03/17/1999 09:04 AM Senate FIN

                                                                                                                                
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 77(FIN)                                                                                                   
"An Act relating to the Joint Armed Services                                                                                    
Committee, a permanent interim committee of the Alaska                                                                          
State Legislature; and providing for an effective                                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 55                                                                                                              
"An Act relating to the Joint Armed Services                                                                                    
Committee, a permanent interim committee of the Alaska                                                                          
State Legislature; and providing for an effective                                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair John Torgerson noted the committee had an earlier                                                                      
hearing on SB 55.  Since that meeting, the house bill was                                                                       
referred to the committee and would be the focus of this                                                                        
hearing.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CASEY SULLIVAN, aide to Representative Lisa Murkowski,                                                                          
testified to the House bill.  He said Alaska was being                                                                          
considered for the site of a National Missile Ballistic                                                                         
Defense System.  The Pentagon and the Secretary of Defense                                                                      
recently stated that another round of Base Realignments and                                                                     
Closures were forthcoming.  Because of those challenges,                                                                        
Representative Lisa Murkowski introduced HB 77.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
HB 77 would replace the existing Joint Committee on                                                                             
Military Bases in Alaska with the Joint Armed Services                                                                          
Committee and would have a longer existence than called for                                                                     
in the Uniform Rules, thus requiring a change in statute.                                                                       
The committee would be activated on July 1, 1999 and the                                                                        
Legislative Council would provide administrative and other                                                                      
services to the committee.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
He continued saying that this committee would provide a                                                                         
unified front by the House, Senate, Military and Civilian                                                                       
members to monitor timely military topics relative to                                                                           
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Alaska was in the crux of two swaying forces with regard to                                                                     
its military - the potential creation of new sites for a                                                                        
National Ballistic Missile Defense System and possible                                                                          
consolidation of existing military operations.  These                                                                           
events would require considerable and constant attention.                                                                       
With the military accounting for approximately $1.7 billion                                                                     
of Alaska's economy, it was imperative that the Legislature                                                                     
take a leading role to monitor the economic impact of                                                                           
future military related events.  The Joint Armed Services                                                                       
Committee would provide that focus, summarized Casey                                                                            
Sullivan.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Loren Leman noticed a couple differences between                                                                        
the House and Senate bills.  One was the transition clause                                                                      
contained in Section 3 of SB 55 but not included in HB 77.                                                                      
The other was the first listed power and duty, which was to                                                                     
review and encourage state policy regarding the National                                                                        
Guard.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Casey Sullivan addressed the second difference. Page 4                                                                          
lines 19 and 20 of the Senate bill discussed the reviewing                                                                      
policy.  This was removed in the House because it was felt                                                                      
it would be a duplication of services.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
He then explained the reason for change in the transition                                                                       
language in Section 3.  [Inaudible]                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
He noted that a sunset was also added to both versions.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHRIS NELSON, staff to Senator Tim Kelly, sponsor of SB 55,                                                                     
testified that they had reviewed the House version of the                                                                       
bill and concurred with its content.  He felt the sunset                                                                        
clause was not necessary but that future Legislators would                                                                      
chose to extend it.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Regarding the transition there was considerable discussion                                                                      
in the House.  He concurred with the language in the House                                                                      
bill because it was important to have the historical                                                                            
knowledge.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair John Torgerson brought the committee's attention                                                                       
to the Legislative Council's zero fiscal note.  Senator                                                                         
Lyda Green had a problem with the source of funding on this                                                                     
bill and felt that it should stand on its own rather than                                                                       
contained in the council's operating budget.  Co-Chair John                                                                     
Torgerson did not disagree but said that the Legislature                                                                        
had the request before them in the legislative operating                                                                        
budget.  There would be two opportunities for discussion on                                                                     
the funding.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Al Adams noted that the $18,000 would be debated in                                                                     
subcommittee as part of the Legislative operating budget.                                                                       
Co-Chair John Torgerson agreed and said that if it fell out                                                                     
during the budget debates there would be no funding for the                                                                     
program.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Gary Wilken offered a motion to move CS HB 77 (FIN)                                                                     
from committee.  Without objection it was so ordered.