02/02/2000 11:40 AM Senate RLS

                SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                                          
                   February 2, 2000                                                                                             
                      11:40 a.m.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator Tim Kelly, Chair                                                                                                        
Senator Loren Leman, Vice Chair                                                                                                 
Senator Mike Miller                                                                                                             
Senator Johnny Ellis                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator Drue Pearce                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 176                                                                                                             
"An Act permitting a physical fitness facility or gymnasium to                                                                  
limit public accommodation to only males or only females."                                                                      
     -HEARD AND HELD                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SB 176 - See Labor and Commerce Committee minutes dated 1/13/00 and                                                             
1/25/00.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Kristopher Knauss                                                                                                               
Aide to Senator Drue Pearce                                                                                                     
Alaska State Capitol                                                                                                            
Juneau, AK  99801-1182                                                                                                          
POSITION STATEMENT:  Answered questions regarding the Senate Rules                                                              
Committee Substitute.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                                
TAPE 00-01, SIDE A                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN KELLY called the Senate Rules Committee meeting to order                                                               
at 11:40 a.m.  Present were Senators Miller, Leman, Ellis, and                                                                  
Kelly, Chair.  The committee took up SB 176.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
           SB 176-SEX DISCRIMINATION IN HEALTH CLUBS                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Kris Knauss, legislative assistant to Senator Drue Pearce, sponsor                                                              
of SB 176, explained that the Senate Rules committee substitute                                                                 
adds to line 7, "This subsection does not apply to a physical                                                                   
fitness facility operated by a state or by a municipality." That                                                                
change was made after Senator Mackie and Senator Pearce discussed                                                               
the bill's applicability to government-operated facilities and                                                                  
decided it would be best if the bill applies only to private sector                                                             
facilities or to facilities owned by a government entity but leased                                                             
to the private sector.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN said he is opposed to the Rules committee substitute                                                              
because it distinguishes what state and municipal entities can do                                                               
from what the private sector can do.  He noted he supports the                                                                  
bill, but he believes the addition of the new provision is unwise,                                                              
especially in light of the fact that he has not seen any problem                                                                
that it will fix.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MILLER moved to adopt CSSB 176(RLS) as the working version                                                              
of the committee.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
The motion to adopt CSSB 176(RLS) failed with Senators Miller and                                                               
Kelly voting "yea," and  Senators Leman and Ellis voting "nay."                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business to come before the committee,                                                                   
CHAIRMAN KELLY adjourned the meeting at 11:44 a.m.