Legislature(1993 - 1994)

03/18/1993 05:00 PM House ITT

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
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                   HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON                                  
                  INTERNATIONAL TRADE & TOURISM                                
                         March 18, 1993                                        
                            5:00 p.m.                                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
  MEMBERS PRESENT                                                              
                                                                               
  Representative Jeannette James, Chair                                        
  Representative Joe Green                                                     
  Representative Curt Menard                                                   
  Representative Jim Nordlund                                                  
  Representative Jerry Sanders                                                 
  Representative Cynthia Toohey                                                
                                                                               
  MEMBERS ABSENT                                                               
                                                                               
  Representative Terry Martin                                                  
                                                                               
  OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT                                                        
                                                                               
  Representative Kay Brown                                                     
                                                                               
  COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                           
                                                                               
  HJR 20:   Urging modification of the North American Free                     
            Trade Agreement.                                                   
                                                                               
            CSHJR 20 (ITT) MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE WITH A DO                    
            PASS RECOMMENDATION                                                
                                                                               
  "Making the Case" presentation by Department of Commerce and                 
  Economic Development                                                         
                                                                               
  Discussion of priorities                                                     
                                                                               
  WITNESS REGISTER                                                             
                                                                               
  Representative Kay Brown                                                     
  Capitol, Room 517                                                            
  Juneau, Ak  99801                                                            
  (907) 465-3784                                                               
  POSITION STATEMENT: Prime Sponsor of HJR 20                                  
                                                                               
  Diane Mayer, Division of Economic Development                                
  Department of Commerce and Economic Development                              
  State Office Building                                                        
  Juneau, AK  99801                                                            
  (907) 465-2500                                                               
  POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information about the Division                  
                                                                               
  PREVIOUS ACTION                                                              
                                                                               
  BILL:  HJR 20                                                                
  SHORT TITLE:  AMEND N. AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT                         
  BILL VERSION:                                                                
  SPONSOR(S):   REPRESENTATIVE(S) BROWN                                        
  TITLE: Urging modification of the North American Free Trade                  
  Agreement.                                                                   
  JRN-DATE     JRN-PG               ACTION                                     
  01/29/93       176    (H)   READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)                  
  01/29/93       176    (H)   INTERNATIONAL TRADE & TOURISM,                   
                              RESOURCES                                        
  02/18/93              (H)   ITT AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 102                      
  02/18/93              (H)   MINUTE(ITT)                                      
  02/18/93              (H)   MINUTE(TRA)                                      
  03/04/93              (H)   ITT AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 102                      
  03/04/93              (H)   MINUTE(ITT)                                      
                                                                               
                                                                               
  TAPE 93-5, SIDE A                                                            
  Number 000                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JEANNETTE JAMES, CHAIR, called the meeting of                 
  the House Special Committee on International Trade and                       
  Tourism to order on March 18, 1993, at 5:12 p.m.                             
  HJR 20: AMEND N. AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT                               
                                                                               
  Number 016                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE KAY BROWN, PRIME SPONSOR of HJR 20, spoke in                  
  favor of the resolution relating to the North American Trade                 
  Agreement, "expressing to Congress and the President our                     
  concern that states' rights be protected as the federal                      
  government works on negotiating an acceptable agreement with                 
  our partners in Canada and Mexico.  And while there are many                 
  areas of controversy about the agreement, this resolution                    
  seeks to address the impact on states, on maintaining the                    
  state's authority to act in areas that are not specifically                  
  preempted by the federal government and, thereby,                            
  maintaining a long tradition that we had in the United                       
  States of giving states the flexibility to legislate unless                  
  the Congress specifically takes action in an area, and                       
  preserving our opportunities to adopt laws that might give                   
  preferential treatment for economic development projects or                  
  employment opportunities or other things that are geared to                  
  affect the people in our state, which could be adversely                     
  affected or preempted by this new international trade                        
  agreement."                                                                  
                                                                               
  Number 056                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE CYNTHIA TOOHEY asked if the committee was                     
  working from the work draft.                                                 
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BROWN replied in the affirmative.                             
                                                                               
  CHAIR JAMES commented that the "Be it resolved" was a good                   
  statement and could relate to any other trade agreement the                  
  federal government might be putting together.                                
                                                                               
  Number 106                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE TOOHEY remarked that HJR 20 should be shown                   
  to the Washington delegation and their support solicited.                    
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BROWN said she would do that, but was anxious                 
  to move HJR 20 out of the committee.                                         
                                                                               
  CHAIR JAMES commented that she would like to include HJR 20                  
  in the Economic Development Task Force's list of priorities                  
  and she was not willing to do that until it was moved out of                 
  the committee.                                                               
                                                                               
