc.) employ these residency laws?"                                        
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH said, "In this bill on motor fuel taxes?  No."                   
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN said this bill is just one and questioned why            
it isn't done for all contracts and all taxes in Alaska.                       
                                                                               
MR. CHENOWETH stated that is a policy call.                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER said he doesn't know if that's a fair                    
question to ask.                                                               
                                                                               
Number 1538                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE IRENE NICHOLIA asked why exempt bunker fuel                     
(indisc.).                                                                     
                                                                               
Number 1555                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE GENE THERRIAULT, sponsor of HB 63, referred                     
Representative Nicholia to page 5, line 20, and said Chapter 42,               
SLA 1994, was an attempt by the legislature, in 1994, to foster                
more of an industry in the refueling of ships.  He said there is               
sort of a provisional tax break for the sale of bunker fuel in the             
state of Alaska which didn't work.  Bunker fuel is a very low                  
quality fuel.  Currently, most cruise ships, tugboats, freighters,             
et cetera, fill up out of state because they can purchase the fuel             
tax-free.  He said the tax that was generated and reported to the              
Department of Revenue over the last fiscal year was between $5,000             
and $6,000.  He said the larger percentage of the product was                  
actually being used by some of the refiners in their own ships to              
move their own product.  He said, "We just felt like, you know,                
this was perhaps a tax where we were driving business out of the               
state or the only people that we were able to tax were people that             
produced the product for their own consumption and it was                      
questionable whether that made sense.  And so that's why the bunker            
fuel language was put in there."                                               
                                                                               
Number 1649                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT referred to the possible constitutional              
problems with the previous committee substitute and said there was             
much more of an ability to constitutionally challenge it because in            
order to get the tax exemption, you would be required to expand                
your refinery and you would absolutely be required to do the local             
hire provisions.  He referred to the Constitution of the United                
States and said when you have the outright requirement to do those             
things, that's where you clearly cross that constitutional line.               
He said, "The problem with the way the language was in the previous            
CS is that Mapco, Tesoro, or whoever, could agree to do all of                 
those things and then some disgruntled contractor in Seattle could             
sue because Mapco, in order to get the tax exemption, was doing                
these things -- could sue and could have the law thrown out on                 
constitutional grounds, even though Mapco or Tesoro, or whoever,               
agreed to hire Alaskan firms, hire Alaskan workers, hire - use                 
Alaska vendors.  The tax could go away and part of our tax policy              
would be directed by some out-of-state firm who chose to sue on the            
language in the law and I don't think that that's something that we            
wanted to have happen.  Certainly, it's much cleaner to not have               
the language in the bill.  And if the refiners in the state of                 
Alaska start building a track record where the benefit of those                
jobs - the benefit of the construction - the benefit of the jobs of            
people who are actually employed at the refinery are not accruing              
to the state of Alaska and the citizens of Alaska.  A future                   
legislature could consider some way of making sure that the                    
citizens of Alaska do benefit either through, you know, imposing               
some new tax regime or something else of that nature."                         
Representative Therriault noted the refineries located in his                  
district or right outside his district have a fairly good record               
for hiring residents for operations and expansions.  He said he has            
a letters from the United Association of Journeymen and the                    
plumbers and pipefitters in Fairbanks that says that Mapco, in                 
particular, has done a very good job hiring out the union halls                
when they do work at their refinery.  He also noted there was                  
testimony before the House Finance Committee from Alaskan venders              
who have done business with the refineries.  Representative                    
Therriault said, "I felt that if we were going to have something,              
we'd at least make it as constitutionally defendable as possible               
and not allow an out-of-state firm basically to control or direct              
our taxation policy in the state."                                             
                                                                               
Number 1813                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE NICHOLIA asked if the bill wouldn't be                          
constitutional by including the wording "voluntary."                           
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT said because it is voluntary, it is not              
an absolute requirement by the state of Alaska.  It moves it more              
into a gray area.  He said whether the courts would look at that               
and say that "In order to have good PR (public relations), the                 
company went this voluntary route."  He said whether that is enough            
to trigger constitutional invalidation is questionable.                        
Representative Therriault stated he believes that the refineries,              
on their own accord, do employ local union hands and contractors.              
He said he believes the previous committee substitute would have               
crossed the line.                                                              
                                                                               
