Legislature(1997 - 1998)
05/10/1997 11:32 AM House RLS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE RULES STANDING COMMITTEE
May 10, 1997
11:32 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Pete Kott, Chairman
Representative Gail Phillips
Representative Brian Porter
Representative Bill Williams
Representative Kim Elton
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Al Vezey
Representative Irene Nicholia
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 16(FIN)
Urging the state executive branch administration, University of
Alaska administration, and Alaska Court System administration to
negotiate collective bargaining agreements that result in a net
zero cost increase.
- MOVED HCS CSSCR 16(RLS) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: SCR 16
SHORT TITLE: NO INCREASE IN COST OF STATE EMPLOYEES
SPONSOR(S): FINANCE
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
05/06/97 1717 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
05/06/97 1717 (S) FINANCE
05/08/97 (S) FIN AT 8:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
05/08/97 1814 (S) FIN RPT CS 5DP 1NR SAME TITLE
05/08/97 1814 (S) DP: PEARCE, SHARP, PHILLIPS, PARNELL
05/08/97 1814 (S) TORGERSON; NR: DONLEY
05/08/97 1814 (S) ZERO FISCAL NOTE TO CS (S.FIN)
05/08/97 1841 (S) RULES TO SUPP CAL 1 & 1NR 5/8/97
05/08/97 1845 (S) READ THE SECOND TIME
05/08/97 1845 (S) FIN CS ADOPTED UNAN CONSENT
05/08/97 1846 (S) PASSED Y11 N8 E1
05/08/97 1846 (S) DUNCAN NOTICE OF RECONSIDERATION
05/09/97 1905 (S) RECON TAKEN UP - IN THIRD READING
05/09/97 1905 (S) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR
05/09/97 1928 (S) IN THIRD READING
05/09/97 1929 (S) PASSED ON RECONSIDERATION Y12 N7 E1
05/09/97 1932 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
05/09/97 1785 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
05/09/97 1785 (H) RULES
05/10/97 (H) RLS AT 11:00 AM CAPITOL 208
WITNESS REGISTER
KRAG JOHNSON, Administrative Assistant
to Senator Drue Pearce
Alaska State Legislature
Capitol Building, Room 518
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Telephone: (907) 465-6594
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered a question on CSSCR 16(FIN).
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 97-16, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIRMAN PETE KOTT called the House Rules Standing Committee to
order at 11:32 a.m. Members present at the call to order were
Representatives Williams, Elton, Phillips and Kott. Representative
Porter arrived at 11:33 a.m.
CSSCR 16(FIN) - NO INCREASE IN COST OF STATE EMPLOYEES
Number 0015
CHAIRMAN KOTT announced the committee would address CSSCR 16(FIN),
"Urging the state executive branch administration, University of
Alaska administration, and Alaska Court System administration to
negotiate collective bargaining agreements that result in a net
zero cost increase."
Number 0041
REPRESENTATIVE GAIL PHILLIPS referred to the "Whereas" clause on
page 1, line 10, and recommended that the wording be changed to
read, "WHEREAS the legislature acknowledges that recurring revenues
continue to fall short of recurring expenditures in the long
term;". Currently, it stated, "WHEREAS the legislature realizes
that recurring revenues fall dramatically short of recurring
expenditures in the long term;". Representative Phillips moved the
amendment.
Number 0204
CHAIRMAN KOTT asked whether there was discussion on the conceptual
amendment. There being none, he asked whether there was an
objection to it. Hearing none, Amendment 1 was adopted.
Number 0225
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS referred to line 14 and said she thinks
that "Whereas" clause needs to be rewritten to make the language
more palatable.
Number 0256
REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN PORTER suggested using the wording "not
advisable" rather than "irresponsible."
Number 0319
CHAIRMAN KOTT said it would read, "WHEREAS the legislature finds it
not advisable to increase the cost of personal services in a time
of deficit spending;". He asked whether there was an objection.
Hearing none, Amendment 2 was adopted.
Number 0339
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS indicated the next amendment would be on
page 2, line 21, "FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State
Legislature will disapprove the monetary terms of any collective
bargaining agreement that results in an increased cost of personal
services". She said the words "will disapprove" give her a
problem, as there could be plenty of money and thus no problem. If
the situation dramatically changed, they would be able to fund.
"But we don't want to fund if we don't have any more revenues
coming in," she said.
REPRESENTATIVE KIM ELTON suggested striking that "resolved"
section, as everyone has acknowledged that a future legislature
can't be bound to anything.
CHAIRMAN KOTT said "disapprove" was the objectionable word.
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS said, "Because I think `will disapprove' is
closing our door and won't give us any options."
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER suggested using the wording, "could
disapprove."
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS said the legislature can already do that.
