Legislature(2021 - 2022)ANCH LIO DENALI Rm

10/13/2021 10:00 AM House WAYS & MEANS

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Delayed to a Call of the Chair --
-- To convene at approximately 10:25AM --
*+ HB4003 PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND; 25/75 POMV SPLIT TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
*+ HB4008 PFD: 50/50 POMV SPLIT TELECONFERENCED
<Bill Hearing Canceled>
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
*+ HB4009 PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND; ROYALTIES TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
*+ HB4010 PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND; POMV SPLIT TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
           HB4010-PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND; POMV SPLIT                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
11:25:23 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ announced that the  final order of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 4010, "An Act  relating to use of income of the                                                               
Alaska permanent  fund; relating to  the amount of  the permanent                                                               
fund  dividend; relating  to the  duties of  the commissioner  of                                                               
revenue; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
11:25:54 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KEN  MCCARTY,  Alaska  State  Legislature,  prime                                                               
sponsor,  introduced  HB  4010.     He  paraphrased  the  sponsor                                                               
statement  [included  in the  committee  packet],  which read  as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     House Bill  4010 would  provide an  established formula                                                                    
     for the  appropriate of annual permanent  fund dividend                                                                    
     for Alaskans.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     From  1982   until  2016  the  annual   appropriate  of                                                                    
     permanent   fund   dividends   were   established   and                                                                    
     implemented per  Statute. In  2016 the  Legislature and                                                                    
     an uncontested  governor veto  changed the  Statute and                                                                    
     the  allocation formula  resulting  in an  undetermined                                                                    
     dividend appropriation. House  Bill 4010 will integrate                                                                    
     the  POMV  formula  consideration of  Statute  with  an                                                                    
     established percentage  formula appropriation  for both                                                                    
     the  state  and  dividend for  Alaskans.  The  purposed                                                                    
     formula for consideration is 65%  state and 35% Alaskan                                                                    
     dividend.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     In addition  to the 65%  formula for the state  that at                                                                    
     least 20%  of that must  be used for  Capital Projects.                                                                    
     The  state's expenses  involve  operations and  capital                                                                    
     projects. Over the years the  Capital projects have not                                                                    
     been attended  to for one  reason or another,  which at                                                                    
     this time  the state is  over 2 billion  dollars behind                                                                    
     in Capital  project repairs. The  inclusion of  the 20%                                                                    
     will  not only  secure the  importance of  attending to                                                                    
     Capital   Projects    but   also   avail    funds   for                                                                    
     infrastructure, promote businesses,  avail jobs, secure                                                                    
     and  improve  roads,  bridges,  buildings,  and  school                                                                    
     facilities.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     The  origin  of  the  Permanent  Fund  Dividend  is  in                                                                    
     recognition of  individual residents /  stakeholders of                                                                    
     Alaska. The  appropriation of the  funds are  done with                                                                    
     equality.  No   social  economic,  age,   or  political                                                                    
     preference  determine  the  dividend. Simply,  being  a                                                                    
     resident  of  Alaska  under  law  qualifies  an  annual                                                                    
     dividend.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Since the  2016 change  to the Permanent  Fund Dividend                                                                    
     formula and  inclusion of the  POMV that the  people of                                                                    
     Alaska have greatly questioned the  intent of its state                                                                    
     government. Alaskans  have made statements  with themes                                                                    
     that  the  state is  disenfranchised  of  its people  /                                                                    
     stakeholders  by depriving  them of  a reliable  annual                                                                    
     dividend. By approving  House Bill 4010 it  will make a                                                                    
     resounding  statement  that  residents  of  Alaska  are                                                                    
     valued  stakeholders of  this great  state and  will be                                                                    
     honored with a reliable annual dividend.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ clarified that the 1982 statute had not been                                                                    
repealed yet.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
11:28:05 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY presented a sectional analysis for HB
4010 [included in the committee packet], which read [original                                                                   
punctuation provided]:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1                                                                                                                  
     AS 37.13.140 Income and annual computed formula.                                                                           
     (a) Maintain  the origin of income  source according to                                                                    
     AS  37.13.145.  Deletes  the  language  describing  the                                                                    
     distribution  formula  equals  21 percent  of  the  net                                                                    
     income.  The formula  has  resulted  in an  incongruent                                                                    
     calculation with (b).                                                                                                      
     (b)   Inserting  current   language   to  affirm   that                                                                    
     appropriation  may  not  exceed   the  balance  in  the                                                                    
     earnings   reserve   account.   The   computed   annual                                                                    
     calculation remains the same.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2                                                                                                                  
