04/25/2001 03:23 PM Senate JUD

                                                                                                                                
                      SB 176-DISTRIBUTORSHIPS                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JOHN   HAXBY,  Wakasha  Alaska   Corporation,  testifying   via                                                            
teleconference  from Anchorage,  expressed his  support for  SB 176.                                                            
He said  SB  176 would  help prevent  employers  from unnecessarily                                                             
laying their employees  off and it would keep capital  in the state.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. HOWARD YAGER,  Alascal Inc., testifying via teleconference  from                                                            
Anchorage,  said SB 176 was necessary  for Alascal's well  being and                                                            
he urged the committee to support the bill.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. KURT WINKLER and MR.  DON DUNNAVANT, from Anchorage, faxed their                                                            
testimony in support of SB 176 to the committee.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. DEBORAH  LUPER, testifying  via teleconference  from  Anchorage,                                                            
said  she  absolutely  supported  SB  176  because  it  would  bring                                                            
fairness to distributorship  agreements.  Large-scale  manufacturers                                                            
in the  Lower 48  can turn  the table  on small  Alaskan  businesses                                                            
because  they have  the  resources to  keep  them tied  up for  many                                                            
years.  She said SB 176  would also help small Alaskan businesses in                                                            
their relationships with outside entities.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS asked who requested that SB 176 be introduced.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. HAXBY  said he  had discussed  the introduction  of SB 176  with                                                            
Senator  Phillips,  Chairman   of  the Senate   Labor  and  Commerce                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS said the  committee packet did not have a fiscal note,                                                            
sponsor statement,  sectional analysis, or any backup.   He asked if                                                            
this information could be provided for the committee's use.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  TAYLOR said  he would  request that  information from  the                                                            
Labor and Commerce Committee.   He said he did not think that SB 176                                                            
would impact state agencies.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. HAXBY  noted that Kim  Ross from the  Senate Labor and  Commerce                                                            
Committee had  delivered a zero fiscal  note that afternoon  for the                                                            
committee's use.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  TAYLOR said  he had not  received the  fiscal note  and he                                                            
would hold  the bill until it was  delivered to the committee  room.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
The committee then took up SB 176.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                      SB 176-DISTRIBUTORSHIPS                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS  asked if Mr. Haxby was representing  an organization.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. HAXBY responded that  he represented Wakasha Alaska Corporation.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR  said he had talked  with Senator Wilken  and he was                                                            
delighted with SB 176.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS  said he did not want  to hold the bill up  but he was                                                            
curious  whether  the Alaska  Chamber  of  Commerce and  the  Alaska                                                            
Chapter  of  National  Federation  of  Independent  Business  had  a                                                            
position on the legislation.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR  said he would ask staff to inquire  and report back                                                            
to the committee.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS  asked if SB 176 was  based on a model act  from other                                                            
states.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. HAXBY said  almost all states  have acts similar to SB  176.  SB
  was tailored  more  to Alaska  because  recent  bills in  other                                                            
states  have  made  some  of  the  acts  criminal,  which  were  not                                                            
sustainable in Alaska.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. HAXBY noted  that he had been in Juneau recently  and had talked                                                            
with  Thyes Shaub,  National Federation  of  Independent  Businesses                                                            
(NFIB), and NFIB was in support of SB 176.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY  moved CSSB  176(L&C) from  committee and asked  for                                                            
unanimous consent.   There being no  objection, CSSB 176(L&C)  moved                                                            
from committee with individual recommendations.