Legislature(2009 - 2010)CAPITOL 106
02/19/2009 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR13 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HJR 12 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HJR 13 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
February 19, 2009
8:04 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Bob Lynn, Chair
Representative Paul Seaton, Vice Chair
Representative Carl Gatto
Representative Craig Johnson
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Max Gruenberg
Representative Pete Petersen
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 13
Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska
to correct obsolete references to the office of secretary of
state by substituting references to the office of lieutenant
governor.
- MOVED HJR 13 OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 12
Relating to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System.
- BILL HEARING CANCELED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HJR 13
SHORT TITLE: CONST AM: SEC. OF STATE REFERENCES
SPONSOR(s): STATE AFFAIRS
02/02/09 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/02/09 (H) STA, JUD, FIN
02/19/09 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
JESSICA SRADER, Assistant Attorney General (AAG)
Labor and State Affairs Section
Civil Division
Department of Law
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to requests during the hearing on
HJR 13.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:04:25 AM
CHAIR BOB LYNN called the House State Affairs Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:04 a.m. Representatives Seaton, Gatto,
Wilson, Gruenberg, Petersen, and Lynn were present at the call
to order. Representative Johnson arrived as the meeting was in
progress.
HJR 13-CONST AM: SEC. OF STATE REFERENCES
8:05:08 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the only order of business was HOUSE
JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 13, Proposing amendments to the
Constitution of the State of Alaska to correct obsolete
references to the office of secretary of state by substituting
references to the office of lieutenant governor.
8:05:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG introduced HJR 13, which is sponsored
by the House State Affairs Standing Committee. He relayed that
20-30 years ago, the title of secretary of state was changed to
lieutenant governor, but the change was omitted in two areas of
the constitution, and HJR 13 would serve as a conforming
amendment. He noted that the same legislation was introduced as
House Joint Resolution 7 in the Twenty-Fourth Alaska State
Legislature, but did not pass. He said he does not know why.
The legislation was introduced again as House Joint Resolution
37 in Twenty-Fifth Alaska State Legislature, but was not heard
in time by both bodies.
8:07:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO said the House State Affairs Standing
Committee will be hearing a bill he is sponsoring regarding
gender neutrality, and he asked for committee feedback as to
whether or not it should be combined with HJR 13. He said his
recommendation would be to keep the two pieces of legislation
separate.
CHAIR LYNN noted that combining the two resolutions would
require a title change.
8:09:37 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he strongly favors the gender
neutrality bill and would have no problem combining the two. He
recommended that Legislative Legal and Research Services be
consulted regarding the issue of combining two separate
constitutional amendments and what the effects might be in
considering "this omnibus constitutional amendment - a revision,
which under the best case is unconstitutional." He said he
wants to avoid legal complications.
8:12:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON noted that both resolutions would change
references, which would be appropriate. He predicted that the
electorate would not take issue with gender neutrality, since
the majority voted for a female governor. He suggested
combining the resolutions and holding them until a legal opinion
was obtained.
8:16:38 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he would like to see the two
resolutions remain separate, but said he would not ask for a
hearing on HJR 13 in the House Judiciary Standing Committee
until the gender equality legislation had been introduced. He
said it would give the next committee of referral options, and
would not delay HJR 13.
8:17:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO, in response to Chair Lynn, said the
legislation regarding gender neutrality has been scheduled for
hearing in the House State Affairs Standing Committee.
8:17:48 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN said he does not think there would be a
problem combining the two resolutions, because neither would
profoundly change the constitution.
8:18:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG suggested sending a letter of intent to
the House Judiciary Standing Committee.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO concurred.
CHAIR LYNN said, in general, he is reluctant to join two bills
together, because it complicates the issue.
8:19:42 AM
JESSICA SRADER, Assistant Attorney General (AAG), Labor and
State Affairs Section, Civil Division, Department of Law, in
response Chair Lynn, said she would research answers to the
committee's aforementioned questions and concerns before HJR 13
is heard by the House Judiciary Standing Committee.
8:20:43 AM
CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that there was no one else to
testify, closed public testimony.
8:21:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON moved to report HJR 13 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, HJR 13 was moved out of the
House State Affairs Standing Committee.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO observed in the fiscal note that it costs
the state $1,500 to list something in an election pamphlet, but
it costs $22,000 to "make a ballot."
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN said he interpreted that information to
mean that if the language is concise enough to fit on one page,
then the cost would be $1,500 instead of $22,000.
8:26:13 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 8:26
a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 01 HJR013A.pdf |
HSTA 2/19/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| 02 HJR 13 Sponsor Statement.doc |
HSTA 2/19/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| 03 HJR 13 Sectional Analysis.doc |
HSTA 2/19/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| 04 HJR013-OOG-DOE-2-13-09.pdf |
HSTA 2/19/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| 05 Article - Statesources - States Pursue Title of Lt Governor.pdf |
HSTA 2/19/2009 8:00:00 AM |