04/29/2002 11:03 AM Senate RLS

CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS  announced that  the committee has  two proposed                                                              
Senate Rules Committee  substitutes (Versions P and O)  to HB 262-                                                          
BUILDING SAFETY ACCOUNT.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. AMY  ERICKSON, staff to  Representative Murkowski,  sponsor of                                                              
HB  262,   asked  to   hear  an   explanation  of  the   committee                                                              
substitutes.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS  informed  members   that  Version  P  is  more                                                              
encompassing than Version O. He asked  Ms. Kreitzer to explain the                                                              
differences between the two versions.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS.  ANNETTE  KREITZER,  staff  to  Senator  Leman,  said  she  is                                                              
testifying  on behalf of  the Senate  Finance Committee.  She told                                                              
members  the  Senate  Finance  Committee  plans  to  use  receipt-                                                              
supported  services to  fully fund  state parks,  the food  safety                                                              
program, and  some portions of the  budgets of the  Departments of                                                              
Revenue  and Public  Safety. Version  O contains  a list of  those                                                              
receipts. Beginning on page 2, Section  4, Department of Community                                                              
and Economic  Development business  license fees are  targeted and                                                              
put in the same  category as occupational license  fees, which are                                                              
already used  for receipt-supported  services. Section  5 contains                                                              
the list of receipts  from the House version, as  well as receipts                                                              
from  the  Department  of  Environmental   Conservation  for  food                                                              
safety, the  Department of Natural  Resources for the  Division of                                                              
Parks, and receipts for private security  guards and the concealed                                                              
carry program.  As Senate Finance  subcommittees closed  out their                                                              
budgets,  the full  Senate  Finance Committee,  which  anticipated                                                              
using receipt-supported services, began to compile this list.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. KREITZER  explained that  Version P  is much shorter,  however                                                              
Section  4  would  still be  necessary  to  differentiate  between                                                              
business  and   occupational  licenses.  Section  5,   instead  of                                                              
containing a  laundry list of  activities, contains  the following                                                              
description of general fund program receipts:                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Fees, charges, income earned  and assets and other state                                                                   
     money received by a state agency  in connection with the                                                                   
     performance  of  its  functions if  the  fees,  charges,                                                                   
     income  or other money  is accounted  for separately  by                                                                   
     the state agency.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
She noted that Version P encompasses  about $7.8 million more than                                                              
Version O  and is more inclusive.  She anticipates this  bill will                                                              
go to a conference committee and,  even with the broad language in                                                              
the bill, the  conference committee can break it  down into a list                                                              
if it would rather take that approach.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS  pointed  out  that  a  title  change  will  be                                                              
necessary  for  either  committee   substitute.  He  asked  for  a                                                              
response from Representative Murkowski's staff.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. AMY ERICKSON  said she has not had the opportunity  to discuss                                                              
either version  with Representative  Murkowski so  is not  able to                                                              
state a position at this time.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HALFORD arrived.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS announced  that HB  262, along  with the  title                                                              
change,  will  be  held  until  the  next  hearing  to  hear  from                                                              
Representative Murkowski.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There  being no  further business  to come  before the  committee,                                                              
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS adjourned the meeting at 11:22 a.m.