03/20/2025 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB47 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 47 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 20, 2025
1:11 p.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ashley Carrick, Co-Chair
Representative Ted Eischeid, Co-Chair
Representative Genevieve Mina
Representative Louise Stutes
Representative Kevin McCabe
Representative Cathy Tilton
Representative Elexie Moore
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Representative Ky Holland
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 47(RES)
"An Act relating to Chugach State Park; and providing for an
effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 47
SHORT TITLE: CHUGACH STATE PARK EASEMENTS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) GIESSEL
01/17/25 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/17/25
01/22/25 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/22/25 (S) TRA, RES
02/04/25 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
02/04/25 (S) Heard & Held
02/04/25 (S) MINUTE(TRA)
02/11/25 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
02/11/25 (S) Moved SB 47 Out of Committee
02/11/25 (S) MINUTE(TRA)
02/14/25 (S) TRA RPT 2DP 1DNP 1NR
02/14/25 (S) DP: BJORKMAN, KIEHL
02/14/25 (S) DNP: SHOWER
02/14/25 (S) NR: TOBIN
02/17/25 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
02/17/25 (S) Heard & Held
02/17/25 (S) MINUTE(RES)
02/26/25 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
02/26/25 (S) Moved CSSB 47(RES) Out of Committee
02/26/25 (S) MINUTE(RES)
02/28/25 (S) RES RPT CS 6DP 1NR SAME TITLE
02/28/25 (S) DP: GIESSEL, HUGHES, DUNBAR, CLAMAN,
MYERS, WIELECHOWSKI
02/28/25 (S) NR: KAWASAKI
03/10/25 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
03/10/25 (S) VERSION: CSSB 47(RES)
03/11/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/11/25 (H) TRA, RES
03/20/25 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented SB 47.
PAIGE BROWN, Staff
Senator Cathy Giessel
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions to SB 47 on behalf of
Senator Giessel, sponsor.
RICKY GEASE, Director
Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation
Department of Natural Resources
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions to SB 47.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:11:22 PM
CO-CHAIR TED EISCHEID called the House Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:11 p.m. Representatives Mina,
Stutes, Carrick, and Eischeid were present at the call to order.
Representatives McCabe, Moore, and Tilton arrived as the meeting
was in progress.
SB 47-CHUGACH STATE PARK EASEMENTS
1:12:27 PM
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the only order of business
would be SENATE BILL NO. 47, "An Act relating to Chugach State
Park; and providing for an effective date." [Before the
committee was CSSB 47(RES).]
1:13:20 PM
SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL, Alaska State Legislature, prime sponsor
of SB 47, began the presentation [hard copy included in
committee packet] on slide 2 and stated that Chugach State Park
has 1.5 million visitors per year. To slide 5, she emphasized
that the park's fee station brings in nearly $600 thousand in
revenue, $117 thousand coming from the Glen Alps Flattop access
point, per year. She displayed slide 6 and explained that on
the other side of the Glen Alps Flattop is the Rabbit Lake
trailhead, which is accessed by Canyon Road. She stated that SB
47 addresses the unmaintained section of road contained in state
property, depicted in green. She asserted that DOT&PF has not
maintained the road in Chugach State Park, despite being
required by statute, due to the difficulty. The Municipality of
Anchorage is willing to take on the maintenance responsibility
and to make minor road improvements. She added that the
Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation has a grant to enlarge
the parking lot due to the high volume of traffic.
1:19:19 PM
PAIGE BROWN, Staff, Senator Cathy Giessel, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Senator Giessel, prime sponsor of SB
47, in response to questions from Representative Carrick,
clarified that none of the $4 million that the Municipality of
Anchorage bonded is eligible to be spent on Canyon Road in state
land until SB 47 is passed. She affirmed that the $4 million
currently is planned to be spent on improvements in the
municipality land.
SENATOR GIESSEL clarified that the road inside state land near
the Rabbit Lake Trailhead also needs improvement but is solely
the responsibility of DOT&PF.
1:21:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked for clarification on the language in
CSSB 47(RES) on page 2, line 26.
SENATOR GIESSEL replied that similar language is already in
statute and additionally repeated in section 2, subsection (c).
1:23:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked if there are any other state parks
where DOT&PF is responsible for maintenance of public roads.
1:24:00 PM
RICKY GEASE, Director, Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation,
Department of Natural Resources, in response to a question from
Representative McCabe, provided his understanding that DOT&PF is
responsible for the roads in Chugach State Park and the highway
through Denali National Park and Preserve. He stated he would
provide the committee with a comprehensive list of roads in
state parks that DOT&PF is responsible for.
1:26:00 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL referred to page 1, lines 7-13 of the bill and
clarified that existing statute specifically mentions Chugach
State Park and the bill would move the language to a different
section.
1:28:02 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 1:28
p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 3.07.25 SB 47 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HTRA 3/20/2025 1:00:00 PM |
SB 47 |
| 3.07.25 SB 47 Sectional Analysis Version G.pdf |
HTRA 3/20/2025 1:00:00 PM |
SB 47 |
| SB 47 (S)RES CS Vsn. G.pdf |
HTRA 3/20/2025 1:00:00 PM |
SB 47 |
| 3.01.25 SB 47 Explanation of Changes Version A to G.pdf |
HTRA 3/20/2025 1:00:00 PM |
SB 47 |
| 3.07.25 SB 47 Backup Doc.pdf |
HTRA 3/20/2025 1:00:00 PM |
SB 47 |
| SB 47 Fiscal Note.pdf |
HTRA 3/20/2025 1:00:00 PM |
SB 47 |
| SB 47 HTRA Presentation Revised 2.17.25.pdf |
HTRA 3/20/2025 1:00:00 PM |
SB 47 |