Legislature(2003 - 2004)

12/18/2003 02:10 PM House LEC

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL                                                                                                           
December 18, 2003                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1.  ROLL CALL                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The   Legislative   Council   meeting   was    called  to  order   at  2:10   pm    by                                          
                                                                                    nd                                          
Representative   Masek,  Vice-Chairman,   Legislative  Council, in the Anchorage   2                                            
Floor Conference Room and via teleconference.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The  roll was taken.  In attendance  were  Council  members:     Therriault, Cowdery,                                           
Gary  Stevens,  Ben  Stevens,  Ogan   (via teleconference), Coghill, Kott, Masek  (via                                          
teleconference),   Rokeberg,   Stoltze  (via teleconference),   Lincoln, Weyhrauch,                                             
Wagoner,   Berkowitz   and  Dahlstrom   (via teleconference).  Staff present:   Varni,                                          
Bannister,  Collins, Clothier, Cook,   Hay,  Huber,  Ibesate,  Johnston,  Lounsbury,                                            
Maher, Price, Schofield.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2.  APPROVAL OF JULY 8, 2003 MINUTES                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Therriault moved the minutes of July 8, 2003 meeting be approved.                                                       
                                                                                                                                
YEAS:         Gary Stevens, Cowdery, Coghill, Ogan, Ben Stevens, Therriault,                                                    
              Kott, Masek, Rokeberg, Stoltze and Berkowitz                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
NAYS:         None                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
ABSENT: Weyhrauch, Lincoln and Wagoner                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
With no objection the motion was approved.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3.  ELECTION OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAIRMAN                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Vice   Chairman,   Masek    called  for  the  nominations    of  Legislative  Council                                           
Chairman.    Senator  Ben  Stevens  moved   to elect Senator  Therriault as Chairman                                            
of Legislative Council.  No other nominations were put forward.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Berkowitz  objected.   He  stated that there might  be  a conflict-of-                                         
interest in regards  to Senator   Therriault also being  Senate   President  and  that                                          
Senator  Therriault  might  not be  able to dedicate   the appropriate  time  to chair                                          
Legislative Council.   Representative   Berkowitz  also  expressed   concerns  with  a                                          
conflict-of-interest in the balance of power in the Legislature and how   investing all                                         
this discretionary ability into a single individual who regardless  of who  she/he  is                                          
serves the interest of the Legislature as a whole.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative Weyhrauch joined the meeting.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Ben  Stevens  stated  that in the past there has been  one  Senator  and two                                           
Representatives   that have  served  as  Legislative Council  Chairman   at the same                                            
time  they  were   serving   as  Presiding  Officer.   They   were:   Senator   Frank                                           
Peratrovich,  in the  Second   Legislature  (1961   - 1962);  Representative    Bruce                                           
Kendall,  Third  Legislature  (1963   -  1964);  and  Representative    Mike  Gravel,                                           
Fourth Legislature (1965 - 1966).                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Discussion followed.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Berkowitz withdrew his objection.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
YEAS:         Gary Stevens, Cowdery, Coghill, Ogan, Ben Stevens, Therriault,                                                    
              Kott, Masek, Rokeberg, Weyhrauch, Stoltze, Wagoner, and                                                           
              Berkowitz                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
NAYS:         None                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
ABSENT: Lincoln                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wagoner joined the meeting.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
With no objection the motion was approved.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Lincoln joined the meeting.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
4.      LATE TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST -                                                                                   
         REPRESENTATIVE       NANCY       DALHSTROM                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator   Cowdery   moved    for approval  of Representative    Dahlstrom's  late  per                                          
diem request.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
YEAS:         Gary Stevens, Cowdery, Coghill, Ogan, Ben Stevens, Therriault,                                                    
              Kott, Masek, Rokeberg, Stoltze, Weyhrauch, Lincoln, Wagoner and                                                   
              Berkowitz                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
NAYS:         None                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
ABSENT: None                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
With no objection the motion was approved.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5.  RFP #391                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Chairman Therriault made a motion to move into Executive Session.                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Rokeberg requested to ask Mr. Acree questions beforehand.                                                        
                                                                                                                                
There was no objection.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Acree,  Landlord  for the current Anchorage   legislative office space presented                                            
information to Legislative Council related to the BOMA Standards of usable sq. ft.                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator   Gary   Stevens   moved   that  Legislative  Council  move   into  Executive                                           
Session   to review  RFP   #391  under  Uniform   Rule  22(b)(3) for discussion   of a                                          
matter  that may, by  law, be required  to be confidential to discuss the request  for                                          
Proposals  for the Anchorage    Office Space.   Senator  Stevens  requested   that the                                          
following individuals be  approved   to attend the  Executive  Session:   Pam   Varni,                                          
Jan   Price, Tam    Cook,   Tom    Maher,   Terry  Bannister,   Curt  Clothier, Karla                                           
Schofield, Don Johnston, Annette Skibinski and Joel Lounsbury.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative    Berkowitz   requested    that Rosemary     Karish   be  allowed   to                                          
participate in the Executive Session.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Discussion followed.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Chairman    Therriault moved    that Legislative  Council  approve   the  addition  of                                          
Rosemary Karish's name to the attendees for the Executive Session.                                                              
                                                                                                                                
YEAS:         Lincoln and Berkowitz                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
NAYS:         Gary Stevens, Cowdery, Coghill, Ogan, Ben Stevens, Therriault,                                                    
              Kott, Masek, Rokeberg, Weyhrauch, Stoltze and Wagoner                                                             
                                                                                                                                
ABSENT: None                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Motion failed 11 to 2.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Discussion followed.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Chairman   Therriault stated  that his staff person, Tom  Maher,  could  be excluded                                            
from the Executive Session.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Cowdery stated his staff member would not participate.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Speaker Kott stated his staff member would not participate.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator   Gary   Stevens   moved   that  Legislative  Council  move   into  Executive                                           
Session   to review  RFP   #391  under  Uniform   Rule  22(b)(3) for discussion   of a                                          
matter  that may,  by  law, be  regarded  to be  confidential and  that the  following                                          
individuals be  approval  to attend the Executive  Session:   Pam   Varni, Jan  Price,                                          
Tam    Cook,    Terry   Bannister    (via   Teleconference),    Curt   Clothier   (via                                          
Teleconference),    Karla  Schofield   (via  Teleconference),   Don    Johnston   (via                                          
Teleconference).                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
YEAS:         Gary Stevens, Coghill, Cowdery, Ogan, Ben Stevens, Therriault,                                                    
              Kott, Masek, Rokeberg, Weyhrauch, Stoltze, Lincoln, Wagoner and                                                   
              Berkowitz                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
NAYS:         None                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
ABSENT: None                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
With no objection the motion was approved.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
The Council came out of Executive Session.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 pm.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
Because    of two  Senate   vacancies   on  Legislative  Council,  Senate   President                                           
Therriault  appointed   Senator   Gary   Stevens   and  Senator   Tom    Wagoner    to                                          
replace Senator Taylor and Senator Dyson.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                

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