Legislature(2001 - 2002)
05/10/2002 09:50 AM Senate RLS
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE
May 10, 2002
9:50 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Randy Phillips, Chair
Senator Gene Therriault
Senator Johnny Ellis
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator John Cowdery, Vice Chair
Senator Rick Halford
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 252
"An Act renaming the Alaska Human Resource Investment Council as
the Alaska Workforce Investment Board and relating to its
membership; repealing the termination date of the state training
and employment program; relating to employment and training
activities; and providing for an effective date."
RESCINDED PREVIOUS ACTION TO ADOPT A SENATE RULES COMMITTEE
SUBSTITUTE AND APPROVED FOR CALENDARING
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 56(FIN)
"An Act relating to minimum wages; and providing for an effective
date."
HEARD AND HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 162
"An Act relating to absences from the state under the longevity
bonus program."
APPROVED FOR CALENDARING
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 209(HES)
"An Act directing the Department of Health and Social Services to
establish a foster care transition program; relating to that
program; and providing for an effective date."
APPROVED FOR CALENDARING
HOUSE BILL NO. 458
"An Act relating to periods of probation for state employees; and
providing for an effective date."
APPROVED FOR CALENDARING
HOUSE BILL NO. 526
"An Act relating to the deadline for filing financial disclosure
statements for public members and public member nominees of the
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics."
APPROVED FOR CALENDARING
Contract approval for the services of Patrick Coughlin
APPROVED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 252 - See Labor and Commerce minutes dated 2/14/02, 4/18/02
and 4/25/02, Finance Report dated 5/6/02 and Rules minutes dated
5/8/02.
HB 56 - See Labor and Commerce minutes dated 3/26/02 and Finance
Report dated 5/8/02.
HB 162 - See HESS minutes dated 4/20/01 and 1/28/02, State
Affairs minutes dated 4/2/02 and 4/18/02 and Finance Report dated
5/10/02.
HB 209 - See HESS minutes dated 4/15/02 and 4/24/02 and Finance
Report dated 5/7/02.
HB 458 - See State Affairs minutes dated 4/30/02 and Rules
minutes dated 5/7/02.
HB 526 - See State Affairs minutes dated 5/7/02.
WITNESS REGISTER
Senator John Torgerson
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the contract provisions for Patrick
Coughlin
Commissioner Ed Flanagan
Department of Labor & Workforce
Development
PO Box 21149
Juneau, AK 99802-1149
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on HB 526
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 02-13, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS called the Senate Rules Committee meeting
to order at 9:50 a.m. Senators Therriault, Ellis and Phillips
were present.
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved to rescind the committee's action in
approving SB 252-EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM/BOARD for
calendaring.
SENATOR ELLIS objected and asked for an explanation.
SENATOR THERRIAULT said Amendment 1, offered the previous day,
was inadvertently placed in the wrong section of the bill.
SENATOR ELLIS removed his objection.
SENATOR THERRIAULT noted adoption of the previous motion brings
the bill before the committee. He then moved to rescind the
committee's action in adopting Amendment 1.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS noted without objection, the motion carried.
SENATOR ELLIS moved to withdraw Amendment 1.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS noted without objection, the motion carried.
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved to adopt Amendment 2 [Craver 5/9/02}.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS noted without objection, the motion carried.
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved to calendar the new Senate Rules
Committee substitute to SB 252 and its three accompanying fiscal
notes at the Chairman's discretion.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS noted without objection, the motion carried.
SENATOR THERRIAULT explained that in the new version, all
administrative expenses will fit under the 20 percent.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS said he would move CSHB 56(FIN)-MINIMUM WAGE to
the bottom of the calendar.
SENATOR ELLIS offered to make a motion to calendar the bill.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS noted a majority of the committee must be
present to move the bill from committee and that two members were
absent.
SENATOR ELLIS said he was willing to give the Chairman the
discretion to calendar the bill.
SENATOR THERRIAULT said he is not sure of the need for the bill
since a ballot measure will be before the voters.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS informed members he would put HB 56 at the
bottom of the calendar.
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved to calendar HB 162-ABSENCES UNDER
LONGEVITY BONUS PROGRAM with its accompanying fiscal note at the
Chairman's discretion.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS announced that without objection, the motion
carried.
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved to calendar CSHB 209(HES)-PROGRAM FOR
FORMER FOSTER CHILDREN with its accompanying zero fiscal note at
the Chairman's discretion.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS announced that without objection, the motion
carried.
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved to calendar HB 458-STATE EMPLOYEE
PROBATIONARY PERIOD and its accompanying zero fiscal note at the
Chairman's discretion.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS announced that without objection, the motion
carried.
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved to calendar CSHB 526(RLS)-DISCLOSURE BY
ETHICS COMMITTEE MEMBERS and its accompanying fiscal note at the
Chairman's discretion.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS announced that without objection, the motion
carried.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS told members that approval of a contract for
professional services was before the committee. He asked Senator
Torgerson to address the committee.
SENATOR JOHN TORGERSON explained to committee members that the
contract before the committee is an extension of a contract for
Patrick Coughlin to do work for the Senate Resources Committee
that was entered into when Senator Pearce was the Senate Rules
Chair, two years ago. He foresees the need to go to Washington,
D.C. this summer to work with a conference committee and he
believes Mr. Coughlin will be invaluable in that setting. The
request also contains $6,000 to $8,000 to pay Mr. Coughlin for
services performed to the end of this legislative session. He
explained the extension adds $70,000 to the original contract and
$10,000 for session expenses. Of that amount, $60,000 will come
from money approved by the Legislative Council for a tax attorney
to work on tax provisions that cost less than anticipated. He
noted the other option was to take the request directly to the
Legislative Council but requesting a contract extension through
the Senate Rules Committee is the simplest method.
SENATOR THERRIAULT asked if the legislature will get a report
that can be used for future gas line discussions.
SENATOR TORGERSON informed members that a final report should be
available by Monday that has been written by Mr. Coughlin and
both economists. He added that regarding the federal legislation,
Mr. Coughlin has not written any reports as that is almost
impossible to do. Mr. Coughlin has submitted time sheets each
month that clearly show the work he did each day.
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved to approve the contract extension for
the dollar amount discussed.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS announced that without objection, the motion
carried.
The committee took up CSHB 56(FIN)-MINIMUM WAGE.
SENATOR THERRIAULT informed members that he heard earlier in the
year that the group that gathered the signatures for the ballot
initiative found taking this question to the ballot to be
acceptable.
COMMISSIONER ED FLANAGAN, Department of Labor and Workforce
Development, said it would not be appropriate for him to speak
for the sponsors of the initiative but he believes Senator
Therriault's understanding of the discussions in the other body
is correct. He noted there were various discussions regarding
what language was substantially similar to the ballot initiative
and acknowledgement that the language in the bill would have to
be almost identical to the ballot initiative in terms of the
consumer price index. The department supports the bill; it is
identical to the initiative. The department also supports leaving
the question to the voters.
SENATOR THERRIAULT asked that the bill be held for another day.
COMMISSIONER FLANAGAN pointed out that he prefers the bill as it
takes effect two months earlier than the initiative.
SENATOR THERRIAULT asked how this bill will impact the school bus
drivers' contracts if they are halfway into a three-year
contract.
COMMISSIONER FLANAGAN replied that no changes will take place
until the next contract negotiation.
SENATOR THERRIAULT again requested that the bill be held one day.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS agreed to do so. He then adjourned the meeting
at 10:05 a.m.
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