Legislature(2019 - 2020)BUTROVICH 205
03/19/2020 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB210 | |
| SB180 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 180 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 210 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 19, 2020
3:31 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Joshua Revak, Chair
Senator John Coghill, Vice Chair
Senator Mia Costello, via teleconference
Senator David Wilson
Senator Scott Kawasaki
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 210
"An Act relating to special request specialty organization
registration plates."
- MOVED CSSB 210(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 180
"An Act relating to the establishment and maintenance of an
Internet website providing information on state government
financial transactions and specifying the information to be made
available on the website."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 210
SHORT TITLE: LICENSE PLATES: SPECIALTY ORGANIZATIONS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) COSTELLO
02/21/20 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/21/20 (S) STA, FIN
03/12/20 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/12/20 (S) Heard & Held
03/12/20 (S) MINUTE(STA)
03/19/20 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SB 180
SHORT TITLE: STATE GOV'T FINANCES: WEBSITE
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) WIELECHOWSKI
02/07/20 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/07/20 (S) STA, FIN
03/19/20 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
BETTY TANGEMAN, Staff
Senator Joshua Revak
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the changes in the committee
substitute for SB 210, version M.
TOM WRIGHT, Staff
Senator Mia Costello
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions on SB 210 on behalf of
the sponsor.
SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 180.
NATE GRAHAM, Staff
Senator Bill Wielechowski
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Delivered a PowerPoint to introduce SB 180.
JAMIN LIEBER, representing self
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 180.
JIM SYKES, representing self
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 180.
JOE GELDHOF, representing self
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 180.
TOMOTHY HALE, representing self
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 180.
WILL MULDOON, representing self
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 180.
VERI DI SUVERO, Executive Director
Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AkPIRG)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 180.
RYAN MCKEE, State Director
Americans for Prosperity
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 180.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:31:31 PM
CHAIR JOSHUA REVAK called the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Coghill, Wilson, Kawasaki, Costello (via
teleconference), and Chair Revak.
SB 210-LICENSE PLATES: SPECIALTY ORGANIZATIONS
3:32:43 PM
CHAIR REVAK announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 210,
"An Act relating to special request specialty organization
registration plates."
He stated that this is the second hearing on the bill and public
testimony is closed. He noted the committee substitute for the
committee to consider.
3:33:02 PM
SENATOR COGHILL moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for
SB 210, work order 31-LS1564\M, as the working document.
3:33:15 PM
CHAIR REVAK objected for an explanation of the changes.
3:33:23 PM
BETTY TANGEMAN, Staff, Senator Joshua Revak, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, on behalf of the committee,
explained that the changes in version M of SB 210 start on page
1, lines 11-14, which read:
If the department denies an application to create a
specialty organization registration plate under this
section, the department shall notify the commissioner
of the denial. The commissioner may reverse the
decision of the department and require issuance of the
requested plate.
She said the sponsor wanted an option for those not found
eligible for a specialty plate to appeal their denials to the
commissioner.
CHAIR REVAK added that it was possible the language in the bill
would not cover some organizations, such as a military honor not
currently envisioned. This language will allow the commissioner
discretion to intervene in the process.
3:34:48 PM
CHAIR REVAK removed his objection and version M was adopted.
3:35:18 PM
TOM WRIGHT, Staff, Senator Mia Costello, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said the sponsor does not have any
problem with the change in the committee substitute for SB 210,
version M.
3:35:43 PM
SENATOR COSTELLO expressed appreciation that the committee was
hearing the bill and stated support for adding the option for
organizations to work directly with the department.
CHAIR REVAK solicited the will of the committee.
3:36:25 PM
SENATOR COGHILL moved to report the committee substitute (CS)
for SB 210, version M, from committee with individual
recommendations and attached fiscal note.
CHAIR REVAK found no objection and CSSB 210(STA) was reported
from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.
