03/20/1997 10:25 AM Senate FIN

                                                                               
                                                                               
                             MINUTES                                           
                    SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                   
                          20 March 1997                                        
                            10:25 an                                           
                                                                               
  TAPES                                                                        
                                                                               
  SFC-97, #64, Side 1 (000 - 460)                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  CALL TO ORDER                                                                
                                                                               
  Senator Drue  Pearce, Co-chair,  reconvened  the meeting  at                 
  approximately 10:25 a.m.                                                     
                                                                               
                                                                               
  PRESENT                                                                      
                                                                               
  In addition  to Co-chair Pearce, Senators  Phillips, Donley,                 
  Torgerson, Parnell and  Adams were  present.  Senator  Sharp                 
  was excused.                                                                 
                                                                               
  ALSO   ATTENDING:    Fred   Fisher,  Director,  Division  of                 
  Administrative Services, Department of Law; Barbara Ritchie,                 
  Deputy Attorney General, Civil Division, Department of  Law;                 
  Molly McCammon,  Executive Director, Exxon Valdez  Oil Spill                 
  Trustee  Council;  Dan Spencer,  Budget  Analyst, Office  of                 
  Management  and  Budget;   Susan  Taylor,  Fiscal   Analyst,                 
  Division  of  Legislative  Finance; and  aides  to committee                 
  members and other members of the legislature.                                
                                                                               
                                                                               
  SUMMARY INFORMATION                                                          
                                                                               
       SENATE BILL NO. 83                                                      
                                                                               
       "An Act making an appropriation for management fees for                 
  the  constitutional budget  reserve fund (art.  IX, sec. 17,                 
       Constitution of the State of Alaska); and providing for                 
  an   effective date."                                                        
                                                                               
  Senator Pearce referred to  letter dated 19 March  1997 from                 
  the  Office of  Management  and Budget.   The  Department of                 
  Revenue  asked  for  a  deletion  of section  16(b)  because                 
  sufficient funds  existed to cover  expected permanent  fund                 
  dividend payments.                                                           
                                                                               
  Fred Fisher, Director, Division  of Administrative Services,                 
  Department  of  Law;  and Barbara  Ritchie,  Deputy Attorney                 
  General, Civil Division,  Department of Law were  invited to                 
  join  the  committee.   Ms.  Ritchie explained  the  case of                 
  Triplett  vs.  Department  of  Corrections.    After   short                 
  discussion with  Senators Parnell and Phillips,  Ms. Ritchie                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  said  that in the settlement  was included that Mr. Triplett                 
  would  never   seek   employment  with   the   Division   of                 
  Corrections.  She said his employment file  indicated he had                 
  resigned while medical records were  sealed and further that                 
  the matter had been  handled internally by Dave Jones,  from                 
  the Anchorage office.                                                        
                                                                               
  In answer to a  question from Senator Phillips she  said Mr.                 
  Triplett developed  his  phobia after  being  employed  some                 
  eight years by  the Department and she did not feel this was                 
  a bogus claim.   Senator Torgerson  asked if there were  any                 
  phobia  cases pending  presently and  Ms. Ritchie  indicated                 
  there were none.                                                             
                                                                               
  Molly McCammon, Executive Director,  Exxon Valdez Oil  Spill                 
  Trustee Council was next invited to join the committee.  She                 
  referred to  two  small  parcels  of property  for  sale  in                 
  Soldotna  and Homer.   The acquisition of  these two parcels                 
  was important for the protection of habitat and recreational                 
  purposes.  The lands  would be managed by the  Department of                 
  Natural Resources.                                                           
                                                                               
  Dan Spencer, Budget Analyst, Office of Management and Budget                 
  was invited to join  the committee.  He said  the Department                 
  of Fish and Game  added a new  appropriation for the sum  of                 
  $115,000 from the general fund for ongoing litigation costs.                 
  These were to  cover costs  relating to the  paying of  non-                 
  attorney fees as requested in letter dated 27 February 1997.                 
                                                                               
  Co-chair  Pearce thanked all  for attending  today's hearing                 
  and noted that  tomorrow noon was  the cut-off date for  any                 
  additional  supplemental  requests.    The  committee   will                 
  continue this  matter to  Saturday, 22  March 1997  at 10:00                 
  a.m.                                                                         
                                                                               
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.