Legislature(2019 - 2020)Anch LIO Lg Conf Rm

12/18/2019 11:00 AM Senate LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

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Audio Topic
11:02:28 AM Start
11:54:54 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ - Approval of Minutes TELECONFERENCED
a. September 19, 2019
- Ratification of Charity Events
a. Boys & Girls Club of the Kenai Peninsula 32nd
Annual Auction & Gala
- Committee Business
a. Sale of ALOB Satellite Lot and KTOO Proposal
b. Legislative Council Moving & Travel Policy
Change - Staff Session Lodging Stipend
- Contract Approvals
a. Terry Miller Building Windows & Siding Change
Order #5
b. Barrow Office Space Sublease Renewal
c. Lexis Nexis Contract Renewal
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                      
                   LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL                                                                                        
                    DECEMBER 18, 2019                                                                                         
                        11:00 AM                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
   MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                            
   Senator Gary Stevens, Chair                                                                                                
   Representative Louise Stutes, Vice Chair                                                                                   
   Senator John Coghill                                                                                                       
   Senator Mia Costello                                                                                                       
   Senator Cathy Giessel                                                                                                      
   Senator Lyman Hoffman                                                                                                      
   Senator Bert Stedman                                                                                                       
   Senator Natasha von Imhof                                                                                                  
   Representative Bryce Edgmon                                                                                                
   Representative Neal Foster                                                                                                 
   Representative DeLena Johnson                                                                                              
   Representative Jennifer Johnston                                                                                           
   Representative Chuck Kopp                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
   MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                             
   Representative Steve Thompson                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
   OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                      
   Senators Begich, Bishop, Kiehl                                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
   AGENDA                                                                                                                     
   APPROVAL OF MINUTES                                                                                                        
   RATIFICATION OF CHARITY EVENTS                                                                                             
   COMMITTEE BUSINESS                                                                                                         
   CONTRACT APPROVALS                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
   SPEAKER REGISTER                                                                                                           
   Jessica Geary, Executive Director, Legislative Affairs                                                                     
   Agency (LAA)                                                                                                               
   Wayne Jensen, Juneau Community Foundation                                                                                  
   Bill Legere, President and General Manager, KTOO                                                                           
   Megan Wallace, Director of Legal Services, LAA                                                                             
   JC Kestel, Procurement Officer, LAA                                                                                        
    11:02:28 AM                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
I.   CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS called  the Legislative Council  meeting to                                                               
     order at 11:00am  in the Anchorage Legislative Information                                                               
     Office  (LIO) Large Conference  Room. Present  at the call                                                               
     were:   Senators  Coghill,  Costello,   Giessel,  Hoffman,                                                               
     Stedman,  Stevens,   von  Imhof;  Representatives  Edgmon,                                                               
     Foster, Johnson, Johnston, Kopp, Stutes.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
     Representative Thompson was absent.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
     13 members present.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
     A.    September 19, 2019                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
    11:04:30 AM                                                                                                             
     VICE-CHAIR  STUTES moved and asked  unanimous consent that                                                               
     Legislative  Council approve  the minutes  dated September                                                               
     19, 2019, as presented.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR   STEVENS  asked   if  there  were   corrections  or                                                               
     additions  to those minutes. Seeing  none, the minutes are                                                               
     approved.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
III. RATIFICATION OF CHARITY EVENTS                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
                                                       nd                                                                     
     A.    Boys & Girls Club of the Kenai  Peninsula 32  Annual                                                               
           Auction & Gala                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
    11:04:56 AM                                                                                                             
     VICE-CHAIR  STUTES moved and asked  unanimous consent that                                                               
     Legislative Council  ratify the Chairs  sanctioning of the                                                               
     following  charitable  event per  AS 24.60.080  (a)(2)(B),                                                               
     the Boys  & Girls Club of the  Kenai Peninsula 32nd Annual                                                               
     Auction & Gala.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS objected for purpose  of discussion. He has                                                               
     sanctioned this  event and verified that it is a 501(c)(3)                                                               
     organization.  He  asked  if  there  was  any  discussion.                                                               
     Seeing none,  he removed his objection and stated that the                                                               
     event has been ratified.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
IV. COMMITTEE BUSINESS                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
     A.   Sale of ALOB Satellite Lot and KTOO Proposal                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS requested  that Speaker Edgmon  please make                                                               
   this motion as there has been a last-minute change.                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
     11:05:50 AM                                                                                                            
     SPEAKER EDGMON  moved that Legislative Council approve the                                                               
