03/03/2015 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR2 | |
| HB43 | |
| HB1 | |
| SJR12 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SCR 2 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 43 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| HB 1 | |||
| *+ | SJR 12 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 3, 2015
9:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Bill Stoltze, Chair
Senator John Coghill, Vice Chair
Senator Charlie Huggins
Senator Bill Wielechowski
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Lesil McGuire
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 2
Recognizing Miss Alaska as the official hostess of the State of
Alaska.
- MOVED SCR 2 OUT OF COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 43(STA)
"An Act establishing Alaska Law Enforcement Officers' Day."
- MOVED CSHB 43(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 1(EDA) AM
"An Act declaring the Arctic policy of the state."
- MOVED SCS CSHB 1(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 12
Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska
relating to the office of attorney general.
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SCR 2
SHORT TITLE: RECOGNIZING MISS ALASKA & PAGEANT
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MEYER
01/23/15 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/23/15 (S) STA
03/03/15 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: HB 43
SHORT TITLE: JAN 9: AK LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS' DAY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) LYNN, TALERICO, VAZQUEZ, WOOL,
CLAMAN
01/21/15 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/15
01/21/15 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/21/15 (H) STA
01/27/15 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
01/27/15 (H) <Bill Hearing Postponed to 2/3/2015>
02/03/15 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
02/03/15 (H) Moved CSHB 43(STA) Out of Committee
02/03/15 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/04/15 (H) STA RPT CS(STA) 6DP
02/04/15 (H) DP: TALERICO, STUTES, VAZQUEZ, KREISS-
TOMKINS, LYNN, KELLER
02/20/15 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
02/20/15 (H) VERSION: CSHB 43(STA)
02/23/15 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/23/15 (S) STA
03/03/15 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: HB 1
SHORT TITLE: STATE ARCTIC POLICY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) HERRON
01/21/15 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/15
01/21/15 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/21/15 (H) EDA, STA
01/27/15 (H) EDA AT 10:15 AM BARNES 124
01/27/15 (H) Heard & Held
01/27/15 (H) MINUTE(EDA)
02/05/15 (H) EDA AT 11:30 AM BARNES 124
02/05/15 (H) Moved CSHB 1(EDA) Out of Committee
02/05/15 (H) MINUTE(EDA)
02/06/15 (H) EDA RPT CS(EDA) 1DP 5NR
02/06/15 (H) DP: HERRON
02/06/15 (H) NR: JOHNSON, TILTON, WOOL, ORTIZ,
STUTES
02/10/15 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
02/10/15 (H) Moved CSHB 1(EDA) Out of Committee
02/10/15 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/11/15 (H) STA RPT CS(EDA) 3DP 1NR 2AM
02/11/15 (H) DP: TALERICO, STUTES, LYNN
02/11/15 (H) NR: KELLER
02/11/15 (H) AM: KREISS-TOMKINS, GRUENBERG
02/13/15 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
02/13/15 (H) VERSION: CSHB 1(EDA) AM
02/18/15 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/18/15 (S) ARC,STA
02/19/15 (S) ARC AT 11:15 AM BUTROVICH 205
02/19/15 (S) -- Testimony < Public and Invited > --
02/26/15 (S) ARC AT 11:15 AM BUTROVICH 205
02/26/15 (S) Moved SCS CSHB 1(ARC) Out of Committee
02/26/15 (S) MINUTE(ARC)
02/27/15 (S) ARC RPT SCS 6DP SAME TITLE
02/27/15 (S) DP: GIESSEL, MCGUIRE, OLSON, COGHILL,
STEVENS, BISHOP
03/03/15 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SJR 12
SHORT TITLE: CONST. AM: ELECTED ATTORNEY GENERAL
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) STOLTZE
02/06/15 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/06/15 (S) STA,JUD,FIN
03/03/15 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR KEVIN MEYER
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SCR.
BLAIR ROBINSON, representing herself
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 2.
BONNIE FAULK, Board President
Miss Alaska Scholarship Foundation
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 2.
REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 43.
JOANNA LEWIS, Staff
Representative Bob Lynn
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions related to HB 43.
SARAH HIEB, President
Alaska Peace Officers Association-Juneau
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 43.
TERRY VRABEC, Deputy Director
Department of Public Safety
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 43.
AARON DANIELSON, President
Public Safety Employee Association
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 43.
RODNEY DIAL, Lieutenant
Alaska State Troopers
Ketchikan, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 43.
BRANDY JOHNSON, representing herself
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 43.
REPRENSENTATIVE BOB HERRON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 1.
DR. JOE MCLAUGHLIN, State Epidemiologist
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 1.
DANIEL GEORGE, Staff
Senator Bill Stoltze
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information related to SJR 12.
