Legislature(2007 - 2008)BELTZ 211
03/20/2008 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB198 | |
| SB199 | |
| SCR12|| SB203 | |
| SB213 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 198 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 203 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SCR 12 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 199 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 213 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 199-CAMPAIGN FINANCE COMPLAINTS
9:40:50 AM
CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of SB 199, which is
similar to SB 198 but only addresses the statute of limitations.
SENATOR GENE THERRIAULT, Alaska State Legislature, said SB 199
increases the statute of limitations from one year to four
years. Section 2 just clarifies that it will apply to any matter
that has taken place within the past year and forward. It will
not be retroactive to four years. The change to one year was in
a bill that was introduced by the administration and intended to
abolish APOC. There wasn't a lot of debate on the statute of
limitations. He doesn't recall an objection from APOC, but it
may have been focused on other aspects of the bill, like
abolishing APOC. The fiscal note is not insignificant.
The committee took a brief at-ease at 9:43:15 AM.
9:43:31 AM
SENATOR THERRIAULT said APOC was struggling with its budget back
then, and shortening the statute of limitations freed up some
financial pressures. With the dynamics of the legislature in the
last year and a half, it is prudent to revisit the issue. SB 199
is wholly contained in SB 198, and he would support moving SB
198 instead. There is an unwritten rule that the lower-numbered
bill moves. That rule should be followed but was violated this
week and he was disappointed. Parts of SB 198 are problematic to
some members. His view on the $5,000 limit is that the money
would not be an individual personal donation. If there is a
surplus after a campaign, it has to be given away. To say that
it should be treated the same as a personal donation is not
logical.
9:46:17 AM
SENATOR BUNDE asked if SB 199 addresses APOC's main concern.
CHRIS ELLINGSON, Acting Executive Director, Alaska Public
Offices Commission, said the commission was open to four or five
years, and would be delighted with four years. It puts it back
to what it was before 2003.
SENATOR STEVENS asked how it compares with federal law.
MS. ELLINGSON said she doesn't know exactly, but she has seen
investigations go back ten years.
9:48:27 AM
SENATOR BUNDE said it is obviously longer than four years.
SENATOR GREEN asked about the difficulty in building a case in
that time frame and if there is lost information. She asked if
things couldn't be substantiated after four years.
SENATOR THERRIAULT said following a paper trail will be more
problematic, and that is what drives part of the fiscal note.
SENATOR BUNDE said the rule of thumb is keeping canceled checks
for seven years. This may mean that people shouldn't clean out
their files until after four years.
SENATOR THERRIAULT said he keeps his paperwork forever.
CHAIR MCGUIRE said it is difficult to retrace. It is a burden
with expectations. There are many things to keep records of,
including her son's dividend and college fund.
9:51:21 AM
SENATOR BUNDE said the four-year limitation is part of a concern
on the lack of ethical behavior. He asked if APOC was not able
to address some violations because of the short time limit.
MS. ELLINGSON said yes, and some may have been minor.
SENATOR BUNDE said, "Then it isn't just a PR thing." SB 199 is
the guts of the matter and not just a feel-good thing. It is
necessary, and he moved SB 199 from committee with individual
recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no
objection, SB 199 passed out of committee.
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