Number 1872                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT said, "I've had some conversations with              
a representative from the Administration and I believe, and he                 
should probably speak for himself, the cleanest way of course is to            
go with the original Rules bill that passed out.  Absent that, I               
think the CS today is the way to go."                                          
                                                                               
Number 1889                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY said as he understands the bill, the idea is              
that we are going to try and remove a tax on an Alaskan export                 
which is Alaskan produced and is a value-added product.  In the                
future, if for any reason, the legislature doesn't like people that            
are doing the work or doesn't like the business, they can come back            
and tax it out of business.  He said if a bill is passed that is to            
have some sort of standard that had to be audited, there will be a             
fiscal note for additional auditors to make sure people are                    
complying.                                                                     
                                                                               
Number 1940                                                                    
                                                                               
BOB BARTHOLOMEW, Deputy Director, Income and Excise Audit Division,            
Department of Revenue, came before the committee.  He said he would            
echo Representative Vezey's comments.  He stated, "We've gotten so             
far from the original intent of the bill and I'm not here, and no              
one from the Administration is opposed to local hire, resident                 
hire, Alaska businesses.  But when you read through what we're                 
trying to do with the CS and try to tell the Department of Revenue             
to go implement this, it's not very clear.  It's not a simple task             
and you're going to pull resources away.  So we're not opposed to              
the idea, but I think the approach of having a clear bill that                 
takes the actions that we're trying to do with tax policy and then             
if something isn't working out and, Representative Porter                      
referenced earlier, we'll come back and change the policy (indisc.)            
to a (indisc.) command and they don't meet what's acceptable to the            
legislature, you take action.  And trying to do that through this              
bill -- I mean the law of unintended consequences is going to be               
amazing.  We don't know what's going to happen with this and who is            
going to challenge it.  How does it affect an out of state refiner             
in Washington State.  We are a net importer of jet fuel and even               
though we're trying to get instate refiners to epand so we have                
Alaska workers, we import a lot of fuel.  And exactly how does                 
imported fuel be affected and how does -- if they expand in                    
Washington or California, are we not going to be able to buy that              
fuel or get it for the same price?  You know, so we've got air                 
carriers that we have to worry about.  So I'm not saying that the              
bill does that.  I don't know.  We've read it.  Is it limited to               
just instate refiners?  It doesn't say that anywhere, but it might             
be."  Mr. Bartholomew said he thinks the legislation opens up a                
huge hornets nest.  If Version X becomes law, the department will              
work with Legislative Legal Services to make sure it is understood             
what is to be done.  He said he belives the original version                   
achieved the primary objectives of helping an instate buiness deal             
with motor fuel taxes.  Mr. Bartholomew said there may be a better             
way to have Alaska hire than trying to create legal challenges or              
administrative and legislative confusion over it will be achieved.             
                                                                               
Number 2060                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT said the language that has been alluded              
to came from the Northstar contract.  He said, "The big difference             
is that are though we were dealing with one company and we couldn't            
require them to enter into that agreement before we passed the                 
enabling legislation and if they didn't follow through, there was              
consequences.  What we're dealing with here are there are a number             
of different refiners in the state of Alaska.  Some have started               
and committed to expansions.  Some may expand.  Others have no                 
plans to expand and so that's where you start coming up with                   
complications in trying to take the language from last year, in                
that issue dealing with one company that you could come into an                
agreement with, and apply that to this multifaceted -- and the                 
refining industry in the state of Alaska.                                      
                                                                               
Number 2101                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN asked Mr. Bartholomew if Mapco and Tesoro                
file as out-of-state companies.                                                
                                                                               