3:36:46 PM
At ease
SB 180-STATE GOV'T FINANCES: WEBSITE
3:38:18 PM
CHAIR REVAK reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 180, "An Act relating to the
establishment and maintenance of an Internet website providing
information on state government financial transactions and
specifying the information to be made available on the website."
3:38:37 PM
SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau,
Alaska, introduced SB 180 paraphrasing the following sponsor
statement:
The state of Alaska spends billions of dollars each
year on everything from office supplies, professional
services, and capital improvement projects. Public
accountability helps ensure that state funds are spent
wisely. All 50 states operate websites that make
information on state expenditures and revenues
accessible to the public. However, compared to other
states Alaska's site is ranked as one of the worst in
the nation at making the data accessible to the
public.
The intent of the Alaska Online Checkbook Act is to
create a free, searchable website that provides
Alaskans with easy access to detailed and
comprehensive information on state spending. This will
encourage better understanding of state operations
and, ultimately, help ensure that funding is directed
to the state's most important needs. The state
currently posts some financial information in a
downloadable spreadsheet, but this spreadsheet is very
cumbersome, must be downloaded, is difficult to search
and understand. It does not provide any "big picture"
context about state expenditures vs. revenues nor is
it codified in law. The ability to see how Alaska's
government uses public funding is fundamental to
transparency and bolsters public confidence in
government and promotes fiscal responsibility.
SB 180 will give Alaskans easy access to detailed
information on state expenditures and revenue,
empowering them to become fiscal watchdogs. It will
lead to greater government accountability and a public
better able to assist in making difficult government
decisions.
I hope that you will join me in taking reasonable
steps to ensure that Alaskans have access to our
state's financial information.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI advised that the state currently has an
EXCEL spreadsheet that can be downloaded with this information.
However, it is slow to download and operate and it is not easily
searchable. He referred to letters in members' packets from the
Frontier Group and United States Public Interest Research Group
and noted that Alaska has received an "F" in five of six years
from several of these groups and is ranked 49th out of 50 states
in terms of access provided to the public. He offered his view
that it will only take a few hours to put the information
together for a better process.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI related that he sponsored similar
legislation in 2007 or 2008, but the bill did not make it
through the process. One of the things mentioned at the time was
that the government is already providing the information, so a
bill was unnecessary. However, Alaska is not providing adequate
public access. He commented on the unusual circumstance that a
bill of his received support from Americans for Prosperity. It
shows that SB 180 appeals to people who have a wide range of
political philosophies. He characterized it as a good government
bill.
3:41:30 PM
NATE GRAHAM, Staff, Senator Bill Wielechowski, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, delivered a PowerPoint presentation
on SB 180, starting with slide 2.
• In 2018 Alaska received a failing grade from the U.S
PIRG Education Fund for providing online access to
government spending data.
• Alaska has no statutory requirements to maintain an
online checkbook.
MR. GRAHAM stated that the U.S. Public Interest Research Group
(U.S.PIRG) has ranked Alaska 49 of 50 for its online
transparency. In 2010, U.S. PIRG began tracking online
transparency of state government spending information. Alaska
received a "D" or an "F" for each year. Early on Alaska received
Ds simply because the technology did not exist for states to
offer online transparent information. The technology now exists,
and some states provide excellent information.
MR. GRAHAM reviewed slide 3 relating to the Alaska Online
Checkbook Act:
• Require The State To Provide Monthly And Annual Financial
Information To The Public.
• Consolidate State Financial Information.
• Provide Detailed Information On State Expenditures And
Revenue. (Date, Vendor, Department, Expense Type)
• Increase State Spending Transparency.
SB 180 will not require the state to provide any new information
since the Department of Revenue (DOR) and the Office of
Management and Budget already produce this information. It would
just compile the data in one area. As many people know, the
state has an online checkbook that was initiated by Governor
Palin.
MR. GRAHAM pointed out the differences between the current
online checkbook and the proposal in SB 180 shown on slide 4:
Checkbook Online
• No Mandatory Reporting Requirements.
• Data Must Be Downloaded (PDF Or EXCEL).
• No Online Search Option.