     listing  of Lot  4A Fouts Subdivision,  the sale  of which                                                               
     will  be executed by  LAA through the  DNR public auction,                                                               
     or similar,  process with a starting  bid of the appraised                                                               
     value  of  $485,000.  He  further moved  that  Legislative                                                               
     Council  approve  using  the sale  proceeds  for  the KTOO                                                               
     Camera  proposal, not to exceed,  $448,500, to be included                                                               
     in Legislative Councils FY21 capital budget request.                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS  objected  for  purpose  of discussion  and                                                               
     asked Ms. Geary to provide a brief explanation.                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     JESSICA  GEARY,  Executive  Director, Legislative  Affairs                                                               
     Agency  (LAA), explained that the  lot sale was previously                                                               
     brought  before this committee and it  was agreed that LAA                                                               
     would  determine the appraised value  and offer it through                                                               
   a sale process that would go to the highest bidder.                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
     The  KTOO  camera proposal  to  upgrade the  Legislatures                                                                
     cameras  in the Capitol and improve  Gavel to Gavel access                                                               
     has  been considered for  several years. KTOO  came to LAA                                                               
     with  the attached proposal to share  resources and update                                                               
     the  Legislatures  cameras, which need  to be updated soon                                                               
     regardless.  The  Juneau Community  Foundation  offered to                                                               
     partially  fund this project,  so the State  portion would                                                               
     be  $448,500just  lower  than the  appraised price  of Lot                                                               
     4A.  We suggest  including  language in  the  FY21 capital                                                               
     budget  request to utilize the proceeds  from the lot sale                                                               
     to pay for  the States  portion of the camera project. She                                                               
     said  this process  is certainly  doable  and is  happy to                                                               
     answer  any   questions.  Wayne  Jensen  with  the  Juneau                                                               
     Community  Foundation and Bill  Legere with  KTOO are also                                                               
     on the line.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS further explained that  when this Anchorage                                                               
     building  was purchased,  it  included an  additional lot.                                                               
     Initially, it  was understood that due to the size of this                                                               
     building,  the City  required the additional  parking lot;                                                               
     in  fact, there  is no  such requirement.  The Legislature                                                               
     does   not  need  that  lot,   so  this  is   a  two  part                                                               
     opportunityto  sell  the lot and fund the camera operation                                                               
     in Juneau,  since the existing equipment  must be replaced                                                               
     within the next  two to three years anyway. He asked Wayne                                                               
     Jensen  to   explain  the  Juneau  Community  Foundations                                                                
     involvement.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
     WAYNE   JENSEN,    representing   the   Juneau   Community                                                               
     Foundation   said  this  is  a  project   they  have  been                                                               
     developing  with  LAA  over  the  last  several  years  to                                                               
     collaborate  between Gavel  Alaska  and akleg.tv  to avoid                                                               
     duplication   of  effort  and  improve   the  quality  and                                                               
     accessibility  of Gavel Alaska throughout  the state. This                                                               
     is an opportunity  to take advantage of that collaboration                                                               
     between Gavel  Alaska and akleg.tv, as well as between the                                                               
     Juneau   Community  Foundation  and   the  Legislature  to                                                               
     improve and  continue upgrading Gavel Alaska. Much of this                                                               
     is  replacing equipment that needs  replacement anyway and                                                               
     is  an opportunity  to preserve  Gavel Alaska  and replace                                                               
     outdated  equipment with newer technology  and improve the                                                               
     product available throughout Alaska.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS  said he  appreciated all  that  the Juneau                                                               
     Community  Foundation has done over the  years to help the                                                               
     Legislature  with various issues.  He asked  if there were                                                               
     questions for Mr. Jensen.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
     REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSTON asked  about the  cost breakdown,                                                               
     specifically  that  the KTOO  total is  $547,500,  the LAA                                                               
     total  is $448,500, but for the  core infrastructure there                                                               
     is  a subtraction  of almost  $300,000.  She asked  for an                                                               
     explanation.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
     MS.  GEARY responded that the core  infrastructure is what                                                               
     goes  into the walls  to control the  cameras, the robotic                                                               
     cameras  are the actual  cameras, and the  control station                                                               
     is  what  is physically  located  at KTOO.  We  wanted the                                                               
     Legislatures   portion to  only be  equipment that  we own                                                               
     within our building.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
     REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSTON  followed  up to  confirm  if the                                                               
     request was for $448,500.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
     MS.  GEARY  replied  yes,  the  State  funded  portion  is                                                               
     $448,500,   which  is  split  between   $56,500  for  core                                                               
     infrastructure and $392,000 for robotic cameras.                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
     REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON  said thank you, that explains it.                                                               
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS asked Mr. Legere  to explain advantages and                                                               
     improvements. He  said he understood there would no longer                                                               
     be cameras  with camera people between legislators and the                                                               
     public and asked if that was accurate.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
     BILL  LEGERE,  President  and  General  Manager  at  KTOO,                                                               
     responded  yes,  those comments  are  correct.  This would                                                               
     allow  KTOO  to  eliminate  the  disruption  of our  staff                                                               
     moving  cameras in  and out  of meeting  rooms and  on the                                                               
     House  and Senate  floor. We  would have  more flexibility                                                               
     without  the logistical  problem of moving  between rooms,                                                               
     sometimes  getting physically  stuck in a  room and unable                                                               
     to  leave.  There  would  also  be  better  coverage  with                                                               
     multiple  cameras in  each  room. Currently  when watching                                                               
     Gavel to Gavel,  in House Finance the view is of the backs                                                               
     of half  of committee members  heads  and in the Chambers,                                                               
     there  are  people  seated behind  pillars  who  cannot be                                                               
     seen.  By having multiple  cameras in each  room, we would                                                               
     have  much better video  coverage and increase  the number                                                               
     of meetings  we could cover logistically  because we would                                                               
     not have the problem of moving between rooms.                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR   STEVENS  asked   if  this  would   improve  viewer                                                               
     participation  so   those  watching  will  have  a  better                                                               
     opportunity to see what is happening.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     MR.  LEGERE  replied,  yes,  exactly.  It  would  be  more                                                               
     similar  to the experience of actually  being in the room,                                                               
     which is important  for viewers around the state. This new                                                               
     technology  would   allow  us  to  incorporate  PowerPoint                                                               
     presentations  directly into the video,  so the viewer can                                                               
     see it more  clearly. Currently, PowerPoints are difficult                                                               
     to  read since we simply  point the camera  at the screen.                                                               
     So overall,  the experience of citizens  watching Gavel to                                                               
     Gavel would improve greatly.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS asked if this  would result in  the loss or                                                               
     just relocation of KTOO jobs.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
     MR. LEGERE replied  that most staff would come to the KTOO                                                               
     building  to  control  the  equipment  remotely, and  they                                                               
     would likely  keep one staff in the  Capitol for events in                                                               
     rooms without  cameras (i.e. Speakers Chambers, Governors                                                                
     floor,  etc.).  One  important benefit  for  KTOO  is this                                                               
     would  eliminate   significant  overtime  with  six  staff                                                               
     working  in the  Capitol  and a  great deal  of  wait time                                                               
     surrounding meetings.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     SENATOR   COGHILL  asked  if  the   cameras  currently  in                                                               
     committee  rooms will  stay  or be  replaced, specifically                                                               
     those  owned by the Legislature  that operate akleg.tv and                                                               
     face committee members and testifiers.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
     MS. GEARY replied  that those cameras will be upgraded and                                                               
     akleg.tv and KTOO will share the same camera.                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
     SPEAKER  EDGMON  noted  that it  seems  viewership  in his                                                               
     district  is increasing and asked Mr.  Legere if he had an                                                               
     estimate of viewership numbers.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     MR. LEGERE replied  that he does not have ratings for over                                                               
     the  air  television service  since  the Nielsen  Company,                                                               
     which  conducts  ratings  in  Alaska,  does  not rate  the                                                               
     channel  that we are on,  but he does  have statistics for                                                               
     online   viewers  and   that   number  has   been  growing                                                               
     substantially  year  after  year.  During Special  Session                                                               
     this  summer, there  were so  many viewers  that bandwidth                                                               
     was  momentarily   exceeded.  More  and  more  people  are                                                               
     accessing Gavel online and over the air.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
     SPEAKER   EDGMON  asked   with  the   additional  features                                                               
     associated   with   this  request,   will   more  hearings                                                               
     televised  at once have an impact since  there is just one                                                               
     feed to the public?                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
     MR.  LEGERE  replied  they  will  still  have  the  single                                                               
     channel  of television coverage but will  be able to cover                                                               
     more  events and get  them onto that  channel, either live                                                               
     or  on a tape  delay basis,  without the problem  of going                                                               
     room  to room. He  expects this would  increase the number                                                               
     of  meetings carried  in a broadcast  day and  improve the                                                               
     online stream quality.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
     SPEAKER  EDGMON noted  that  in Dillingham,  sometimes the                                                               
     picture  is grainy  and numbers  are hard to  decipher, so                                                               
     this new technology potentially will help.                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
