Legislature(2003 - 2004)
04/22/2003 04:00 PM Senate STA
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
April 22, 2003
4:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Gary Stevens, Chair
Senator John Cowdery, Vice Chair
Senator Fred Dyson
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Gretchen Guess
Senator Lyman Hoffman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 16
Encouraging the federal government to end the federal subsidy of
ethanol, and requesting the Congress of the United States to
mandate that land currently used to grow corn for the production
of ethanol be returned to its natural state.
MOVED SJR 16 OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 17
Relating to the Alaska-Yukon Intergovernmental Relations Accord,
to annual legislative exchanges, and to continuing
intergovernmental work on matters of joint concern and mutual
interest.
MOVED SJR 17 OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 177
"An Act relating to cost-of-living benefits for retired members
in the public employees' retirement system and the teachers'
retirement system who are called to active military duty; and
providing for an effective date."
MOVED SB 177 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS ACTION
SJR 16 - No previous action to record.
SJR 17 - No previous action to record.
SB 177 - No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
Senator Con Bunde
Alaska State Capitol, Room 506
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor SJR 16
Dave Gray
Staff to Senator Donny Olson
Alaska State Capitol, Room 510
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SJR 17
Deborah Grundman
Staff to Senator Ben Stevens
Alaska State Capitol, Room 119
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SB 177
Guy Bell
Division of Retirement & Benefits
Department of Administration
PO Box 110200
Juneau, AK 99811-0200
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions on SB 177
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 03-21, SIDE A
CHAIR GARY STEVENS called the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Present were Senators
Cowdery, Dyson and Chair Gary Stevens.
The first order of business was SJR 16.
SJR 16-END FEDERAL ETHANOL SUBSIDY
SENATOR CON BUNDE, sponsor of SJR 16, paraphrased from the
sponsor statement:
Fifty-two U.S. Senators recently voted against the
opening of ANWR to oil drilling, proclaiming that by
doing so, they were saving wilderness and preserving
wildlife.
During debate on Amendment 272, 'To prevent
consideration of drilling the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge in SCR 23, the fast track budget
reconciliation,' many senators spoke on behalf of
keeping the 1002 region in a state of 'pristine
wilderness.'
For example, Mr. Durbin of Illinois said, 'The Arctic
Refuge includes boreal forests, dramatic peaks, and
tundra. It features a complete range of arctic and
sub-arctic ecosystems, with an extraordinary
assemblage of wildlife.' He declared, 'We have a
responsibility in this generation to leave to the next
generation the natural heritage that we were given.'
Illinois produces 766 million gallons of ethanol
produced from corn, the most of all fifty states. I
hope that he understands that this resolution would
protect the next generation from ethanol subsidies.
The amendment's sponsor, Senator Barbara Boxer of
California, explained her position this way. 'I say to
my friends from Alaska, I hope they will understand
the people in this country who support keeping this 5
percent of the North Slope in its pristine environment
are doing so because we think it is good for the soul
of this country, and we believe there are more jobs to
be created through other means.'
However, I agree with Senator Lisa Murkowski, who said
during the debate, 'But this thought process implies
that... Alaskan residents, my constituents, the jobs
they will get are carrying bags for these people when
they come to visit as a tourist.'
Many of the senators who voted for Amendment 272
represent the top 20 ethanol-producing states in the
nation. Some of the nation's most influential
businesses profit greatly from the federal ethanol
subsidy and do big business in those states. Those
senators support industrial development in their
states, to the detriment of their own wildlife and
wild lands. Yet many in those and other states who
supported keeping ANWR closed to development are
ardent environmentalists - when it comes to someone
else's state.
I also agree with Senator Murkowski when she said,
'It is demeaning and it is unfair to say that
Massachusetts can keep its 20,000 petroleum-based
jobs; that New Jersey can keep its 27,000 petroleum-
industry jobs; and New York can keep its 36,000
petroleum-industry jobs, while Alaska supposedly looks
to other alternatives. Why is it okay for everybody
else to do it, and yet in Alaska for some reason we
are not responsible, we can't handle it, we don't do
it right, we need to lock it up and preserve it
because it is the last Serengeti?'
This resolution is meant to send a message to those
U.S. Senators who support the environmentalists'
viewpoint. They believe that saving 2,000 acres in
Alaska is worth more than Alaskan jobs and Alaskans'
right to develop our state in the manner we see fit.
SENATOR FRED DYSON made a motion to move SJR 16 from committee
with individual recommendations. There being no objection, it
was so ordered.
SJR 17-ALASKA-YUKON INTERGOV RELATIONS ACCORD
DAVE GRAY, Staff to Senator Donny Olson, paraphrased from the
sponsor statement:
SJR 17 is a resolution supporting the extension of the
Alaska-Yukon Intergovernmental Relations Accord. This
accord is set to expire on September 8, 2003.
The State of Alaska and the Yukon Territory of Canada
share not only a long common border but also a
connected history of resource development and pre-
contact ethnography. In the past, Alaska and the Yukon
Territory have enjoyed mutual prosperity from joint
efforts in mineral exploration and development. We co-
manage important fish and game resources that trans-
migrate our boundaries.
With the pending gas pipeline and other matters of
potential resource use, exploration and development,
it is essential for Alaska and the Yukon Territory to
work cooperatively together for the wise use and
benefit of our bountiful resources.
This year I attended the annual legislative exchange
with our Yukon colleagues in Whitehorse. The meetings
and discussions that ensued underscore the importance
of continuing the Alaska-Yukon Intergovernmental
Relations Accord for our future economic growth and
well being.
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY asked if, in addition to the gas line,
there were cross border dealings on major products.
MR. GRAY replied Skagway is viewed as a saltwater port for the
mineral development and transport in the Yukon and Whitehorse
uses Skagway as a tourism resource.
SENATOR FRED DYSON stated Yukon companies would like to sell
lumber across the border.
He made a motion to move SJR 17 from committee with individual
recommendations. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
SB 177-PERS/TRS COLA FOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY
DEBORAH GRUNDMAN, Staff to Senator Ben Stevens, paraphrased from
the sponsor statement:
An Alaska cost of living allowance is payable to
benefit recipients of the public employees' and
teachers' retirement system who remain domiciled in
Alaska after retirement. The allowance is 10 percent
of their base pay. A person receiving a COLA is not
entitled to the allowance if absent from the state for
a time period in excess of 90 continuous days, except
that a person may be absent from the state for not
more than six months without a loss of COLA if the
absence is the result of illness and required by order
of a licensed physician.
Upon return to the state and upon notification to the
Department of Administration the person is again
entitled to receive the monthly cost of living
allowance, commencing with the first monthly benefit
payment.
Our retired public employees currently receiving COLA
in the State and who are called to active duty in the
military would not be eligible for the COLA payment
while serving our country, under existing statute. SB
177 rectifies this situation and allows retired public
employees eligible to continue to receive their COLA
while on active military duty.
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY asked how many people would be affected.
MS. GRUNDMAN replied there wouldn't be more than ten.
GUY BELL, Director of Retirement and Benefits, advised they
submitted a zero fiscal note. The pool is limited to those who
have retired from PERS or TRS and who are in the military
reserve. Currently ten people could be affected and that's
probably an accurate number going forward. It's an equity issue
and the department supports the legislation.
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY made a motion to move SB 177 from committee
with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. There
being no objection, it was so ordered.
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Gary Stevens adjourned the meeting at 4:15 p.m.
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