  Number 127                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN asked where CSHJR 20 (ITT) differed                 
  from HJR 20, which had been discussed by the committee                       
  previously.                                                                  
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BROWN replied that CSHJR 20 (ITT) was more                    
  explicit and expansive without changing the concept of                       
  standing up for states' rights.                                              
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE GREEN agreed this concept was "right on."                     
                                                                               
  Number 178                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE TOOHEY said she really respects Senator                       
  Stevens' knowledge and would not want to pass HJR 20 without                 
  his having seen it.                                                          
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BROWN requested the committee pass HJR 20                     
  with her promise that she would send it to Senator Stevens                   
  immediately,and incorporate his input later.  She would also                 
  send it to Senator Murkowski and Representative Young.                       
                                                                               
  Number 203                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR JAMES noted the arrival of Representative Menard and                   
  Representative Nordlund.                                                     
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BROWN reviewed the previous discussion for                    
  the newcomers.                                                               
                                                                               
  Number 252                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE CURT MENARD noted this is a sensitive issue                   
  and said he thought it was a good resolution.                                
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE TOOHEY MOVED to ADOPT CSHJR 20 (ITT).  THE                    
  MOTION PASSED.                                                               
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE GREEN MOVED to ADOPT the committee                            
  substitution dated February 18, 1993, with the modification                  
  that it include a letter of intent for the sponsor to                        
  request input from the federal delegation.  The MOTION                       
  PASSED.                                                                      
                                                                               
  Number 300                                                                   
                                                                               
  DIANE MAYER, ACTING RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, DIVISION OF                        
  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC                    
  DEVELOPMENT, made a pretention about the "Making the  Case"                  
  program.  She mentioned that last session the Division was                   
  given $250,000 to develop the project.  She stated the                       
  Division acted as a liaison with government, updated old                     
  information, and developed the new image of Alaska's                         
  location with their campaign "Alaska - positioned for the                    
  21st Century," attempting to blend the image of Alaska's                     
  pristine wilderness with its business potential.  A series                   
  of slip sheets was developed to insert in the three-fold                     
  cover, which could be mixed and matched and were easy to                     
  update, dealing with such subjects as mineral development,                   
  fisheries, forestry, international trade, and tourism.                       
                                                                               
  Number 645                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE GREEN asked how long the Division had been in                 
  operation.                                                                   
                                                                               
  MS. MAYER answered "One and one half years."                                 
                                                                               
  TAPE 93-5, SIDE B                                                            
  Number 000                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR JAMES asked how the brochures' effectiveness was                       
  measured.                                                                    
                                                                               
  MS. MAYER responded that contact sheets were used.                           
                                                                               
  CHAIR JAMES asked if foreign offices used those brochures.                   
                                                                               
  MS. MAYER said they did.                                                     
                                                                               
  CHAIR JAMES asked if other inserts were planned dealing with                 
  agriculture, aerospace, and tourism, to market Alaska as a                   
  whole.                                                                       
                                                                               
  MS. MAYER replied in the affirmative.                                        
                                                                               
  Number 160                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE MENARD asked about the cost to print the                      
  brochure.                                                                    
                                                                               
  MS. MAYER replied, "$1.50 for the cover and $1.00 each for                   
  the inserts."                                                                
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE MENARD asked where the material was printed.                  
                                                                               
  MS. MAYER said the inserts were printed in Alaska, the                       
  covers in Denver.                                                            
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE TOOHEY expressed concern that tourism                         
  marketing not be lumped with other advertising because it is                 
  so specific.                                                                 
                                                                               
  CHAIR JAMES said any advertising for Alaska needed to give                   
  the entire picture, tourism as well as business, to promote                  
  cooperative development of the state and entice people to                    
  visit Alaska, in addition to encouraging them to start new                   
  businesses including tourism-related businesses.                             
                                                                               
  Number 280                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR JAMES called the committee's attention to the priority                 
  and goal list compiled at the last meeting.                                  
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE MENARD objected to the item referring to                      
  "real people doing real jobs".                                               
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JIM NORDLUND objected to the committee's                      
  submitting a resolution regarding the Mental Health Lands                    
  issue.                                                                       
                                                                               
  CHAIR JAMES mentioned her idea for a settlement of the                       
  issue.  A general discussion of the Mental Health Lands                      
  issue followed.                                                              
                                                                               
  Number 440                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE GREEN returned to the subject of tourism                      
  promotion, suggesting that people should know there are                      
  areas of Alaska that are not just pristine wilderness and                    
  are open for development.                                                    
                                                                               
  Number 485                                                                   
                                                                               
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  The meeting was adjourned at 6:30.                                           

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