Legislature(2003 - 2004)
08/18/2004 10:07 AM 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
August 18, 2004
10:07 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ralph Samuels, Chair
Representative Mike Chenault
Representative Mike Hawker
Representative Beth Kerttula (via teleconference)
Senator Gene Therriault, Vice Chair (via teleconference)
Senator Gary Wilken (via teleconference)
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Vic Kohring
Senator Ben Stevens
Senator Con Bunde
Senator Lyman Hoffman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
DISCUSSION OF CONTRACT AMENDMENTS WITH CONSULTANT ON GAS
PIPELINE ISSUES
EXECUTIVE SESSION
DISCUSSION OF 2003 STATEWIDE SINGLE AUDIT
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
No witnesses to record
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 04-19, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIR RALPH SAMUELS called the Joint Committee on Legislative
Budget and Audit meeting to order at 10:07 a.m. Representatives
Samuels, Chenault, Hawker, and Kerttula (via teleconference) and
Senators Therriault (via teleconference), and Wilken (via
teleconference) were present at the call to order.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER made a motion to approve the minutes of
April 27, May 18, June 16, and June 17, 2004. There being no
objection, the minutes from those meetings were approved.
DISCUSSION OF CONTRACT AMENDMENTS WITH CONSULTANT ON GAS
PIPELINE ISSUES
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER moved that the committee authorize Chair
Samuels to amend the committee's contract with consultant Bonnie
Robson to an amount not to exceed $200,000, with no other
changes to the contract.
CHAIR SAMUELS objected for discussion purposes. He explained
that originally the contract was for up to $100,000, which
hasn't all been spent yet. He informed the committee of the
following work that has occurred: shopping for economists to
perform modeling; work with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) attorneys; and joint hearings with Senate
Resources Standing Committee. Therefore, much work has been
done in preparation and anticipation of obtaining a Stranded Gas
Act contract. Chair Samuels said that he didn't anticipate
going through the last half of the contract as quickly as the
first part of it. Only one set of joint hearings will occur
unless there are requests for further meetings. Therefore, this
is merely to ensure that there are enough funds to cover what
the committee is doing.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER asked if the consultant's billing is based
on an hourly rate calculation. He also asked if the committee
is going through the detailed billings.
CHAIR SAMUELS replied yes to both.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA asked whether all of the experts are
being paid with this money or is this just the attorneys' fees.
CHAIR SAMUELS answered that he believes it's just the attorneys'
fees and the experts are being paid separately. He noted that
the committee has paid some of the experts who have testified,
although most of the presenters haven't been paid by the
committee. There has been some out of pocket expenses, he
mentioned.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA requested copies of the bills.
SENATOR THERRIAULT asked if, from the total $200,000, the
committee would be able to pay some of the experts.
CHAIR SAMUELS replied no. He clarified that most of the
original $100,000 has already been used, and by mid September
that amount will be used up. Therefore, he said he was trying
to avoid doing this with smaller increments. Chair Samuels
announced that he didn't anticipate going through the second
$100,000 at all.
CHAIR SAMUELS removed his objection.
There being no other objection, the motion to authorize Chair
Samuels to amend the committee's contract with consultant Bonnie
Robson to an amount not to exceed $200,000, with no other
changes to the contract carried.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
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.
CHAIR SAMUELS brought the committee back to order at an
unspecified time.
DISCUSSION OF 2003 STATEWIDE SINGLE AUDIT
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER made a motion that the 2003 statewide
single audit report be released to the appropriate agencies for
response. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the Joint
Committee on Legislative Budget and Audit meeting was adjourned
at 10:23 a.m.
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