     MR. LEGERE said  yes, definitely, the cameras will be high                                                               
     definition  which will  dramatically improve what  is seen                                                               
     online and on the television.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
     REPRESENTATIVE  KOPP commented  that it  is good to  see a                                                               
     community  foundation driving  this partnership  making it                                                               
     possible  for KTOO, through Gavel  Alaska, to improve what                                                               
     they have been  doing. This is a significant investment in                                                               
     the  community  and  KTOO to  provide  a better  statewide                                                               
     service,  which  they  have been  doing  for decades.  The                                                               
     Juneau  Community Foundation contribution  is $547,500 and                                                               
     the  State  contribution is  $448,500. He  asked  with the                                                               
     Legislature  owning the camera  system and  network in the                                                               
     building,  could  another news  entity  (i.e.  KTUU, KTVA,                                                               
     Fox,  etc.) ask to  pay a fee  to use the  State's network                                                               
     and  infrastructure. This  is something  we should  have a                                                               
     fair discussion  on. It certainly improves floor space and                                                               
     helps  to have  fewer cameras  physically  in the  room. I                                                               
     appreciate  the  decades  of  service  of  KTOO and  Gavel                                                               
     Alaska, so this  is nothing against them. They have earned                                                               
     this  improvement  by  the fact  that  they  are the  only                                                               
     people who  dedicated so much resource  to this. It is not                                                               
     to slight them  at all, I am just trying to think into the                                                               
     future.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR STEVENS  asked Mr. Legere to  address this issue and                                                               
     if he shared video content with other outside stations.                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     MR. LEGERE  replied yes, absolutely, we  make all of Gavel                                                               
     Alaskas  content  free to any broadcaster in Alaska, radio                                                               
     or  television.  In  fact, Anchorage  television  stations                                                               
     often use  our video when they do  not have a reporter and                                                               
     camera crew  in Juneau. Moreover, this system would allow,                                                               
     if the Anchorage  stations wanted to get direct feeds from                                                               
     the  meeting rooms, we  could figure that  piece outthose                                                                
     are  called,  pool feeds   where there is  only one camera                                                               
     in  a room, but  all the  broadcasters share it.  We could                                                               
     certainly make  that available to our commercial broadcast                                                               
     partners.  We work  closely with the  Anchorage television                                                               
     news  stations to  share resources,  video, and  help each                                                               
     other.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS  asked  if  there  were  further  comments.                                                               
     Seeing none, he requested a roll call vote.                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     11:25:01 AM                                                                                                            
     A roll call vote was taken.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     YEAS:   Senators  Coghill,  Costello,   Giessel,  Hoffman,                                                               
     Stedman,  Stevens,   von  Imhof;  Representatives  Edgmon,                                                               
     Foster, Johnson, Johnston, Kopp, Stutes.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
     NAYS: None                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
     The motion passed 13-0.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     B.   Legislative Council Moving & Travel Policy Change                                                                 
          Staff Session Lodging Stipend                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
     11:26:07 AM                                                                                                            
     VICE-CHAIR  STUTES  moved that  Legislative  Council adopt                                                               
     the  proposed changes to the Legislative  Council Moving &                                                               
     Travel Policy  and establish a session housing stipend for                                                               
     eligible  staff members, not to  exceed thirty dollars per                                                               
     day.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS  objected  for  purpose  of discussion  and                                                               
     asked Ms. Geary to please explain this item.                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
     JESSICA  GEARY,  Executive  Director, Legislative  Affairs                                                               
     Agency,  explained  that  she  was  contacted  by  Senator                                                               
     Giessels   Office at  the beginning  of this  last session                                                               
     because  staff  had  begun  filing  their  taxes  for  the                                                               
     previous  year and  were dismayed  to  learn they  were no                                                               
     longer  able  to  deduct  their  housing  costs  on  their                                                               
     personal tax returns.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     Since staff do  not receive per diem for the time they are                                                               
     in  Juneau, there was the  appetite to come up  with a way                                                               
     that  staff could  receive not necessarily  a per  diem or                                                               
     anything  of  that nature,  but basically  help  them with                                                               
     their  housing  cost. We  contacted  our accounting  firm,                                                               
     Elgee  Rehfeld, and  asked them  to look into  the taxable                                                               
   consequences for staff receiving a housing stipend.                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
     We presented  this issue at the August Legislative Council                                                               
     meeting  and Senator  von Imhof  asked us to  research how                                                               
     other  states and branches of government  address this. We                                                               
     contacted  the National  Conference of  State Legislatures                                                               
     and  was informed there is  no other state  like Alaska in                                                               
