Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/27/2003 04:15 PM House BUD
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE BUDGET AND AUDIT
March 27, 2003
4:15 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ralph Samuels, Chair
Representative Mike Hawker
Representative Jim Whitaker
Representative Beth Kerttula
Senator Gene Therriault, Vice Chair
Senator Ben Stevens
Senator Con Bunde
Senator Gary Wilken
Senator Lyda Green, alternate
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Vic Kohring
Representative Reggie Joule, alternate
Representative Bill Williams, alternate
Senator Lyman Hoffman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
EXECUTIVE SESSION
AUDIT REPORTS
OTHER COMMITTEE BUSINESS
WITNESS REGISTER
PAT DAVIDSON, Legislative Auditor
Division of Legislative Audit
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Spoke on behalf of the Division of
Legislative Audit.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 03-2, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIR RALPH SAMUELS called the Joint Committee on Legislative
Budget and Audit meeting to order at 4:15 p.m. Members present
at the call to order were Representatives Samuels, Hawker,
Kerttula, and Whitaker, and Senators Bunde and Wilken. Senators
Green, Stevens, and Therriault arrived shortly thereafter.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Number 0045
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER made a motion to approve the minutes of
February 19, 2003.
CHAIR SAMUELS asked whether there were any objections. There
being none, the minutes from the meeting of February 19, 2003,
were approved as read.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Number 0090
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER made a motion to move to executive session
for the purpose of discussing confidential audit reports under
AS 24.20.301. There being no objection, the committee went into
executive session at 4:20 p.m.
CHAIR SAMUELS brought the committee back to regular, open
session at 5:05 p.m.
AUDIT REPORTS
Number 0102
SENATOR THERRIAULT made a motion to release the following two
final audit reports to the public [for response]: 1) the
Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Medical
Assistance, Internal Control Over Medicaid Payments, and 2) the
sunset for the Department of Revenue, Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board.
CHAIR SAMUELS asked whether there were any objections. There
being none, the audits were released to the public for response.
Number 0123
SENATOR THERRIAULT made a motion to release the following two
preliminary audits to the appropriate agencies [for response]:
1) Department of Community & Economic Development Commercial
Fisheries Revolving Loan Fund, and 2) Department of Health &
Social Services, Division of Family & Youth Services, Selected
Travel Issues.
CHAIR SAMUELS asked whether there were any objections. There
being none, the audits were released to the appropriate agencies
for response.
OTHER COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Number 0207
PAT DAVIDSON, Legislative Auditor, Division of Legislative
Audit, Alaska State Legislature, requested approval by the
committee to amend a [professional services] contract. Ms.
Davidson explained that the Division of Legislative Audit and
three staff, including herself, were named as defendants in the
Robert Hammond v. State of Alaska lawsuit. The lawsuit involves
an audit pertaining to the Homer Gravel Roads project in which
there were various allegations and counter-allegations.
Number 0302
MS. DAVIDSON continued that the committee had previously
approved the contract for an amount not to exceed $35,000. She
reported that Tamara Cook, Director of Legislative Legal and
Research Services, had indicated her staff was unable to provide
the defense; therefore, the law firm of Gross and Burke was
hired to provide legal defense. She said that Judge Reese
signed an order stating that activities and reports issued by
the Division of Legislative Audit are covered by legislative
immunity.
Number 0339
MS. DAVIDSON requested approval from the committee that the
contract amount be increased by $2,750 to provide for the "final
motions to wrap this up." She said that if the individual were
to file an appeal, a re-evaluation process would take place to
determine if Legislative Legal and Research Services could
provide additional services. She testified that "this amount
[$2,750] would just final it out for us."
SENATOR WILKEN moved to approve [increasing the contract amount
by $2,750].
CHAIR SAMUELS asked whether there were any objections. There
being none, it was so ordered.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, Chair
Samuels adjourned the Joint Committee on Legislative Budget and
Audit meeting at approximately 5:10 p.m.
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