ACTION NARRATIVE
9:00:47 AM
CHAIR BILL STOLTZE called the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Huggins, Coghill, Wielechowski, and Chair
Stoltze. He announced the agenda.
SCR 2-RECOGNIZING MISS ALASKA & PAGEANT
9:01:10 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE announced that the first order of business would
be SCR 2.
9:01:30 AM
SENATOR KEVIN MEYER, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of SCR 2,
explained that resolution recognizes the Miss Alaska and the
Miss Alaska Scholarship Foundation Pageant. He said he
introduced the bill on behalf of a constituent. He pointed out
that the Sixth Alaska State Legislature passed the resolution in
1970 designating Miss Alaska as the official state hostess. The
Miss Alaska Scholarship Pageant selects the Alaska
representative for the Miss America Pageant. It is a subsidiary
of the Miss America Organization, one of the largest scholarship
programs in the world. He spoke of related community service
projects.
9:03:58 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE opened public testimony.
9:04:09 AM
BLAIR ROBINSON, representing herself, testified in support of
SCR 2. She spoke of the wonderful scholarship program she
received as Miss Alaska 2003. She added that the pageant teaches
young women about integrity and self-confidence and provides
wholesome role models.
9:05:41 AM
BONNIE FAULK, Board President, Miss Alaska Scholarship
Foundation, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in support of SCR 2.
She shared that the program is a scholarship organization that
focuses on education and community service. She said that last
year the organization made available $47 million in scholarships
and all profits go toward scholarships and the Children's
Miracle Network. All staff are volunteers.
She related that the University of Alaska provides eight one-
year awards which the organization subsidizes. Alaska Pacific
University also provides $23,000 in awards and the Alaska Career
Academy provides $10,000 in awards. She listed the foundation's
partners and the events they have hosted and attended. She noted
that all contestants receive cash scholarships, win or lose. The
foundation makes available about $120,000 annually for
scholarships. She concluded that the resolution gives the Miss
Alaska organization the distinction of being the oldest pageant
in the world and the largest provider of scholarships.
9:09:45 AM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked what it means to be the official
hostess of the State of Alaska.
MS. FAULK replied that Miss Alaska attends all VIP events when
dignitaries come to Alaska. She also raise funds for charitable
events.
9:11:13 AM
SENATOR COGHILL inquired if there are competing organizations
not a part of Miss Alaska.
MS. FAULK replied that there are other pageants, but Miss Alaska
is a scholarship program. She highlighted the special traits of
the organization.
CHAIR STOLTZE closed public testimony. He noted a zero fiscal
note.
9:13:59 AM
SENATOR COGHILL moved to report SCR 2 from committee with
individual recommendations and accompanying zero fiscal note.
There being no objection, the motion carried.
9:14:20 AM
At ease.
HB 43-JAN 9: AK LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS' DAY
9:15:13 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE announced the consideration of HB 43. [CSHB
43(STA) was before the committee.]
9:15:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of HB
43, explained his family background in law enforcement and his
job as a policeman years ago. He related that law enforcement
technology has changed over the years, but the job itself has
not changed. He spoke of the risks of being in law enforcement
and shared a personal story. He opined that law enforcement
deserve a special day.
CHAIR STOLTZE asked why January 9 was chosen.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN replied that his staff would explain the
reason.
9:18:45 AM
JOANNA LEWIS, Staff, Representative Bob Lynn, Alaska State
Legislature, answered questions related to HB 43. She said
January 9 was chosen because that is also National Law
Enforcement Appreciation Day and it would show solidarity with
the national movement.
CHAIR STOLTZE opened public testimony.
9:19:47 AM
SARAH HIEB, President, Alaska Peace Officers Association-Juneau,
testified in support of HB 43. She said she was a police officer
for eight-and-a-half years and understands the challenges and
dangers that peace officers deal with each day. She spoke of her
presence as an officer in schools and how valuable appreciation
is. She noted there is a Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15,
but voiced appreciation for a day to honor those who are
currently serving.
9:22:14 AM
TERRY VRABEC, Deputy Director, Department of Public Safety,
testified in support of HB 43. He noted Commissioner Folger's
support for the bill and the support of law enforcement across
the state. He thanked the sponsor.
9:23:33 AM
AARON DANIELSON, President, Public Safety Employee Association,
testified in support of HB 43. He said he has been a cop for
eight years. There are over 1,300 officers that work in Alaska
enforcing laws, conducting search and rescues, and protecting
the public. He termed it a tough and difficult profession both
physically and mentally. He concluded that the bill is an
opportunity for Alaskans to say thank you to law enforcement
officers.
9:25:07 AM
RODNEY DIAL, Lieutenant, Alaska State Troopers, testified in
support of HB 43.
