Legislature(2007 - 2008)CAPITOL 106
02/26/2008 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB318 | |
| HB368 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 368 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 318 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 318-LOCATION OF SPECIAL SESSIONS 8:15:02 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 318, "An Act relating to the location of the convening of the legislature in a special session; and providing for an effective date." 8:15:50 AM REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for HB 318, Version 25-LS1303\E, Cook, 2/22/08, as a work draft. There being no objection, Version E was before the committee. 8:16:09 AM REPRESENTATIVE CARL GATTO, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 318, noted that Version E incorporates a rule that Juneau be considered the best location for a special session if that special session is called within 30 days before the start of a regular session or within 10 days after the day a regular session ends. He relayed that the City & Borough of Juneau (CBJ) wants to keep special sessions in Juneau. He said he has heard the argument that moving the capital from Juneau will devastate the economy of Juneau; however, he pointed out that holding a special session outside of Juneau does not involve moving the capital. 8:18:54 AM REPRESENTATIVE GATTO said one reason that Juneau is a terrible place for a special session is because by the time legislators are apprised of a special session, they have already given up their housing and sent their cars back home, and although Juneau would like to accommodate them, it can't, because the hotels are booked because of tourist season. He stated that because two- thirds of the population of Alaska lives within driving distance of its two largest cities, it would be possible for many more legislators to spend time at home with their families during special sessions if those sessions were held in within that population concentration. He related a personal story illustrating his inability to be at home during a family crisis. 8:26:25 AM REPRESENTATIVE GATTO spoke of the isolation of many constituents from their legislature, and the challenging weather conditions that can make travel in and out of Juneau difficult. He questioned extending the amount of time the legislature spends in Juneau by holding special sessions in Juneau. He said a constituent told him that people think all legislators in Alaska are corrupt, which is why they like Juneau. He said that is a reputation that is unearned. 8:30:31 AM REPRESENTATIVE GATTO, in response to Chair Lynn, indicated that some votes may have been cast hastily in order for legislators to finish business and leave town, which he said is sad. 8:32:53 AM RICK VANDERKOLK, Staff, Representative Carl Gatto, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Gatto, prime sponsor, responded to Representative Johansen by noting that the reference to "interconnected state road system" was replaced with "a location in the Railbelt area that includes Anchorage and Fairbanks." In response to Chair Lynn and Representative Gruenberg, he reviewed that the location description and the previously noted 30-day/10-day rule are the two primary changes made to the bill through Version E, and both those changes are proposed in Section 3. 8:34:43 AM MR. VANDERKOLK, in response to a question from Representative Johansen, said the flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks is 45 minutes in length. [MULTIPLE UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS noted that the flight from Anchorage to Juneau is 22 minutes in length.] 8:35:23 AM REPRESENTATIVE DOLL, regarding accessibility, noted that [specifying that a special session be held at a location in the Railbelt area] "leaves out about 90 percent of the state" not on a road system, which "in itself is not real conducive to representation," and is not a fair requirement. She pointed out that all the capitals in the nation are not in populated areas, which means that those states' legislators have to travel back and forth to meet. She said, "That's kind of what you sign up for when you decide to be a legislator." She admitted that her comment may sound emotionally unsympathetic, but offered assurance that she is actually extremely sympathetic. She explained that she married a man who chose a military career and went on nine-month deployments, moving the family around 14-15 times, while she had a baby and took care of the upkeep of their house on her own. She said, "But it came with the territory because that's what he chose to do as a job. And I understood that - didn't like it, but I understood it." REPRESENTATIVE DOLL said it is difficult to argue with emotions, and "many people have signed up for this kind of thing and it's part of what they do." She said emotions overtake costs. She asked, "How important is it that we get up and pack up everything and go?" Representative Doll said the minimum cost of moving the legislator out of Juneau is $75,000, which includes "the $50,000 start-up [and] the [$25,000] per day." That figure does not include the weeks of preparation for such a move. She said it is legitimate to ask whether answering to emotions is worth the cost involved. REPRESENTATIVE DOLL said she is dismayed that there is a general perception that everyone in the legislature is corrupt, but said she thinks that same perception pertains to everyone in Washington, D.C., as well, and that "that just comes with the territory." 8:39:02 AM CHAIR LYNN, in response to Representative Doll's remarks about her husband, related that he has spent many years in the military away from home. He commented on legislators' expectations regarding service in regular and special sessions. 8:40:36 AM AL McKINLEY, SR., Member, Executive Committee, Grand Camp Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB), related that he is a veteran of the U.S. Army. He noted that he is a delegate to Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA), where he serves on a judiciary committee. He said he watches the legislature on television throughout the day. MR. McKINLEY said when legislators come to Juneau they are all on per diem, which must be discontinued when they go home. He said space is available already in Juneau, and the public, at no cost to itself, can utilize the teleconference system around the state to testify. He indicated that the costs involved in holding a special session outside of Juneau would include the move itself, staff per diem, and facilities rental for the length of the special session. 8:46:20 AM MR. McKINLEY noted that the last special session, which was held in Anchorage, addressed the subject of oil. The only information available from that special session was through the newspaper, and sometimes staff writers for the paper can be biased, he said. He expressed appreciation for the work that was done during that special session on behalf of the best interest of Alaskans. MR. McKINLEY stated concern regarding the cost of holding a special session outside of Juneau, and said, "It's the public's money that we're talking about." He talked about money needed in other areas, such as public education and public safety. 8:49:29 AM CHAIR LYNN closed public testimony. 8:49:41 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON moved to report CSHB 318, Version 25- LS1303\E, Cook, 2/22/08, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. REPRESENTATIVE DOLL objected. A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Johnson, Roses, and Lynn voted in favor of moving Version E out of committee. Representatives Johansen, Gruenberg, Doll, and Coghill voted against it. Therefore, CSHB 318, Version 25-LS1303\E, Cook, 2/22/08, failed to moved out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee by a vote of 3-4.
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