Number 2112                                                                    
                                                                               
MR. BARTHOLOMEW explained that basically all businesses have to                
file tax returns in Alaska.  They are businesses that have solely              
Alaska offices and there are businesses that have out-of-state                 
offices.  He said he can't say who is in what category.  He noted              
those two businesses have both offices in Alaska and in other                  
states.  They may even have their headquarters in another state.               
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN asked if they would be applicable.  He said              
maybe they would be prohibited from participating in the new law.              
                                                                               
MR. BARTHOLOMEW said he doesn't see where anyone would be                      
prohibited.  He said it's hard to say exactly what's going to                  
happen.  The (indisc.) refiners will get a tax exemption under the             
bill.  If they expand and agree to do something else, things will              
start changing.  Mr. Bartholomew said, "If somebody challenges                 
whether you do or don't enter into an agreement, I don't think we              
know what's going to happen and I don't think it matters whether               
you are a Alaska headquartered operation or headquartered                      
elsewhere.  There is a lot of gray."                                           
                                                                               
Number 2172                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE BILL WILLIAMS made a motion to move CSHB 63(2d RLS),            
Version X, dated 4/29/97, out of committee with individual                     
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.                             
                                                                               
Number 2185                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY objected.  He said he doesn't believe that the            
current version of the bill is the best version that has been                  
before the committee.                                                          
                                                                               
Number 2209                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN KOTT called for a brief at-ease at 10:50 a.m.  He called              
the meeting back to order at 10:52 a.m.                                        
                                                                               
Number 2214                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER informed the committee that he intends to                
support the motion.  He said there has been a couple of questions              
raised that he believes can be resolved by the time the bill goes              
to the Senate.  He stated his personal philosophy is that we should            
make every effort to inspire local hire and the use of resident                
businesses to the extent that this is another attempt, let's try               
it.  He stated, "If it is that a couple of these questions come                
down falling on a situation where we would have a greater chance of            
failure than success with this particular language, and that's                 
developed when we get over to the other body, then I wouldn't                  
totally opposed to losing it, but right now this sounds reasonably             
good.  I don't know the effect on outside refineries and I think               
that question should be answered before they finally get it fixed              
over there."  He indicated he intends to support the legislation.              
                                                                               
Number 2254                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON informed the committee that he is going to                
support Version X, but will do it with the notion that the                     
committee is suggesting that this is the best approach that they               
can take to use Alaska vendors, workers, contractors and                       
businesses.  He said he can't help but note that it is like adding             
a bunch of chrome to a car.  He referred to the question about out-of-state ref
the refiners won't want to use Alaska contractors to do work in the            
Bay area.  If they don't want to do that, they just won't send                 
their letter and they won't have a problem.                                    
                                                                               
Number 2309                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT said the potential problem is the title.             
He said, "I know in the previous CS, the title was brought in                  
(indisc.) concern that because it was dealing with taxes (indisc.)             
somehow be amended onto the bill in the House floor which I                    
certainly, as the prime sponsor of the bill, would make a                      
commitment that that would not happen.  I have commitments from the            
Senate President and the prime sponsor of the tobacco tax bill on              
the Senate side that that would not be amended in here.  So if you             
do want further committees to massaging the language, we may                   
restrict what they can do by having a very tight title.  So you may            
want to consider going back to the broad title with my assurance               
that if tobacco tax is put on here, I will pull my own bill                    
(indisc.) so that that won't happen, but it still does give a                  
leeway for the committee process to work."                                     
                                                                               
Number 2365                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN KOTT said there is a motion before the committee to move              
CSHB 63(2d RLS), Version X, from committee with individual                     
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note.  He said there is            
an objection.                                                                  
                                                                               
A roll call vote was taken.  Representatives Nicholia, Elton,                  
Porter, Williams and Kott voted in favor of moving the bill.                   
Representatives Vezey and Phillips voted against moving the bill.              
Representative Phillips then changed her vote from "no" to "yes."              
Therefore, CSHB 63(2d RLS), version 0-LS0262\X, Chenoweth, dated               
4/29/97, moved out of the House Rules Standing Committee by a vote             
of 6-1.                                                                        

Document Name Date/Time Subjects