     AS 37.13.145 (b) Appropriation formula.                                                                                    
     Adds  the  new appropriation  formula  of  35% for  the                                                                    
     dividend and  65% toward the  state. It  also describes                                                                    
     the state appropriation of 65%  which 20% of it must be                                                                    
     used toward Capital Projects.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3                                                                                                                  
     AS   37.13.145(c)  Appropriation   from  the   Earnings                                                                    
     Reserve Account                                                                                                            
     Changes  the language  from  transfer to  appropriation                                                                    
     and legislature role in the appropriation process.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4                                                                                                                  
     AS  37.13.145(d) Appropriate  in  consideration of  the                                                                    
     State v. Amerada Hess decision                                                                                             
     Changing  language to  be  congruent  from transfer  to                                                                    
     appropriation.  There  is  no  change to  the  State  v                                                                    
     Amerada Hess judgment. Delete AS  37.13.145(e) as it is                                                                    
     amended and addressed in Section 1 of AS 37.13.140(b).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5                                                                                                                  
     AS 37.13.300(c) Mental Health Trust funds                                                                                  
     Change  language  according   to  congruency  of  other                                                                    
     changes but does not change  the autonomy of the mental                                                                    
     health trust  funds which  is not  to be  calculated in                                                                    
     the Permanent Fund appropriation.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 6                                                                                                                  
     AS 37.14.031(c) Date of annual computation                                                                                 
     Inserts  language  to define  the  date  of the  annual                                                                    
     computation    according    to   accepted    accounting                                                                    
     principles, excluding any unrealized gains or losses.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 7                                                                                                                  
     AS 43.23.025(a) Date  of determination and announcement                                                                    
     of the dividend                                                                                                            
     Changing language  to be congruent from  transferred to                                                                    
     appropriated. The  amendment is to  continue congruency                                                                    
     of  language  changes  to recognize  the  appropriation                                                                    
     process.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Section 8                                                                                                                  
     AS 37.13.145(e)  and 37.13.145(f) Repeal  of limitation                                                                    
     of the appropriation from Earnings Reserve                                                                                 
     Delete  (e)   and  (f)  as  the   language  is  already                                                                    
     addressing in other changes within the bill.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Section 9                                                                                                                  
     Effective Date                                                                                                             
     Provides for July 1, 2022 effective date.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
11:31:00 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  introduced  a  PowerPoint  presentation,                                                               
titled "HB  4010" [hard copy  included in the  committee packet].                                                               
He began on slide 2,  which read as follows [original punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Since  1982  the State  of  Alaska  has recognized  the                                                                    
     resident /  stakeholders through annual  dividends from                                                                    
     the Alaska Permanent Fund.   Unlike no other state, the                                                                    
     equitable  nature  of   dividends  for  all  residents,                                                                    
     according  to  law,  has been  bestowed  upon  and  not                                                                    
     entitled to Alaskans.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY continued to slide 3, which read as                                                                      
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     The Alaskan Dividend Tradition  has long been fulfilled                                                                    
     through an  annual percent  of the  viable appropriated                                                                    
     distribution  base  of   the  Permanent  Fund  realized                                                                    
     earnings.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY turned to slide 4, which read as follows                                                                 
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     In 2016  this long  Alaskan tradition  was altered.   A                                                                    
     new appropriation  method was placed in  Statute, which                                                                    
     has resulted in confusion  or contradiction of existing                                                                    
     Statute   and   the  appearance   of   disenfranchising                                                                    
     Alaskans of their stakeholder investment dividend.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY advanced to slide 5, which read as                                                                       
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     The intent of  HB 4010 is to make clear  once again the                                                                    
     established  annual  percentage  formula for  both  the                                                                    
     Permanent   Fund   Dividend   for  Alaskans   and   the                                                                    
     percentage of  budget revenue for the  state government                                                                    
     to the benefit of Alaskans.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  proceeded  to  slide 6,  which  read  as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     P.O.M.V.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     The Percent  of Market  Value calculation based  on the                                                                    
     growth of  the Permanent Fund was  changed into Statute                                                                    
