Legislature(2005 - 2006)SENATE FINANCE 532

03/01/2006 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE


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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= SB 207 AK AEROSPACE DEVEL. CORP BD MEMBERSHIP TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSSB 207(FIN) Out of Committee
+ SB 253 EXTEND BOARD OF CHIROPRACTIC EXAMINERS TELECONFERENCED
Moved SB 253 Out of Committee
+ SB 254 EXTEND PT & OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY BOARD TELECONFERENCED
Moved SB 254 Out of Committee
+ SB 255 OPTOMETRY: EXTEND BD/ LIC. ENDORSEMENT TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSSB 255(FIN) Out of Committee
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                                                                                                                                
     CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 207(L&C)                                                                                            
     "An Act relating to the membership on the board of                                                                         
     directors of the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation."                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was the  second hearing for this bill in  the Senate Finance                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stedman moved for adoption  of CS SB 207, 24-LS1208\I, as                                                               
a working document.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:08:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice  Chair Bunde  objected to  the  motion to  explain that  the                                                               
committee  substitute represents  a compromise  and would  enable                                                               
the  fiscal  note to  be  zero.  The committee  substitute  would                                                               
provide a  requirement that  residents of  Kodiak would  hold two                                                               
seats  on   the  board  of   the  Alaska   Aerospace  Development                                                               
Corporation (AADC).  If no  local residents  applied for  a seat,                                                               
another Alaskan resident could fill the vacancy.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:08:55 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GARY  STEVENS,  sponsor   of  the  bill,  supported  the                                                               
requirement that Kodiak residents would  hold two seats. This has                                                               
been the  historical practice. Local representation  is important                                                               
due to  the issues  regarding access and  impacts to  beaches and                                                               
other areas  near the launch  facility. He had held  a non-voting                                                               
seat on the board but found  it difficult to serve without voting                                                               
privileges  and  therefore  resigned   from  the  position.  This                                                               
legislation would  have no fiscal  impact. The practice  of local                                                               
representation  has been  successful in  the past  and no  reason                                                               
exists why it would not be successful in the future.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:10:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stedman asked if the  seats held by local residents would                                                               
be designated.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:10:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator G. Stevens replied that  a Kodiak resident could hold any                                                               
seat on the board provided that local residents hold two seats.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:11:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair Bunde called upon testifiers.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:11:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
NORM WOOTEN,  Member, Kodiak Chamber  of Commerce,  testified via                                                               
teleconference from Kodiak in support  of the bill and in support                                                               
of the specification that local residents would hold seats.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:11:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SUE JEFFERY,  Member, Kodiak Chamber  of Commerce,  testified via                                                               
teleconference from  Kodiak to the importance  of designating two                                                               
seats on  the board for  local residents. This would  ensure that                                                               
the board  has a "closer  ear to the  ground in Kodiak"  to abate                                                               
problems before  they arise. Oftentimes,  conflicts are due  to a                                                               
lack of communication that led to the problems.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:12:58 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PAT BRANSON, President, Kodiak Chamber  of Commerce, and Assembly                                                               
Member, Kodiak Island Borough,  testified via teleconference from                                                               
Kodiak,  that the  AADC has  a  significant impact  on the  local                                                               
community, economically  and in other ways.  The designated seats                                                               
provide  a link  between the  board  and the  community. It  also                                                               
somewhat relieves  the chair and  the chief executive  officer of                                                               
the burden of  attempting to ascertain and meet the  needs of the                                                               
community. The AADC is an important aspect of Kodiak Island.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:15:19 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  asked how often  board decisions were  divided and                                                               
the presence of two locals would "tip the balance".                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:15:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  G.  Stevens  responded   that  traditionally  the  board                                                               
membership  has always  been comprised  of  two local  residents.                                                               
Only recently, with  the resignation of a member who  was a local                                                               
resident  and  the  replacement  of  that  seat  by  a  non-local                                                               
resident,  has this  not been  the case.  In the  two years  that                                                               
Senator G.  Stevens served on  the board, no issues  were decided                                                               
by a close  vote. The board has usually agreed  on matters before                                                               
it. The purpose  of the designated seats is  to receive community                                                               
input  and  to   provide  feedback  to  the   community  on  AADC                                                               
activities and  to inform  the community of  when and  why access                                                               
closures are necessary.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:17:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson asked why the bill  sponsor found serving as a non-                                                               
voting member frustrating.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:17:32 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator G. Stevens  explained that he held one  of two non-voting                                                               
seats designated for legislators.  His frustration was borne from                                                               
his interest  in having a  voice in decision making,  not because                                                               
of any controversy in board actions.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:18:11 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair  Bunde removed  his objection to  the adoption  of the                                                               
committee substitute and Version  "I" was ADOPTED without further                                                               
objection.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Dyson offered a motion  to report CS SB 207, 24-LS1208\I,                                                               
from Committee  with individual recommendations and  a new fiscal                                                               
note.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:18:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There  was no  objection  and  CS SB  207  (FIN)  was MOVED  from                                                               
Committee  with  a  zero  fiscal  note  dated  2/28/06  from  the                                                               
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:18:50 AM                                                                                                                    

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