Number 0620
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said he doesn't believe that resolve makes
sense. "Either we're binding a future legislature or we're doing
something we're already doing," he stated.
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER asked, "Now how many times have we heard, Mr.
Chairman, if I may, `Why didn't you tell us?'"
Number 0647
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said, "I think what we're talking about is
prospectively here. We're not talking about anything that has
happened in the past. We're talking about negotiations that occur
in the future. I mean, I think the question before this committee
and then before the House is going to be, `Are we going to ...?'
I mean, if you want to say that we're going to do something
differently than we're doing, the only thing that we can say that's
different is that we're going to disapprove."
Number 0718
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS suggested the wording, "the legislature
will recommend disapproval." She said, "So he knows exactly right
now where we're going to come from if there isn't increased
revenues coming in."
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER suggested using the wording, "FURTHER
RESOLVED that if revenues remain below expenditures, the Alaska
State Legislature will disapprove the monetary terms of any
collective bargaining agreement that results in an increased cost
of personal services."
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS said with that caveat included, the
legislature's hands are not tied if there are adequate revenues.
Number 0818
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said if the committee does this, the word
"revenues" will need to be defined. He said the earnings of the
CBR and permanent fund are revenues.
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS indicated it would be better to identify
the revenues as "general fund revenues."
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON indicated he doesn't agree with the
resolution.
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS said, "But at the same time we want to send
a very strong message to the Governor, `Don't bring us contracts
that are above what they are right now because we don't have the
money for them.' ... Everybody blames us for disapproving the
contracts ahead of time. This way, we're sending to him a message
saying, `Don't do it.'"
Number 0948
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER repeated the amendment: "FURTHER RESOLVED
that if general fund revenues remain below expenditures, the Alaska
State Legislature will disapprove the monetary terms of any
collective bargaining agreement that results in an increased cost
to personal services."
CHAIRMAN KOTT asked whether there was an objection to the
amendment. Hearing none, Amendment 3 was adopted.
Number 1023
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS referred to the "resolved" section on page
2, line 24, and said it appears to her to be the same as the first
"resolved" section. She suggested asking a representative from the
sponsor's office whether there is a reason for duplication.
Number 1114
KRAG JOHNSON, Administrative Assistant to Senator Drue Pearce,
Alaska State Legislature, said it is a further statement.
CHAIRMAN KOTT agreed with Representative Phillips that it is
included in the first "resolve" section verbatim.
Number 1133
CHAIRMAN KOTT moved that lines 24 through 27 be deleted. He asked
whether there was an objection. Hearing none, Amendment 4 was
adopted.
Number 1159
REPRESENTATIVE BILL WILLIAMS made a motion to move CSSCR 16(FIN),
as amended, out of committee.
Number 1216
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON objected. He said what bothers him is the
resolution accomplishes nothing. He is offended by the notion of
telling a future legislature what they should be doing. In
addition, there are many ways of addressing budgeting. Costs can
be lowered by reducing a number of personnel. General fund draws
can be reduced by reducing programs. He said this focuses on a
very narrow way of reducing their overall budget in the future.
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON stated, "And what we're doing is we're taking
away from the people who are supposed to be involved in the
bargaining process, the employer and employee, and we're telling
them what they must accomplish. And I think that does a grave
disservice to the process of sitting down and two parties that are
most closely involved working out a beneficial arrangement."
Number 1349
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS said she would take exception to one
comment made by Representative Elton. She stated, "This isn't
doing anything to a future legislature; this is us. The Governor
and the Administration are going to start negotiating on contracts
this coming year. We are the legislative sitting body. We are
telling them, `Don't bring us in contracts that are way above the
amount of revenues that would come in.'"
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS continued, "By doing it prospectively
rather than retrospectively, as we did the last go-around on
contracts, we can save a lot of grief for the state employees
having to think they have reached a negotiated contract, come back
to the legislature and then the legislature saying, `No, we can't
fund that; go back to the table.' This way, we can save at least
a year and a half of heartache for our state employees by sending
this message from us. This is the legislature that's dealing with
this, with this Administration, saying, `Don't do it; don't do that
to the state employees. Come back with something that the
legislature is going to be able to accept.' And I think this is
absolutely within our purview and we have the responsibility, ahead
of time, to send a message like this to the Administration."
Number 1504
CHAIRMAN KOTT asked Representative Elton whether he still
maintained his objection.
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said yes.
Number 1511
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Williams, Phillips,
Porter and Kott voted in favor of moving the resolution.
Representative Elton voted against moving the resolution. So HCS
CSSCR 16(RLS) moved out of the House Rules Standing Committee on a
vote of 4 to 1.
ADJOURNMENT
CHAIRMAN KOTT adjourned the House Rules Standing Committee meeting
at 11:55 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|