     this  regard,  so  no  way  to  truly  compare.  In  other                                                               
     branches  of government,  staff  receive a  thirty dollars                                                               
     per  day  stipend  for  long  term  housing.  We  reviewed                                                               
     different   options  (daily  versus   monthly  rates)  and                                                               
     determined it  was most efficient administratively to do a                                                               
     daily  rate. My recommendation is  thirty dollars per day,                                                               
     which is in  line with what other State travelers receive.                                                               
     I am happy to answer any questions.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS recognized Senator Giessel  and offered her                                                               
     the opportunity to comment.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     SENATE  PRESIDENT GIESSEL said  our staff  are critical to                                                               
     the  function of the  Legislature and it  is a significant                                                               
     cost  for them to move  to Juneau from their  homes, as it                                                               
     is a  challenge for us as well. For  them to lose that tax                                                               
     deduction  ability through  the federal  law change  has a                                                               
     significant  impact. I want to ensure  we are attentive to                                                               
     this so we  can retain the institutional knowledge that we                                                               
     have,  and some  wonderful staff,  and make  it affordable                                                               
     for  them to actually  come and work  for the Legislature.                                                               
     That was the  motivation for this. Ms. Geary has taken the                                                               
     concept  and vastly improved  it, so I  absolutely support                                                               
     her recommendation.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
     SENATOR  HOFFMAN said  he supports  this concept,  but has                                                               
     staff  in Juneau  and over  the  years sessions  have been                                                               
     held  in Anchorage.  What happens  to Juneau staff  when a                                                               
     session,  special  or  otherwise,  is  held in  Anchorage?                                                               
     Under the  language as I read it,  they would not have the                                                               
     same privilege.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     MS.  GEARY  responded  that  currently  this problem  only                                                               
     exists with  regular sessions which are the ones only held                                                               
     in  Juneau,  for  special  sessions  which  we  have  held                                                               
     outside  the Capital,  staff do  receive per diem  if they                                                               
     travel  outside  of their  home. It  is not  an  issue for                                                               
     Juneau  based staff who would travel  to Anchorage as they                                                               
     would already be eligible to receive per diem.                                                                           
                                                                                                                              
     SENATOR  COGHILL  asked  is this  in  addition  to staffs                                                                
     taxable income?                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     MS. GEARY replied, yes, that is my understanding.                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
     SENATE  PRESIDENT GIESSEL asked  if Ms. Geary  could speak                                                               
     to  the  Legislative  Council  Moving  and  Travel  Policy                                                               
     before  us,  specifically page  two of  the  policy, third                                                               
     paragraph,  in red text  it refers to,   Legislative staff                                                               
     members based  in the Capital   and goes on to discuss the                                                               
     stipend. Is  this referring to staff who have relocated to                                                               
     the Capital  during the regular session, or staff who live                                                               
     in the Capital?                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     MS.  GEARY  replied  it  is  staff  who  relocate  to  the                                                               
     Capital,  which is  why it  is based  on whether  they are                                                               
     eligible  for staff relocation. I  understand the need for                                                               
     clarification, but  the way it is interpreted is staff who                                                               
     travel  to   the  Capital  during  a  regular  legislative                                                               
     session  are not entitled  to a daily  per diem allowance,                                                               
     and  we  just  added  that  they  may  receive  a  lodging                                                               
     stipend.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
     SENATE  PRESIDENT GIESSEL  asked if  the wording  could be                                                               
     amended  so  it  is blatantly  clear.  As  Ms. Geary  just                                                               
     articulated,   legislative staff  members who  travel,   I                                                               
     would add   who travel and relocate  to the Capital during                                                               
   a regular legislative session are not entitled to.                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR STEVENS  asked Ms. Geary if  there was difficulty in                                                               
     changing   that.  Does  that   make  it   clearer  in  the                                                               
     interpretation?                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     MS.  GEARY replied  she did  not see  an issue  with that,                                                               
     however,  would  like to  ensure  it does  not  affect any                                                               
     other  policy language.  I think  it could be  a technical                                                               
     and  conforming change  since we  know the intent  if this                                                               
     motion  passes.  Ms.  Geary  asked  Megan  Wallace if  she                                                               
     agreed.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS asked Megan Wallace  to please come forward                                                               
     and clarify.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
     MEGAN  WALLACE,  Director of  Legal Services,  Legislative                                                               
     Affairs Agency,  said it is her opinion that if we amended                                                               
     the motion before  the Committee just slightly to give the                                                               
     Agency  technical   and  conforming  powers  to  edit  the                                                               
     language in the  travel policy to conform to the intent of                                                               
