Legislature(2001 - 2002)

04/09/2002 10:36 AM Senate RLS

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATOR  HALFORD   moved  to  adopt  the  proposed   Senate  Rules                                                              
Committee Substitute  (CS) to SB 291-SUPPLEMENTAL  APPROPRIATIONS:                                                          
FAST TRACK as the working document of the committee.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS  explained the changes made in  the Senate Rules                                                              
version as follows:                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
   · Section 10 of the Senate Finance version contained $2                                                                      
     million for tourism marketing; that was deleted and replaced                                                               
     with $50,000 for the redistricting board;                                                                                  
   · $125,000 was added to Section 6 for the Department of                                                                      
     Military and Veterans Affairs for expenses related to                                                                      
     immediate responses to the September 11 terrorist attacks;                                                                 
     and                                                                                                                        
   · $240,000 of federal receipts was added to Section 11 for the                                                               
     Department of Transportation and Public Facilities for the                                                                 
     Anchorage bowl long-range transportation plan (AMATS).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY asked  how much the redistricting  board has spent                                                              
to date.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HALFORD said  its  budget was  about  $350,000, of  which                                                              
about $34,000  remains. That amount  is not enough to  cover staff                                                              
costs for  this month and the  meeting this week, which  will cost                                                              
about $15,000. The  $50,000 should cover the cost  of the upcoming                                                              
meeting and two more.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY asked  how much money the redistricting  board has                                                              
already obligated.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HALFORD  estimated  about  $600,000 and  he  thought  the                                                              
obligations as a result of the lawsuits may exceed $2 million.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELLIS  asked the  Chairman  to  elaborate on  the  amount                                                              
appropriated for homeland security.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS  referred  to  Section  6  and  explained  that                                                              
$125,000 of general funds has been  appropriated to the Department                                                              
of Military and  Veterans Affairs (DMVA) for the  initial response                                                              
costs for the September 11 attack.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELLIS asked  if that  request  was denied  by the  Senate                                                              
Finance Committee.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS  said he wouldn't  classify it as  being denied,                                                              
rather it  was submitted  late. He noted  $125,000 is half  of the                                                              
amount requested.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS asked, "And there were  the hundreds of thousands of                                                              
dollars that were expended by other  agencies of government in the                                                              
                          th                                                                                                    
aftermath of  September 11   that  you've considered and  rejected                                                              
or - I'm just trying to get a handle on ...?"                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HALFORD noted  those requests  are not  part of the  fast                                                              
track supplemental appropriation.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT said it is his  understanding that the DMVA had                                                              
very little "wiggle  room" in its overall budget  so it would have                                                              
to start cutting programs. He believes  many other budget requests                                                              
are still under consideration by  the Senate Finance Committee but                                                              
not for placement in this bill.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS asked the Chairman to elaborate on the third item.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS  indicated  it  contains  $240,000  of  federal                                                              
receipts for  the Municipality  of Anchorage  for the AMATS  long-                                                              
range plan.  That money was included  at the request of  the Mayor                                                              
and will give the Municipality a  two to three month head start on                                                              
the AMATS process.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HALFORD   noted  his  motion   to  adopt   the  committee                                                              
substitute  was  adopted  by  unanimous  consent  and  moved  CSSB
291(RLS) for calendaring at the Chairman's discretion.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS announced it would be                                                              
calendared.                                                                                                                     

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