9:25:37 AM
BRANDY JOHNSON, representing herself, testified in support of HB
43. She said she is the recent widow of Scott Johnson, whose job
was that of a Sergeant with the Alaska State Troopers. She
stated that she represents all the men and women in law
enforcement in Alaska. She related that last year there were 121
line-of-duty deaths in the United States, two of which occurred
in Alaska, and one of which was her husband and the other was
Trooper Gabe Rich. She maintained that the law enforcement
community in Alaska should know they are appreciated. She said
they performs tasks most of us would never want to experience.
She provided examples of positive and negative tasks. She shared
how much appreciation means to the law enforcement community.
9:28:29 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE thanked Mrs. Johnson.
CHAIR STOLTZE closed public testimony.
9:28:56 AM
At ease
9:30:12 AM
SENATOR COGHILL moved to report CSHB 43(STA) from committee with
individual recommendations and attached new Department of
Administration zero fiscal note and a zero fiscal note from
Legislative Affairs. There being no objection, the motion
carried.
9:31:09 AM
At ease.
HB 1-STATE ARCTIC POLICY
9:32:36 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE announced consideration of HB 1. [CSHB 1(EDA)AM
was before the committee.]
REPRENSENTATIVE BOB HERRON, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of
HB 1, explained in 2013 and 2014 the Alaska Arctic Policy
Commission, made up of ten legislators, five from each house,
along with 16 peer experts, met to work on an Arctic Policy.
They delivered the final report, the implementation plan, and
executive summary on January 30, 2015, as required by the
legislature. There was much dialogue, debate, and conversation
throughout the state as to the best policies. He said the most
important points are that Alaska people should come first and
the policy will benefit the entire state. The policy strengthens
Alaska's position in the Arctic with the federal government and
other Arctic nations and must lead to economic benefit to
Alaskans.
He noted Section 1 sends the most important message: Alaskans
are Arctic experts.
9:34:13 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON reviewed the four lines of effort in the
implementation plan: promote economic development, address
infrastructure gap, support healthy communities, and strengthen
Arctic science and research.
CHAIR STOLTZE requested information on a recent amendment on the
House Floor regarding the Law of the Sea.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON explained that the Law of the Sea Treaty
is before the U.S. Senate and does not need to be stated in the
Arctic Policy. He said he supported the deletion of the
amendment.
CHAIR STOLTZE summarized that all endorsements for the Law of
the Sea Treaty are removed.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON answered yes.
9:35:51 AM
SENATOR COGHILL understood that the U.S. would be assuming the
chairmanship of the Arctic Council. He requested to know to whom
the report is targeted.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON answered that there are three audiences
targeted by the report. The first, and most important, is the
Alaska State Legislature. The second audience is the executive
branch. The third audience is the federal government. He pointed
to recent decisions made by the federal government for Alaska.
He stressed that Alaska should determine its own destiny.
He explained that the Arctic Policy also targets the Arctic
Commission in that it explains how Alaska would like to be
treated and involved in decision-making regarding the Arctic. He
noted Alaska has a very close working relationship with the
State Department who will chair the Arctic Council; Ambassador
David Balton will be the chair of the Senior Arctic Officials.
9:39:44 AM
SENATOR COGHILL thanked Representative Herron for his concise
explanation.
CHAIR STOLTZE asked Representative Herron to address page 3,
lines 16 to 18. He requested an explanation of the collaboration
with the stated entities.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON explained that it means Alaska will have
discussions with all the listed entities about having a
transparent and inclusive decision-making process. It asks the
executive branch to participate, as well as the legislature, as
much as possible. The most difficult entity has been the federal
government.
9:41:25 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE noted a reference to non-governmental
organizations (NGOs).
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON clarified that there are NGO's the state
can benefit from, such as environmental NGO's (ENGO's), a term
created by the North Slope Borough. Alaska would like the NGO's
to be as informed as possible and would like to be informed by
their intentions and efforts.
CHAIR STOLTZE asked for NGO specifications.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON said the Pew Foundation is an example of a
friendly NGO. He said the goal is to be informed of the true
intention of entities and for Alaska to be included in the
decision-making process.
9:43:36 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE did not know if he was comfortable with the Pew
Foundations.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON noted that they have done good things for
Alaska, such as opposing the Aleutian Sanctuary.
CHAIR STOLTZE opened public testimony.
9:44:24 AM
DR. JOE MCLAUGHLIN, State Epidemiologist, Department of Health
and Social Services (DHSS) testified in support of HB 1. He said
the bill promotes the health and wellness of Alaskans by
supporting healthy Arctic communities and strengthening a state-
based agenda for Arctic science and research. He noted areas of
health impact prevention due to the Artic Policy: climate
change, environmental contaminants, subsistence food, resource
changes, cultural changes in communities, changing infectious
and chronic disease patterns, access to medical care, and
emergency response capacity. The bill is beneficial in that it
fosters wide-ranging collaboration to achieve transparent,
inclusive, and informed decision-making to maximize the benefit
to Alaskans.
