02/01/2007 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS

HB  38-IMPROPER CONTRIBUTIONS TO LEGISLATORS                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:40:56 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN  announced that the  next order of business  was HOUSE                                                               
BILL NO. 38,  "An Act relating to legislators  and candidates for                                                               
the  legislature and  to certain  campaign contributions  made in                                                               
exchange for certain agreements."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:43:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LES GARA, Alaska  State Legislature, introduced HB
  as joint  prime sponsor.    He said  the bill  is narrow  and                                                               
aligns with federal  law.  He explained that currently  it is not                                                               
a crime in Alaska for someone  to be asked to change his/her vote                                                               
in exchange for a campaign  contribution, and Representative Gara                                                               
said  it should  be.   He  clarified  that it  is  all right  for                                                               
someone to give a campaign  contribution to a candidate with like                                                               
views  on issues,  because  that contributor  is  not asking  the                                                               
candidate  to  change  his/her  views in  order  to  receive  the                                                               
contribution.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:44:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN  asked if  the bill  could also  include the  offer of                                                               
giving a fundraiser in exchange for a vote as being illegal.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GARA said that would be a good idea.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:45:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   COGHILL  said   the  intent   of  the   proposed                                                               
legislation is already written in  AS 11.56.130, and he requested                                                               
that Representative  Gara meet  with him to  explain why  [HB 38]                                                               
"tightens it up" more than the existing statute.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:45:52 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN said he likes the concept of the bill.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN announced that HB 38 was heard and held.