• Does Not Include Revenue Reports.
• Does Not Allow Year To Year Spending Comparison.
• Does Not Include Spending For The University Of
Alaska Or Public Corporations.
Online Checkbook Act
• Monthly & Annual Reporting Requirements.
• All Data Is Online; You Choose What To Download.
• Searchable Data By Agency, Vendor, Year, Etc.
• Includes Revenue & Expenditures
• You Can Compare State Spending By Fiscal Year.
• Includes Revenue & Expenses Of University Of
Alaska & Public Corporations (Including APFC).
He said data currently must be downloaded via Microsoft Excel
before it can be viewed, but it is cumbersome. For example, in
2019 the download consisted of about 75,000 transactions on each
sheet. This process makes it difficult to search for specific
information.
MR. GRAHAM related that under SB 180 it would be easy to search
for information. It would be like searching an Alaska Public
Offices Commission (APOC) report for the information via the
Internet after downloading the specific data. He reiterated that
the current online checkbook does not have an online search
option, it does not include revenue, and it does not easily
allow comparing state spending from year to year.
3:44:41 PM
MR. GRAHAM reviewed the reporting requirements for revenues and
expenditures on slides 5 and 6:
Reporting Requirements
Revenues
• Receipts Or Deposits.
• Proceeds From Taxes.
• Agency Earnings (Sales, Services, Licenses Or
Permits).
• Other Revenues From State Money Or Property
(Interest, Lease, Gifts, Donations).
Expenditures
• The names and locations of any persons to whom
payment was made.
• The amounts of the expenditures disbursed.
• The type of transaction, by account code, including
the purpose of the expenditure.
He highlighted that expenditures will also contain the code and
the code description.
MR. GRAHAM reviewed the reporting requirements for account
balances on slide 7:
Account Balances
• Statutory Budget Reserve (SBR).
• Constitutional Budget Reserve (CBR).
• Permanent Fund Earnings Reserve Account (ERA).
MR. GRAHAM said there will be a monthly reporting of account
balances for the SBR, CBR, and ERA. This information is
available, but it is not provided in a consolidated report.
3:46:04 PM
MR. GRAHAM reviewed two screen shot examples of Alaska's current
online checkbook on slide 8. The information is broken down by
fiscal year, such that clicking on one of the fiscal years will
bring up an option to download the information in a PDF format,
Excel document, or CSV document.
MR. GRAHAM reviewed a screen shot of Alaska's current format for
the online checkbook on slide 9:
• In FY 2016 There Were 78,156 Individual Reports In
The "Online Checkbook".
• You Must Use Search Functions Within Excel To Find
Vendors.
• Cannot Easily Track Spending By Year.
He said the files contain tens of thousands of transactions. For
example, a person would need to use a search function within the
Excel document to see any of the information.
3:46:55 PM
MR. GRAHAM reviewed slides 10-15, which showed snapshots of the
online dashboard for Ohio by department and expense type.
He reported that Ohio is ranked as the best transparency website
in the nation. The screen shot of Ohio's dashboard allows the
public to search by year, agency, and expense type. This allows
the public to see how much has been spent each year, including
the category and amount of the expenditures.
3:47:24 PM
CHAIR REVAK asked how much effort it would take to establish
something similar and how it would be maintained. He noted that
the sponsor anticipated a zero fiscal note.
MR. GRAHAM responded that once the data is in a single location,
it is easy to put together a dashboard.
3:48:20 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI showed an example and opined that it would
be easy for someone in the state to do. He did not anticipate
that maintaining the online checkbook would take much time.
SENATOR WILSON said he agrees but was skeptical about the cost.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said Mr. Graham created an online
searchable website in a day. He opined that people with more
experience would easily be able to do this.
3:50:05 PM
MR. GRAHAM said he took all the online checkbook dates, combined
all the Excel spreadsheets for the last five years and did it in
a day. He indicated that he does not have a technology
background, so it would be easier for someone with that
background to develop an online checkbook.