     in 2019.    At a  5% annual draw on  the Permanent Fund                                                                    
     this  allows  for  prudent distribution  and  continued                                                                    
     growth within the fund into the future.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  continued  to  slide 7,  which  read  as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     The  question is  what should  the annual  distribution                                                                    
     look like  from the 5%  POMV draw that does  not result                                                                    
     in deficiency elsewhere?                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  proceeded to review the  governor's 50/50                                                               
plan,  highlighting the  advantages and  disadvantages (slide  9)                                                               
and the fiscal modeling (slides 10-11).   On slide 12, he pointed                                                               
out  that moneys  from both  the CBR  and the  SBR had  been used                                                               
historically for deficit spending.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
11:35:05 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY outlined  HB 4010 on slide  13, which read                                                               
as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     HB 4010                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     A  Permanent Fund  Appropriation Formula  that supports                                                                    
     Alaskans in many ways!                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     35 % -Dividend Amount for Alaskans                                                                                         
     20 % -Capital Projects to benefit Alaskans                                                                                 
     45 % -Government Operations to support Alaskans                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  continued to  slide  14,  which read  as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     PREMISE                                                                                                                    
     Equitable formula  that gives  Alaskans "More  Bang for                                                                    
     the Bucks!"                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     The McCarty Plan                                                                                                           
      5% of POMV draw with a 35/65 Percent Split                                                                                
      35% to PFD                                                                                                                
      65% to  State with at  least 20% allocated  to Capital                                                                    
     Budget Projects                                                                                                            
      Capital  Projects assurance  will result  in jobs  and                                                                    
     projects   toward   maintenances,   improvements,   and                                                                    
     infrastructure  for roads,  airports, A.M.H.,  bridges,                                                                    
     buildings, fire support, school structures, etc.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
11:36:07 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY highlighted the perceived advantages and                                                                 
disadvantages of HB 4010 on slide 15, which read as follows                                                                     
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     ADVANTAGE                                                                                                                  
     Seeks  to   establish  a  distribution  plan   that  is                                                                    
     dependable & sustainable into the future                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Equitable   for  both   the  people's   government  and                                                                    
     individual Alaskans                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Alaskans benefit  from a dividend  as well as  jobs and                                                                    
     services from Capital Projects                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Fiscally  sustainable that  does not  require excessive                                                                    
     revenue expansion / taxation                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     DISADVANTAGE                                                                                                               
     Not a 50 / 50 Plan                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Not a 25 / 75 Plan                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Revenue  continues  through  resource  development  and                                                                    
     free enterprise industry rather taxation                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  discussed  the  modeling  on  slide  16,                                                               
noting  that LFD  projected revenue  with no  liability reduction                                                               
until 2028 and  surpluses in 2030.  Additionally, FY  21 to FY 24                                                               
showed a deficit with surplus growth after FY 25.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
11:38:59 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY   addressed  appropriations   to  capital                                                               
projects   on  slide   17,  which   read  as   follows  [original                                                               
punctuation provided]:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
      More Money to Support Jobs for Alaskans                                                                                   
      Boosts the Economy                                                                                                        
      Infrastructure for now and into the future                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  concluded on slide 18  by reiterating his                                                               
hope that  HB 4010  would provide a  more sustainable  future for                                                               
Alaska  by implementing  a  "safety net"  and  boosting a  strong                                                               
economy.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
11:39:32 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SCHRAGE   commended  bill  sponsor   for  putting                                                               
forward a plan.   He asked why this plan would  be favorable to a                                                               
75/25 split.  He acknowledged the  deficits that would need to be                                                               
addressed under  this proposal  and asked why  this would  be the                                                               
appropriate formula for the legislature to move forward with.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY believed  that a 65/35 plan  would be more                                                               
balanced  than  a  75/25  split  in terms  of  fairness  to  both                                                               
residents and government services.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
11:42:04 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON  asked whether the  proposed legislation                                                               
would result in substantial cuts to the operating budget.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY claimed that there  would not be a deficit                                                               
and argued that the budget would be balanced under HB 4010.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOSEPHSON asked  Mr. Bell  whether the  operating                                                               