     this  committee and  the motion  you adopt for  the thirty                                                               
     dollars  per day lodging stipend, my  office can work with                                                               
     Ms. Geary to  ensure the language is consistent throughout                                                               
     and also conforms with your intent.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR   STEVENS   asked  Senator   Giessel   if   she  was                                                               
     comfortable with that.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
     SENATE  PRESIDENT  GIESSEL  responded,  yes,  that  sounds                                                               
     great.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS  asked  Senator  Giessel  for  a motion  to                                                               
     amend.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
     SENATE  PRESIDENT  GIESSEL moved  to amend  the  motion to                                                               
     read,  I move  that Legislative Council adopt the proposed                                                               
     changes to  the Legislative Council Moving & Travel Policy                                                               
     further  the  staff  be empowered  to  make technical  and                                                               
     conforming changes to provide clarity.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS   asked  if  there  was  objection  to  the                                                               
     amendment.  Seeing none the  motion has  been amended. Are                                                               
     there further comments?                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     REPRESENTATIVE KOPP  this certainly can viewed as a staff-                                                               
     friendly  amendment to offset  their costs,  which I fully                                                               
     support   on  that  basis   alone,  but  as   far  as  the                                                               
     Legislative institution,  that $900 per month is often the                                                               
     difference  between getting a  good employee  to come with                                                               
     you   to  Juneau   to  help   offset  housing,   which  is                                                               
     significant.  I am very excited to  support this because I                                                               
     think  it is long overdue  to help our  employees. It will                                                               
     help  us attract  and retain a  higher degree  of employee                                                               
     who would  come if they had housing  support. I also think                                                               
     it sends  a good message to the  Juneau economic community                                                               
     as they  will benefit from this too  having more people be                                                               
     able  to afford  more  and better  housing.  Hopefully, we                                                               
     will  not see the  rates go up,  but this is  a good thing                                                               
     for  our Capital city  and I  hope they recognize  that as                                                               
     such.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     SENATOR COGHILL  said the tax policy that is driving this,                                                               
     he  has struggled  with. Staff  ranges  and pay  is pretty                                                               
     good,  but he does  understand the tax  ramifications. The                                                               
     Legislature  moved some  years ago  to include  the travel                                                               
     policy  in getting  staff to and  from the  Capital, which                                                               
     was  a significant  move as well.  We have worked  hard at                                                               
     trying  to ensure it  is staff friendly  for people coming                                                               
     and  going. His  concern is  that this  is getting  to the                                                               
     place where it  might be a little too high. Because of the                                                               
     tax  issue, he said he  will support this,  but the moving                                                               
     in and  out of Juneau is tough  and could push the economy                                                               
     to increase  rates, which is something to watch. Staff are                                                               
     paid fairly  well and what value we  get from them outside                                                               
     of session is  very, very good, so this move is costly. He                                                               
     said  he was  willing to  have staff  bear the  cost until                                                               
     this  tax  question  came  up,  so  that caused  him  some                                                               
     consternation.  He  continued  that  this  is  probably  a                                                               
     reasonable  compromise and will support  it, but thinks we                                                               
   have accommodated staff pretty significantly today.                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
     REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSTON said  former Senator  Chris Birch                                                               
     started  talking about this  when he was  a Representative                                                               
     in the minority.  While it pains her to increase anything,                                                               
     she does  agree with this. She  thought Senator Birch felt                                                               
     the   issue  was  more  exaggerated   for  minority  staff                                                               
     members; even  when he was in the majority, he felt it was                                                               
     important  to all staff.  She thinks this  is important to                                                               
     lower level staff.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
     SENATOR  HOFFMAN  said  to  get  an understanding  of  the                                                               
     fiscal  note, if there  were one, there  are approximately                                                               
     110  staff  times  thirty  days  per month,  times  thirty                                                               
     dollars, which  would be approximately $100,000 per month.                                                               
     He asked if this was correct.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
     MS.  GEARY  replied that  her estimated  figures  were 120                                                               
     staff who relocate,  the maximum seen to date, in 121 days                                                               
     of  session,   at  thirty  dollars  per  day  would  total                                                               
     $435,600, and cost per staff would be $3,630.                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
     REPRESENTATIVE  STUTES  respectfully asked  to  be excused                                                               
     from the meeting  and if she had an opportunity to vote on                                                               
     this issue, would vote yes.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS  asked  if  there  were  further  comments.                                                               
     Seeing none, he requested a roll call vote.                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     11:42:52 AM                                                                                                            
