Legislature(2021 - 2022)ADAMS 519
05/18/2022 09:00 AM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB190 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 190 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
May 18, 2022
9:07 a.m.
9:07:31 AM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Foster called the House Finance Committee meeting
to order at 9:07 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Neal Foster, Co-Chair
Representative Kelly Merrick, Co-Chair
Representative Dan Ortiz, Vice-Chair
Representative DeLena Johnson
Representative Andy Josephson
Representative Bart LeBon
Representative Sara Rasmussen
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Ben Carpenter
Representative Bryce Edgmon
Representative Steve Thompson
Representative Adam Wool
ALSO PRESENT
Teresa Woldstad, Staff, Senator Robert Myers; Kris Curtis,
Legislative Auditor, Alaska Division of Legislative Audit.
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Bob Pickett, Chairman, Regulatory Commission of Alaska,
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development;
Stuart Goering, Assistant Attorney General, Department of
Law.
SUMMARY
CSSB 190(FIN)
REGULATORY COMMISSION AK/REFUSE UTILITIES
HCS CSSB 190(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee
with six "do pass" recommendations and one "no
recommendation" recommendation and with one
previously published fiscal impact note:
FN3(CED).
Co-Chair Foster reviewed the agenda for the meeting.
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 190(FIN)
"An Act extending the termination date of the
Regulatory Commission of Alaska; relating to
Regulatory Commission of Alaska regulations regarding
refuse utilities; relating to the powers and duties of
the legislative audit division; and providing for an
effective date."
9:08:54 AM
Co-Chair Foster invited Ms. Woldsted staff to Senator
Robert Meyers to the table. He highlighted the importance
of passing the bill that would extend the Regulatory
Commission of Alaska (RCA) sunset date. He explained a
couple of key points related to the bill including the RCA
termination extension to 2030 and the ability for the
auditor to continue auditing the RCA. He noted there was
also the issue of a proposal to include refuse in the bill.
He stated his preference to pass the simplest form of the
bill to include the audit extension and the auditing
function. He pointed out that it was the last day of
session. He remarked that making changes to the bill would
slow the process down.
9:11:06 AM
TERESA WOLDSTAD, STAFF, SENATOR ROBERT MYERS, explained
that the Senate Finance Committee version of the bill had
been a simple "housekeeping" version that did not change
anything substantial regarding the refuge utilities of the
RCA. She detailed that the specific version allowed the
refuge utilities, already under the RCA, to use a different
rate filing process for addressing refuge utility backlog
with a simplified rate filing procedure. She explained that
it was the bill version that came to the House for
concurrence.
Co-Chair Foster remarked that the House Labor and Commerce
Committee had made some changes to the bill. He asked for
confirmation that the Senate version was version W.
Ms. Woldstad agreed.
Co-Chair Foster remarked that if the House Finance
Committee adopted the Senate version it would go to the
[House] floor and back to the Senate for concurrence. He
believed the original version of the bill was limited to
the sunset extension. He stated his understanding that the
Senate Finance Committee had added refuse in the bill. He
asked to hear from the Division of Legislative Audit.
KRIS CURTIS, LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR, ALASKA DIVISION OF
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT, did not have a position on anything
added with the exception of Section 4 of version W. She
elaborated that Section 4 of version W was the repeal of AS
24.20.271(11), which was a duty added specifically to the
Division of Legislative Audit around 15 years back; it was
the only explicit audit requirement listed in terms of
auditing someone specifically. She explained the provision
required the division to audit the RCA's annual report
every two years in addition to the regular sunset audit
requirement. The division spent approximately 500 hours
conducting the audit every two years. She stated that in
her experience it had not been used by the public or policy
makers. She did not believe it was a good use of resources
and she supported the repeal.
Co-Chair Foster stated his understanding there may be an
amendment offered to take the bill version back to the
Senate Finance Committee version.
9:14:15 AM
AT EASE
9:16:00 AM
RECONVENED
Representative Josephson stated he would support a
conceptual amendment that may be offered by Representative
LeBon. Otherwise, he would support the House Labor and
Commerce version.
Co-Chair Foster stated his understanding that
Representative LeBon had a conceptual amendment that would
take the bill back to the original sunset extension with
the auditing repeal and removing the refuse component. He
thought Representative Johnson may have a separate
amendment.
Representative Johnson replied that the conceptual
amendment to be offered by Representative LeBon would take
care of the change her amendment would have addressed.
9:17:17 AM
Representative LeBon MOVED to ADOPT conceptual Amendment 1
(copy on file):
Page 1, line 1 to Page 4, line 17
Delete all material
Insert
" "An Act extending the termination date of the
Regulatory Commission of Alaska; and providing for an
effective date."
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
ALASKA:
* Section 1. AS 44.66.010(a)(3) is amended to read:
(3) Regulatory Commission of Alaska (AS
42.04.010) - June 30, 2030 [2022];
* Sec. 2. AS 24.20.271(11) is repealed.
* Sec. 3. This Act takes effect immediately under AS
01.10.070(c)."
Co-Chair Foster OBJECTED for discussion.
Representative LeBon explained the amendment. The amendment
returned the bill action to extending the RCA to June 30,
2030. The amendment would also repeal a redundant biennial
audit that was beyond what was reasonable in an audit
process.
Co-Chair Foster invited available individuals to make a
comment regarding the amendment.
9:18:48 AM
BOB PICKETT, CHAIRMAN, REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA,
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), believed the amendment was
a very reasonable approach. He noted it addressed the
concerns by the auditor. The RCA's primary concern was a
clean extension.
STUART GOERING, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF
LAW (via teleconference), replied that the Department of
Law had no issues with the original version of the bill.
Ms. Woldstad was amenable to the amendment.
Co-Chair Foster WITHDREW his OBJECTION.
There being NO further OBJECTION, conceptual Amendment 1
was ADOPTED.
Co-Chair Foster asked for Mr. Pickett to address the fiscal
note.
Mr. Pickett indicated the fiscal note matched the note the
RCA submitted with the original bill.
9:20:13 AM
AT EASE
9:21:02 AM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Foster clarified the conceptual amendment had been
made to version O of the bill that had come out of the
House Labor and Commerce Committee.
Co-Chair Merrick MOVED to report HCS CSSB 190(FIN) out of
Committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal note.
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
HCS CSSB 190(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with six
"do pass" recommendations and one "no recommendation"
recommendation and with one previously published fiscal
impact note: FN3(CED).
Co-Chair Foster indicated the committee would recess to the
call of the chair [note: the meeting never reconvened].
ADJOURNMENT
9:22:09 AM
The meeting was adjourned at 9:22 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 190 Conceptual Amendment LeBon 051822 .pdf |
HFIN 5/18/2022 9:00:00 AM |
SB 190 |