MR. GRAHAM reviewed slide 16, Additional Benefits:
• Mississippi reported that every information request
fulfilled by its transparency website rather than by
a state employee saves the state between $750 and
$1,000 in staff time.
• South Carolina open records requests initially
dropped by two-thirds after the creation of its
transparency website, reducing staff time and saving
an estimated tens of thousands of dollars.
• The Texas Comptroller used its transparency website
to evaluate spending. By monitoring contracts more
closely and sourcing services from new vendors when
the potential for cost-cutting was identified, the
state saved more than $163 million.
He said states reported additional benefits in having the
information easily accessible. For example, vendors in Ohio
reported using ohiocheckbook.com as a business analytics tool to
determine when they could offer product to a state agency at a
better value. An elected official used the site to compare the
prices for road salt to ensure the county was obtaining a
competitive rate. Mississippi reported it saved from $750 to
$1,000 per information request because the information was
readily available. Texas was able to save $163 million by having
information online to more closely monitor contracts and
identify cost-cutting measures.
3:52:02 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI added that making information available
online will reduce staff time to compile information to fulfill
public records requests.
3:52:42 PM
SENATOR KAWASAKI asked how other state agencies, including state
corporations such as the Alaska Railroad Corporation and the
Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation, would be affected.
MR. GRAHAM replied all publicly owned corporations would be
included in SB 180. All the information from public corporations
is already public information but it is not listed in the
current Alaska checkbook. The University of Alaska expenses are
not currently listed but would be under this bill.
SENATOR KAWASAKI asked if the public entities that are not
providing information for the current Alaska checkbook would
have to come up with the numbers.
MR. GRAHAM answered that they are all required to follow basic
accounting guidelines, so they already have the information. He
acknowledged that they may need to change their procedures some
to provide the information to the Department of Administration
for posting to the proposed online website.
3:55:02 PM
MR. GRAHAM presented the following sectional analysis for SB
180: [Original punctuation provided.]
Section 1 Names the act "the Alaska Online Checkbook
Act."
Section 2 Adopts legislative findings and intent:
Subsection (a) establishes that this bill is intended
to allow people identify and discover state revenue
and expenditures.
Subsection (b) requires that this act by interpreted
in favor of disclosure and transparency.
Subsection (c) finds that state revenue and
expenditures must be accounted for and easily
accessible to the public in order to maintain a fair
and open government.
Subsection (d) adopts intent that the state should
strive to create a user-friendly website that gives
the public access to the state's financial information
in a centralized location.
MR. GRAHAM related that Section 2 includes guidelines for
departments on the type of information that should be
included in the online checkbook.
Section 3 Requires that the Department of
Administration to make the financial transactions of
the state and the annual audit available
electronically for use in the public finance internet
website.
Section 4 Creates a new AS 37.05.215.
AS 37.05.215 (a) Requires the Department of
Administration to develop operate and maintain a
searchable, free to the public, website that provides
financial information available from the central
accounting system or the annual financial report.
AS 37.05.215 (a) (1)-(3) Requires the following
information and transactions to be posted on the
online check book website and monthly state income
including:
• Receipts or deposits by a state agency into a
fund or account established within the state
treasury.
• Proceeds from taxes received, categorized by
source type, including compulsory contributions
imposed by the state for the purpose of financing
services.
• Agency earnings including amounts collected for
sales or services, licenses or permits issued, or
otherwise received by an agency. s
• Revenue received for the use of state money or
property including interest and lease payments
gifts, donations and federal receipts and other
revenue. Expenditures including:
• The names and locations of any persons to whom
payment was made.
• The amounts of the expenditures disbursed.
• The type of transaction, by account code,
including the purpose of the expenditure.
• Other information specified by the department.
• The balance of the following state accounts:
• Statutory Budget Reserve.
• Constitutional Budget Reserve.
• Permanent Fund Earnings Reserve Account.