     A roll call vote was taken.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     YEAS:   Senators  Coghill,  Costello,   Giessel,  Hoffman,                                                               
     Stedman,  Stevens,   von  Imhof;  Representatives  Edgmon,                                                               
     Foster, Johnson, Johnston, Kopp.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
     NAYS: None                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
     The motion passed 12-0.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     11:43:46 AM                                                                                                            
     CHAIR STEVENS called a brief at ease.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     11:44:13 AM                                                                                                            
     CHAIR STEVENS returned from at ease.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
V.   CONTRACT APPROVALS                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
     A.   Terry Miller Building Windows & Siding Change Order                                                               
          #5                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     11:44:19 AM                                                                                                            
     SPEAKER  EDGMON  moved  that  Legislative Council  approve                                                               
     Change  Order #5  with F&W  Construction Company,  Inc. in                                                               
     the  amount not to  exceed $46,855.29 for  the addition of                                                               
     self-leveling  grout and wood grounds to  the sills at the                                                               
     Terry Miller Legislative Office Building.                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS  objected  for  purpose  of discussion  and                                                               
     asked Ms. Geary to please explain this item.                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
     JESSICA  GEARY,  Executive  Director, Legislative  Affairs                                                               
     Agency,  explained that while  she certainly  did not want                                                               
     to bring another  Change Order before this committee, this                                                               
     is  a result of  the recently approved  hazardous material                                                               
     work.  Once the hazardous materials  were removed from the                                                               
     window  openings, the  condition of  the old  concrete was                                                               
     pocketed  and not suitable  to attach a window  to, as the                                                               
     photos in your packet indicate.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     This Change  Order is to approve extra hours and materials                                                               
     for  the contractor to add wood  grounds and self-leveling                                                               
     grout  in all sills  in order  to attach the  windows. The                                                               
     Change  Order  amount is  currently $46,855.29,  different                                                               
     than  what was provided  in your packet.  Our Construction                                                               
     Administrator  with Jensen  Yorba Wall, Dan  Fabrello, who                                                               
     is  on the line, and  I met with the  contractor to review                                                               
     their  hours and reduced them  significantly which brought                                                               
     the  cost  from $78,000  initially  requested  to $46,000.                                                               
     There  is also a $1,900  credit for conduit  work that was                                                               
     not required. I am happy to answer any questions.                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR STEVENS  asked if there were any questions. He noted                                                               
     that no  one likes Change Orders, but  once you are into a                                                               
     project  of this sort, things are  going to happen. Seeing                                                               
     no  comments,  he removed  his objection  and  requested a                                                               
     roll call vote.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     11:46:57 AM                                                                                                            
     A roll call vote was taken.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     YEAS:   Senators  Coghill,  Costello,   Giessel,  Hoffman,                                                               
     Stedman,  Stevens,   von  Imhof;  Representatives  Edgmon,                                                               
     Foster, Johnson, Johnston, Kopp.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
     NAYS: None                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
     The motion passed 12-0.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     B.   Barrow Office Space Sublease Renewal                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     11:47:52 AM                                                                                                            
     SPEAKER   EDGMON  moved  that   that  Legislative  Council                                                               
     approve  renewal No. 1  of the sublease  for Barrow Office                                                               
     Space in the amount of $35,423.88.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS  asked  JC Kestel  to  please explain  this                                                               
     item.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     JC   KESTEL,  Procurement  Officer,   Legislative  Affairs                                                               
     Agency,  said the original sublease  agreement between LAA                                                               
     and  Arctic Slope Telephone Association  Cooperative, Inc.                                                               
     for  office  space  in Barrow,  or  Utquiavik,  was  for a                                                               
     three-year   term  that   began   January  1,   2017,  and                                                               
     terminates  December 31,  2019.  There are  three sublease                                                               
     renewal  options  available  under  the original  sublease                                                               
     agreement,  each  for  a  one-year  period.  We  have  not                                                               
     exercised any of the renewal options yet.                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
     The  original sublease term expires  on December 31, 2019.                                                               
     The  Legislative  Affairs Agency  would  like  approval to                                                               
     proceed  with  Renewal No.  1  for the  period  January 1,                                                               
     2020,  through December  31, 2020. If  Legislative Council                                                               
     approves Renewal  No. 1, this will leave two more renewals                                                               
     of  the sublease available. This  sublease exceeds $35,000                                                               
     in  one  fiscal  year;  therefore,  Legislative  Council's                                                               
     approval is required.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS asked if  there were any  questions. Seeing                                                               
     none, he  removed his objection and  requested a roll call                                                               
