03/06/2012 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

             SCR 22-ALASKA ARCTIC POLICY COMMISSION                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:03:00 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI announced  that the  first order  of business                                                               
would be  SCR 22, which  would establish an Alaska  Arctic Policy                                                               
Commission.  On February  23, the  committee  heard from  Senator                                                               
Stedman's staff about the need  to develop a cogent Arctic policy                                                               
in Alaska.  The commission would build  on the good work  done by                                                               
the Northern  Waters Task Force  over the past interim.  The bill                                                               
has a  fiscal note of  about $250,000 for FY  13 and FY  14. This                                                               
would  cover the  cost of  one staff  member for  the commission,                                                               
travel,   printing,   and   funding  for   professional   service                                                               
contracts.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
WESTON EILER,  staff, Senator  Bert Stedman,  sponsor of  SCR 22,                                                               
refreshed  the committee  on the  contents of  the resolution  on                                                               
behalf of  the sponsor.  He said the  resolution was  the logical                                                               
next step in defining and developing Alaska's Arctic policy.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL  asked for  more  information  about the  member                                                               
representing an Arctic organization listed  on page 3, line 17 of                                                               
the resolution.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  EILER   replied  that  there  are   many  multi-stakeholder,                                                               
international Arctic  organizations, such  as the  Arctic Council                                                               
and  the  Inuit Circumpolar  Conference,  of  which Alaska  is  a                                                               
member or seeking to become a member.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL  requested  more information  about  the  fiscal                                                               
note. She said  she thought $250,000 might be too  low for such a                                                               
large commission.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.  EILER   offered  to  provide   more  information   from  the                                                               
Legislative Affairs  Agency regarding the fiscal  note, which was                                                               
written to include travel and staff coordination.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL  agreed  with  the expenses,  but  continued  to                                                               
question the validity of the fiscal note.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR.  EILER offered  to  get with  Legislative  Affairs Agency  to                                                               
provide more information.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:07:32 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MEYER  asked if the  Arctic commission would  replace the                                                               
Northern Waters Task Force.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. EILER said yes.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI  noted the resolution  had a  further referral                                                               
to finance.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  PASKVAN  moved to  report  SCR  22 from  committee  with                                                               
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI  announced that without objection,  SCR 22 was                                                               
moved from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.