Legislature(2005 - 2006)SENATE FINANCE 532
02/17/2006 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB210 | |
| SB237 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 210 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 237 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
MINUTES
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
February 17, 2006
9:07 a.m.
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Lyda Green convened the meeting at approximately 9:07:27
AM.
PRESENT
Senator Lyda Green, Co-Chair
Senator Con Bunde, Vice Chair
Senator Fred Dyson
Senator Bert Stedman
Senator Donny Olson
Also Attending: HEATHER BRAKES, Staff to Senator Gene Therriault;
CHRIS CHRISTENSEN, Deputy Administration Commissioner, Alaska Court
System
Attending via Teleconference: There were no teleconference
participants.
SUMMARY INFORMATION
SB 210-VIOL. OF ALCOHOLIC BEV. LAWS/FORFEITURE
The bill heard from the bill's sponsor and reported the bill from
Committee.
SB 237-ADDITIONAL JUDGES FOR THIRD DISTRICT
The Committee heard from the Alaska Court System and reported the
bill from Committee.
SENATE BILL NO. 210
"An Act relating to the manufacture and transportation of
alcoholic beverages; relating to forfeitures of property for
violations of alcoholic beverage laws; and relating to
violations of alcoholic beverage laws."
This was the second hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance
Committee.
9:07:53 AM
HEATHER BRAKES, Staff to Senator Gene Therriault, the bill's
sponsor, informed the Committee that no additional sponsor
testimony would be presented.
Co-Chair Green spoke in support of the bill.
In response to a question from Co-Chair Green, Senator Olson noted
that he had no continuing concerns in regards to the bill.
Senator Bunde moved to report the bill from Committee with
individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, SB 210 was REPORTED from Committee with
zero fiscal note #1 from the Department of Public Safety.
9:09:19 AM
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 237(JUD)
"An Act increasing the number of superior court judges
designated for the third and fourth judicial districts to
provide additional superior court judges at Anchorage, Palmer,
Kenai, and Fairbanks; and providing for an effective date."
This was the second hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance
Committee.
Co-Chair Green stated that this legislation would increase the
number of judges in the State, would address expenses associated
with Courthouse expansions, and would allow judge's salaries to
conform with the salary increases that had been approved for
Commissioners the previous year. She had been unaware that that
legislation had not included compensation for judges.
9:10:12 AM
Senator Stedman voiced confidence that the Committee's budget
subcommittees would qualify the fiscal notes accompanying this
legislation within their budget recommendations for FY 07.
Co-Chair Green voiced appreciation of Senator Stedman's concern
that the various fiscal notes accompanying this bill "would muddy
up the appropriations process" in the capital budget. Legislative
approval is required in order to increase the number of judges. She
noted that the Mat-Su Courthouse expansion had been included in the
FY 06 capital budget. Were the decision made to include the Kenai
Courthouse expansion expenses in the FY 07 capital budget, the
Alaska Court System's fiscal note accompanying this legislation
would be zeroed out. There would be no "double funding" concern
either for the increased judge positions or for courthouse
expansion.
Senator Bunde moved to report the bill from Committee with
individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes.
Co-Chair Green noted that although the legislation would be
accompanied by "substantial fiscal notes", the provisions of the
bill are "badly needed". The Mat-Su, Kenai, Anchorage, and
Fairbanks courts are in dire need of more judges.
Senator Stedman asked for confirmation that the committee
substitute Version 24-GS2077\F was before the Committee.
Co-Chair Green affirmed.
Senator Olson asked the reason that the bill's title specifically
identifies that the number of superior court judges in the third
and fourth judicial districts would be increased; as language in
Sec. 6 page 2, line 29 also make a reference to judges in the first
judicial district.
9:12:52 AM
CHRIS CHRISTENSEN, Deputy Administrative Commissioner, Alaska Court
System agreed that the language in Sec. 6 could be confusing. He
explained that while the total number of the superior court judges
would be increased from 34 to 40 by this bill, the increases would
be specific to the third and fourth judicial districts. The number
of third judicial district superior court judges would increase
from 19 from 24 and the fourth judicial district would be increased
from seven to eight. The first and second judicial district courts
would be unaffected by this legislation.
Senator Olson acknowledged.
There being no objection, CS SB 237(FIN) was REPORTED from
Committee with previous $71,900 fiscal note #2 from the Alaska
Judicial Council, a new zero fiscal note dated February 13, 2006
from the Division of Elections, a new $293,700 fiscal note dated
February 15, 2006 from the Department of Corrections, a new
$198,800 fiscal note dated February 15, 2006 from the Department of
Law, and a new $5,722,000 fiscal note dated February 14, 2006 from
the Alaska Court System.
ADJOURNMENT
Co-Chair Lyda Green adjourned the meeting at 9:14:42 AM
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