     vote.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     11:49:39 AM                                                                                                            
     A roll call vote was taken.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     YEAS:   Senators  Coghill,  Costello,   Giessel,  Hoffman,                                                               
     Stedman,  Stevens,   von  Imhof;  Representatives  Edgmon,                                                               
     Foster, Johnson, Johnston, Kopp.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
     NAYS: None                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
     The motion passed 12-0.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     C.   Lexis Nexis Contract Renewal                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
     11:50:27 AM                                                                                                            
     SPEAKER EDGMON  moved that Legislative Council approve the                                                               
     two-year renewal  of the contract with Lexis Nexis for the                                                               
     publication of  our statutes for extension of the contract                                                               
     to December 31, 2022.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS  objected for  purposes  of discussion  and                                                               
     asked Megan Wallace to please explain this item.                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
     MEGAN  WALLACE,  Director of  Legal Services,  Legislative                                                               
     Affairs  Agency, said she was here today  on behalf of the                                                               
     Revisor  of  Statutes, Jean  Mischel, whose  memo  in your                                                               
     packet  explains the status of contracts  with Lexis Nexis                                                               
     (Mathew Bender).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
     As  most of  you know,  Lexis  Nexis publishes  the Alaska                                                               
     Statutes  and  has  for  a  number  of  years.  When  they                                                               
     converted to  a new software there were some issues in the                                                               
     publication of  our statutes in 2017 and 2018. Since then,                                                               
     Ms. Mischel  and her Assistant Revisors, Hilary Martin and                                                               
     Katherine  Kurtz, have done an excellent  job working with                                                               
     the  publisher, so we are  back on track and  hope to have                                                               
     our  statutes  produced  in a  more  timely and  efficient                                                               
     manner.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     Given  the relationship  and familiarity with  Lexis Nexis                                                               
     and  our  statutes and  publication  process,  we strongly                                                               
     recommend  the Councils  support of  continuing with Lexis                                                               
     Nexis as our publisher.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
     One issue to  make you aware of, there is currently a case                                                               
     pending  before the United States  Supreme Court where the                                                               
     State of Georgia  had their copyright of their annotations                                                               
     in their statute  nullified by the eleventh circuit court.                                                               
     An organization  called Public Resource Organization, Inc.                                                               
     has  sought  to  make  the  annotations  compiled  by  the                                                               
     publisher   public   information   not   subject  to   the                                                               
     copyright.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
     This  is an  issue for many  states. While  states publish                                                               
     their  statutes in  different manners, several  states are                                                               
     like Alaska  and use Lexis Nexis or Westlaw (another large                                                               
     statute  publisher).  The  outcome of  this  case  and the                                                               
     ability  of   states  to  copyright,  not  the  laws  that                                                               
     Legislatures   make,   but   the   annotations  that   the                                                               
     publishers  produce, may  have an  impact on  our contract                                                               
     moving forward.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
     Our  revisors,  other states,  and our  publisher  are all                                                               
     watching  this issue closely and  hopeful that the Supreme                                                               
     Court  will  reverse the  eleventh  circuit  decision. The                                                               
     State has  signed on an amicus brief  in support of states                                                               
     maintaining  their copyright  of  the annotation  that the                                                               
     publishers  produce,  for example  the  Alaska Legislature                                                               
     holds   the  copyright   for  our  annotations   that  are                                                               
     published  by Lexis  Nexis. We  await the outcome  of that                                                               
     decision.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR  STEVENS asked if  there were any  questions. Seeing                                                               
     none, he  removed his objection and  requested a roll call                                                               
     vote.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     11:54:16 AM                                                                                                            
     A roll call vote was taken.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     YEAS: Senators Coghill, Costello, Giessel, Hoffman,                                                                      
     Stedman, Stevens, von Imhof; Representatives Edgmon,                                                                     
     Foster, Johnson, Johnston, Kopp.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
     NAYS: None                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
     The motion passed 12-0.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
VI. ADJOURN                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
     CHAIR STEVENS said if there is nothing further to come                                                                   
     before the Council, we are adjourned.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
     11:54:54 AM                                                                                                            

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
12.18.19 Leg. Council Meeting Agenda.pdf JLEC 12/18/2019 11:00:00 AM
12.18.19 Leg. Council Packet
9.19.19 Leg. Council Minutes.pdf JLEC 12/18/2019 11:00:00 AM
Boys & Girls Club of the Kenai Peninsula 32nd Annual Auction & Gala.pdf JLEC 12/18/2019 11:00:00 AM
12.18.19 Leg. Council Packet
KTOO Sale of Lot Memo .pdf JLEC 12/18/2019 11:00:00 AM
12.18.19 Leg. Council Packet
Leg Council Moving Travel Policy Change Memo.pdf JLEC 12/18/2019 11:00:00 AM
12.18.19 Leg. Council Packet
Change Order 5 F&W.pdf JLEC 12/18/2019 11:00:00 AM
12.18.19 Leg. Council Packet
Barrow LIO Renewal No. 1 Memo to LC - 2019.pdf JLEC 12/18/2019 11:00:00 AM
12.18.19 Leg. Council Packet
Lexis Nexis Contract.pdf JLEC 12/18/2019 11:00:00 AM
12.18.19 Leg. Council Packet