AS 37.05.215 (a) (4)-(7) Requires the following
information be posted on the online check book website
and updated monthly: The amount deposited into the
Permanent Fund from all mineral lease rentals,
royalties, royalty sale proceeds, federal mineral
revenue sharing payments, and bonuses received by the
state. State revenue and expenditures, summarized by:
General fund revenue sources categorized by function,
department, and account. Total general fund income
compared to expenditures. Total assets compared to
liabilities at the end of the fiscal year. For the
preceding 10 years, by fiscal year the following:
• The number of state employees by department.
• The number of independent contractors engaged by
the state by department.
• The total long-term debt owed by the state.
• Total general fund expenditures.
• All general fund payroll by department. AS
3:58:49 PM
AS 37.05.215(b) Describes the reporting requirements
for the previous subsection.
AS 37.05.215 (c)(1) Requires that the website have
reference materials to assist the public in
understanding the financial provided on the website.
AS 37.05.215 (c)(2) Requires the website to have a
feature that allows users to search for information on
the website by keyword and recipient.
AS 37.05.215 (c)(3) Requires the site to have a link
to the website of the Legislative Audit Division. The
site must also include electronic copies of
information related to state service procurement
contracts, including compensation and contract length
and of information related to independent contractors
engaged by the state, by state agency, including
compensation and contract length.
AS 37.05.215 (d) Requires the Department of Revenue
and other state agencies that use the central
accounting system to provide information to the
Department of Administration that is necessary to
comply with this act.
AS 37.05.215 (e) Clarifies that this bill will not
require the disclosure of information that is
confidential under state or federal law and requires
that aggregated information be disclosed if it can
properly protect confidentiality.
AS 37.05.215 (f) Defines "expenditure," "searchable
Internet website," and "state agency."
Section 5 Requires the website to be operating on or
before October 1, 2021.
Section 6 Requires information from the previous
fiscal year be on the website by October 1, 2022 and
requires site to be updated.
4:00:54 PM
SENATOR KAWASAKI asked for examples of confidential disclosures
referenced in Section 4.
MR. GRAHAM answered that confidential information would not be
made public, so oil company taxes would be aggregated and not
contain detail by field or amount. Medicaid payments and student
scholarships would also be aggregated. He added that state
settlements in the Department of Law would also be held
confidential.
4:02:05 PM
SENATOR COGHILL asked how state procurements such as contracts
for sand and gravel or legal services would be reported. He
expressed concern that people would have access and
opportunities to review confidential bids.
MR. GRAHAM offered his belief that the current process would not
change. The bidding process is kept confidential, but once
awarded, the contract becomes public. He displayed an example of
Ohio's online information by expense type. The public
information for the Department of Transportation includes the
cost of trucks. He said it does not identify it as a bid, but he
imagined the state received a fleet discount. This means that
competitors could see the amount the state paid for the
vehicles.
SENATOR COGHILL said that was his expectation but the spending
leading up to the bid may be available and he wonders how that
would work.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI responded that it was not the intent to
change the current confidential bidding process. He offered to
check with the department to ensure the language in SB 180
clarifies that the bids would be kept confidential.
SENATOR COGHILL said he did not want the state's procurement
process hampered. He also asked if he anticipates that the
aggregated information would be similar to how it is reported
now. He cited Denali Kid Care information as an example.
MR. GRAHAM answered yes. For example, resident and nonresident
tuition for the University of Alaska would be reported as a
whole so individual tuition would not be identifiable.
4:06:37 PM
SENATOR COGHILL commented that a third of the revenue the state
receives is from the federal government and the public is
probably interested in how departments like Department of Labor
and Workforce Development (DOLWD) and the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) manage that money.
MR. GRAHAM offered to follow up as to whether there is a
breakdown between federal and state dollars. He recalled that
Ohio identifies the fund source for purchases so the trucks
purchased would indicate highway maintenance funds, but he did
not know if it shows whether the money came from the state or
federal government. Sometimes the account codes provide that
information, he said.
SENATOR COGHILL opined that showing aggregate federal monies for
child support, child in need of aid (CINA), Medicaid, or DOT&PF,
could provide important context. Also, there is considerable
military spending in Alaska that the state never sees.