budget would need  to be cut without the addition  of new revenue                                                               
if HB 4010 were to pass.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR.  BELL  said it  was  unclear  whether  the bill  sponsor  had                                                               
intended  20 percent  of the  entire POMV  draw would  go to  the                                                               
capital budget or if it was 20  percent of 65 percent of the POMV                                                               
draw.   Regardless, it would  increase the capital  budget either                                                               
way.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ  clarified that  20 percent  of the  overall POMV                                                               
would  go to  the capital  budget under  Representative McCarty's                                                               
plan.  She asked what kind of deficit that would create.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
11:48:17 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. BELL  confirmed that  based on  DOR's spring  forecast, there                                                               
would be  small deficits through FY  30 if the entire  amount was                                                               
appropriated towards the capital budget.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ asked what the deficit would be in FY 23.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. BELL estimated a deficit of slightly over $1 billion.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
11:49:20 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOSEPHSON  pointed  out   that  slide  16,  which                                                               
provided modeling of  HB 4010, showed the capital  budget from FY                                                               
22 to FY  30 using assumptions from the FY  22 enacted budget, as                                                               
opposed to modeling the proposed 20  percent of 65 percent of the                                                               
POMV draw.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. BELL  confirmed.  He  said the fiscal  model on slide  16 did                                                               
not  use   the  20  percent   minimum  for  the   capital  budget                                                               
assumption, which was  proposed in HB 4010.   Instead, it modeled                                                               
the capital budget assumptions that  grow with inflation based on                                                               
the enacted budget.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ said that's an important distinction.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON sought to confirm  that slide 16 did not                                                               
accurately reflect the bill.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. BELL  said it did  not include that aspect  of the bill.   He                                                               
offered  to  follow up  with  an  assumption that  increased  the                                                               
capital budget to conform with the language in the bill.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
11:51:08 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SPOHNHOLZ  shared her  understanding  that  HB 4010  would                                                               
create a  fairly significant  fiscal gap.   If  the bill  were to                                                               
become  law,  she  asked  the  sponsor  how  he  would  recommend                                                               
balancing the budget.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE    MCCARTY    believed   that    investments    in                                                               
infrastructure could lead to an increase in revenue.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ asked  how state revenue would  increase based on                                                               
capital spending.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY shared an example from the North Slope.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SPOHNHOLZ sought  to confirm  that Representative  McCarty                                                               
was  suggesting  that  the   legislature  increase  oil  industry                                                               
subsidies to increase state revenue.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  responded, "Well, I suggest  looking into                                                               
all  the different  things that's  increasing the  infrastructure                                                               
within the state."  He  discussed ports in Alaska and potentially                                                               
moving more commodities through them.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
11:55:07 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ pointed out that  economic development would take                                                               
a  long time  to produce  new revenue;  further, she  opined that                                                               
there  wasn't a  clear  relationship  between short-term  capital                                                               
spending  and short-term  revenue.   She  addressed the  billion-                                                               
dollar deficit  beginning in  FY 23  under this  proposal, adding                                                               
that there would need to be a  billion dollars in net cuts or new                                                               
revenue  sources  to balance  the  budget.   She  encouraged  the                                                               
sponsor to consider ways to balance the budget.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  believed that the dividend  formula in HB
4010 would boost the economy.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
11:58:18 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SCHRAGE appreciated  the idea  of increasing  the                                                               
capital budget  and the argument  that government  spending could                                                               
facilitate the  economy.  Nonetheless, he  expressed concern that                                                               
Alaska's  revenue  was  highly  was  dependent  on  oil  and  gas                                                               
revenue.    Additionally,  he  pointed  out  that  there  was  no                                                               
indication of a correlation between  private industry success and                                                               
an increase in state revenue.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ appreciated the  consensus from the fiscal policy                                                               
working group  that different  elements had  to come  together to                                                               
create a successful  fiscal plan, such as  broad-based revenue, a                                                               
robust  dividend,  modest  cuts   to  the  budget  from  systemic                                                               
reforms, and an updated spending cap.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
[HB 4010 was held over.]                                                                                                        

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 4009 Sponsor Statement.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4009
HB 4003.PDF HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB 4010.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4010
HB 4003 Presentation.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4003
HB 4009 Presentation.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4009
HB 4009.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4009
HB 4009 Fiscal Note, OMB.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4009
HB 4010 Sponsor Statement.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4010
HB 4010 Sectional Analysis.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4010
HB 4010 Fiscal Note, OMB.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4010
HB 4010 Presentation 10.13.21.pdf HW&M 10/13/2021 10:00:00 AM
HB4010