05/02/2007 05:00 PM House RULES

HJR 20-BYPASS MAIL RATE INCREASE                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:58:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COGHILL announced that the  only order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 20,  Urging the United States Congress                                                               
to intervene to  eliminate or reduce the planned  parcel post and                                                               
bypass mail  rate increases adopted  by the United  States Postal                                                               
Service  because of  the severe  effect the  rate increases  will                                                               
have on rural Alaska.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:58:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATE SANGSTER, Staff to Representative  Mary Nelson, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  speaking   on  behalf  of   Representative  Nelson,                                                               
sponsor,  explained that  HJR 20  simply urges  the congressional                                                               
delegation to examine  and intervene in the  proposed bypass mail                                                               
rate increase,  which is also a  parcel post rate increase.   The                                                               
aforementioned increase  is scheduled  to go  into effect  on May                                                               
14, 2007.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
5:59:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS  moved to report  HJR 20 out  of committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and  the accompanying zero fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  HJR 20 was reported  from the                                                               
House Rules Standing Committee.