MR. GRAHAM responded that the state's online checkbook would
only include the money the state touches so money spent on a
military base would not be included.
SENATOR COGHILL said his point was that people might have a
different view of the size of government if they realized how
much funding is federal money.
CHAIR REVAK asked if other states list federal pass-through
dollars in their online checkbooks.
MR. GRAHAM replied he was not positive, but he believed that in
Alaska it was possible to see that more money was expensed each
year than what the state budgets for unrestricted general funds
(UGF).
4:10:42 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI added that to the extent that the state
accounting practices have a code for federal pass-through funds,
it could be reported online. He said it's a policy call, but he
was inclined to think that information should be available.
SENATOR COGHILL commented that it would be interesting to see
state dollars enumerated in gold and federal money in green. He
said he liked the idea of the bill and was thinking about
showing the information in the best light.
4:12:19 PM
SENATOR COGHILL asked how fee-for-service items would be
categorized as opposed to income from the delivery of a service.
He cited DMV, tuition at the university, and permitting for
mines as examples.
4:13:41 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI replied it comes down to how an expenditure
is defined. The goal of SB 180 is to produce a searchable
website for expenditures. The definition of expenditure on page
5, lines 17-22 reads:
(1) "expenditure" means a payment from the state
treasury that is greater than $1,000 and that is made
as a grant, subgrant, contract, subcontract, loan,
lease, cooperative agreement, purchase order, task or-
der, delivery order, or other form of financial
transaction; "expenditure" does not include the
transfer of money between state agencies, individual
payments to state employees or retirees, or payment of
state or federal assistance to an individual;
He said that this language is broad, but it also tries to
protect individuals' confidentiality. He pointed out that for
privacy protection, it excludes fund transfers between state
agencies and individual payments made to state employees or
federal assistance to individuals. However, he said that he was
open to expanding or tweaking that definition if there is a will
of the committee to do so.
CHAIR REVAK said it is a good thought because for pass-through
monies it could easily appear that expenditures far exceed
revenues.
4:15:09 PM
SENATOR COSTELLO said she supports the concept because Alaskans
crave more transparency in government. She suggested that the
committee could work out some of the finer details to make a
great bill.
4:15:37 PM
CHAIR REVAK opened public testimony on SB 180.
4:16:15 PM
JAMIN LIEBER, representing self, Wasilla, Alaska, spoke in
support of SB 180. He said he thought that the presenters did a
good job highlighting the pros of a new online checkbook. He
offered his view that people want transparency, and this bill
seems to be a slam dunk.
4:16:49 PM
JIM SYKES, representing self, Palmer, Alaska, spoke in support
of SB 180. He shared that he worked on transparency and reliable
information when he was on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly and he
firmly believes that providing the information to the public in
a user-friendly manner is essential. It would give the business
community insight and save money on public records requests.
This is especially important since the public lacks confidence
in government and information can be distorted. He said the Ohio
online site has components of what the borough tried to
accomplish. He offered his view that it is important to provide
graphical interface and fine detail. He referred to language on
pages 3-4 of the bill, which he particularly likes since it
provides a look-back of one year. He characterized SB 180 as a
good concept that is broadly supported.
4:19:23 PM
JOE GELDHOF, representing self, Juneau, Alaska, spoke in support
of SB 180. He said the State of Alaska is not a business, but
the type of information this calls for is what all smart
businesses have at their fingertips. The updated online
checkbook will allow citizens to view revenue and expenditures
and to work with the legislature and bureaucrats to ensure that
citizens are getting good value for the money being spent. He
described it as a cross partisan measure that will be used by
the administration and the Office of Management and Budget.
Citizens will have confidence to know where money is being spent
and vendors can use it to gauge their effectiveness. The states
that have high credibility, which range from some Southern
states to Ohio, are the ones that have good administration. He
urged members to move the bill forward and suggested that the
legislature work with those who will implement it to ensure that
the points Senator Coghill raised today are incorporated.