9:46:07 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE closed public testimony. He asked Representative
Herron if he had seen the amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON said he had.
9:46:30 AM
SENATOR HUGGINS moved Amendment 1, labeled 29-LS0013\F.1.
AMENDMENT 1
OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR STOLTZE
TO: SCS CSHB 1(ARC)
Page 2, following line 23:
Insert a new subsection to read:
"(c) Nothing in the Act is meant to support,
endorse, or reestablish the Alaska Coastal Management
Program that expired in 2011 and was rejected by state
voters in 2012."
9:46:44 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE object for discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON stated support for Amendment 1.
CHAIR STOLTZE explained that the amendment removes the
possibility of including the Alaska Coastal Management Program
in the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON restated support for the amendment.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if the amendment refers to not
endorsing or supporting any coastal management program.
CHAIR STOLTZE said yes; the intent is to be much broader.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI objected.
A roll call vote was taken. Senators Coghill, Stoltze, and
Huggins voted in favor of adopting Amendment 1. Senator
Wielechowski voted against it. Therefore, Amendment 1 passed by
a vote of 3 to 1.
9:48:14 AM
SENATOR COGHILL moved that the fiscal notes to HB 1 be approved.
There being no objection, the fiscal notes were adopted.
CHAIR STOLTZE thanked the sponsor for his support of the
amendment and noted that it only applies to HB 1 and not to any
other legislation.
9:50:11 AM
SENATOR COGHILL moved to report SCS CSHB 1(STA) from committee
with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).
There being no objection, the motion carried.
9:50:32 AM
At ease.
SJR 12-CONST. AM: ELECTED ATTORNEY GENERAL
9:52:08 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE called the committee back to order and announced
the consideration of SJR 12.
CHAIR STOLTZE, speaking as sponsor of SJR 12, noted that
constitutional amendments are a two-year process. He said that
43 other states have elected attorney generals. He opined that
the office should serve the people of Alaska, not a body
politic. He said SJR 12 does not reflect upon the current
occupant of Alaska's Office of Attorney General.
9:54:17 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE said he agrees with former-Governor Egan when he
said during the Constitutional Convention, "I'm in favor of a
strong executive branch of government in order that the people
might ever be able to place the finger of responsibility without
buck passing. One office, I feel, should most certainly remain
elected is that of the state attorney general. It would seem to
me that this would provide a safeguard against a strong chief
executive usurping the powers of his office." Chair Stoltze
opined that the attorney general is the most appropriate
advocate to speak up for the people of Alaska. He said there has
been bi-partisan support for this idea, which has been before
the legislature many times, but has not been successful. He
thought the people of Alaska would support SJR 12.
9:57:39 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE stated that it was the first hearing on SJR 12 and
there was no public testimony today. He said it is his intent to
keep public testimony open throughout the process.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI reviewed the qualifications for the
lieutenant governor and suggested there be requirements to be a
state resident for a period of time and an attorney for a period
of time. A number of states have similar provisions.
CHAIR STOLTZE noted those issues have been discussed in the
past. He said he is open to those types of changes.
10:00:36 AM
SENATOR COGHILL stated that he will have to review the general
qualifications in the executive and legislative branches in
order to attempt to achieve consistency.
CHAIR STOLTZE commented that SJR 12 is a critical policy issue
and he takes it seriously.
SENATOR COGHILL pointed out that an elected attorney general
puts that position into a political realm, which he finds hard
to justify.
CHAIR STOLTZE replied that there is an element of politics in
any position.
10:03:13 AM
SENATOR HUGGINS asked if the resolution usurps the judicial
council in any way.
CHAIR STOLTZE answered no.
He invited people to testify on the bill or contact his office.
SENATOR COGHILL noted that the legislature takes seriously the
voice of the people.
10:05:08 AM
DANIEL GEORGE, Staff, Senator Bill Stoltze, Alaska State
Legislature, provided information related to SJR 12. He related
that in territorial days the attorney general was an elected
office and it was debated at the Constitutional Convention with
strong feelings on both sides. He said it is the 26th such
proposal in the legislature. He provided some of the legislative
history of the bill, including qualifications for the position.
CHAIR STOLTZE expressed hope that at the end of the two-year
session, SJR 12 would be before the voters. He noted it will
take a super majority to pass.
10:06:54 AM
CHAIR STOLTZE held SJR 12 in committee.
10:08:02 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Stoltze adjourned the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee hearing at 10:08 a.m.