Legislature(2007 - 2008)BELTZ 211
02/01/2007 02:00 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB39 | |
| SB41 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 39 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 41 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 39-BUSINESS LICENSE FEE
2:03:59 PM
CHAIR ELLIS announced SB 39 to be up for consideration. He said
a new committee substitute - CSSB 39(L&C) 25-LS0351\K, addresses
concerns that Legal Services Attorney, Terry Bannister, had
regarding the version 25-LS0351\E and Senator Bunde's amendment.
DANA OWEN, staff to Senator Ellis, explained that version K
addressed Ms. Bannister's concern that the intent was to have
$300 be the sole fine. It does this by removing the other
penalties. It includes Senator Bunde's amendment regarding
enforcement. He said this version should have no additional
fiscal impact, according to the Administration.
CHAIR ELLIS asked him to explain Ms. Bannister's concern more
fully.
MR. OWEN explained that several other provisions in law also
applied to penalties for not having a business license along
with Senator Bunde's amendment, which he understood was intended
to have the $300 fine be the sole penalty for not having a
business license. So the first five sections of version K
address each of the sections of statute where there are other
penalties for not having a business license and removes them.
2:06:34 PM
SENATOR BUNDE said his amendment was at the request of the
Administration and the department that felt this would be more
effective. "So whatever they're in agreement with, I'm certainly
in agreement with."
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI had no objections.
SENATOR STEVENS moved to adopt CSSB 39(L&C) version K as the
working draft with individual recommendations. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
2:07:54 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI didn't have any comments.
2:08:50 PM
CHAIR ELLIS related that Senator Wilken wrote a memo asking that
his SB 24 not be moved forward in lieu of SB 39 - focusing on
getting the job done, not who did it. However, he would continue
to be a co-sponsor on SB 39.
2:09:16 PM
JOHN BITNEY, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Governor, stated
that if the bill gets passed, the budget would be built around
an effective date of July 1, 2008.
2:10:14 PM
SENATOR DAVIS moved to pass CSSB 39(L&C) version K out of
committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal
notes.
2:10:48 PM
SENATOR BUNDE objected and explained he did not believe that the
current cost of business licenses caused their numbers to go
down. Any cost of business is passed on to the customer or the
business goes out of business. Also he said that the one
investigator the department has is swamped and he thought it
would be an advantage to hire another one to enforce compliance.
Reducing the fee would create a loss of revenue to the state
which could have a budget deficit as early as next year. It is
not good public policy to change the fee every time the budget
goes down.
2:13:29 PM
CHAIR ELLIS said he supported reducing the fee and said it sets
a good tone in the state.
2:13:46 PM
SENATOR STEVENS expressed that the cost causer should be the
cost payer and the program now costs less with the efficiencies
brought with technology.
A roll call vote was taken. Senators Davis, Stevens, Hoffman and
Ellis voted yea; Senator Bunde voted nay; and CSSB 39(L&C) moved
from committee.
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