4:21:43 PM
TOMOTHY HALE, representing self, Palmer, Alaska, spoke in
support of SB 180. He related that he has found the current
online checkbook difficult to use. For example, he was unable to
see how much money was being spent at the Knik River Public Use
Area. He said SB 180 is a great idea.
4:23:32 PM
WILL MULDOON, representing self, Juneau, Alaska, spoke in
support of SB 180 because it is a good idea for the state for
the reasons the testifiers mentioned. He said he is very
familiar with this data set as he maintains the state's data as
a hobbyist. He noted that the data system switched a bit in
2015. Since then the system consists of about 55 reports,
totaling 4,550 pages and 3.6 million cells of data. This amount
of information is too large for a spreadsheet. He offered his
view that a dashboard or searchable database is the way to go.
He reported that the federal pass-through money is included now.
He recalled the figure was "$8 billion of the $21.469 billion in
all from July 1, 2015 to 2019." He said it is a complex and
difficult system to discern, so any efforts to minimize those
impacts are greatly appreciated.
4:25:47 PM
VERI DI SUVERO, Executive Director, Alaska Public Interest
Research Group (AkPIRG), Anchorage, Alaska, stated that AkPIRG
is a nonprofit consumer advocacy and public interest group.
AkPIRG works on a variety of good governance issues and this
fits squarely with the key components that AkPIRG believes are
necessary for transparency in government. The online checkbook
will encourage better understanding of state operations and help
reduce waste. The U.S.PIRG in its 2019 portal grading system
gave Alaska an F but she is hopeful that by 2022 the state will
receive a better grade. During the global pandemic and
fluctuating oil prices, it is critical to understand the state's
allocation of funding to help decision makers and prevent mix-
ups which result in increased government spending to untangle
mistakes. She said seeing how the government is using funding is
one of the fundamentals of transparency. It bolsters confidence
in government and promotes responsibility. She said AkPIRG
believes that if the state maintained a better website, it would
save the state and AKPIRG time and money.
4:28:13 PM
RYAN MCKEE, State Director, Americans for Prosperity, Wasilla,
Alaska, spoke in favor of SB 180. He said government
transparency is more crucial than ever due to limited revenue
and tight budgets. It could help give Alaskans a better
understanding of where expenditures are made and eliminate
transmission of false information. He encouraged members to vote
the bill out of committee as soon as possible.
4:29:11 PM
SENATOR COGHILL asked if the administration has commented on SB
180.
MR. GRAHAM answered that the administration sent an email
indicating they were tracking the bill. The comments were not
specific other than that work was underway on a new financial
system.
SENATOR COGHILL asked the sponsor if he had talked with the
administration about the computer systems that have been brought
online the last few years or how to fit a dashboard to the
website.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said no but he could reach out. He related
that his experience in the past is that administrations would
prefer to do this without legislation. But the downside to that
is that some administrations might not keep up with the needs of
society.
SENATOR COGHILL opined that the timing might be right this time.
4:32:26 PM
CHAIR REVAK closed public testimony on SB 180. He expressed
support for the bill and stated the committee would work on a
few of the issues raised today.
[SB 180 was held in committee.]
4:33:03 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Revak adjourned the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting at 4:33 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 180 Sectional 3.13.2020.pdf |
SSTA 3/19/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 180 |
| SB 180 Sponsor Statement 3.13.2020.pdf |
SSTA 3/19/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 180 |
| SB 180 Supporting Doc 1 Follow the Money 2019 Report.pdf |
SSTA 3/19/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 180 |
| SB 180 Supporting Doc 2 Historical 10-19 Reports Follow The Money.pdf |
SSTA 3/19/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 180 |
| SB 180 Supporting Doc 3 Online Checkbook Examples.pdf |
SSTA 3/19/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 180 |
| SB 180 Letter of Support AFP 3.13.20.pdf |
SSTA 3/19/2020 3:30:00 PM |
SB 180 |