HB 65: FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION OF STATE GOVT. CHAIRMAN HUDSON brought up HB 65. Number 539 STEPHANIE COLE, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA COURT SYSTEM (Court System), testified via teleconference from Anchorage in opposition to the transfer of the Office of Public Advocacy's budget to the Court System. Ms. Cole stated the Court System was opposed specifically to Sections 49, 64 and 69 of HB 65. TAPE 8, SIDE B Number 001 CHAIRMAN HUDSON suggested that the discussion be continued at a future date when the committee could hear from the head of the Office of Public Advocacy (OPA), and the committee had a chance to review the material presented in written form. Number 010 CHERYL FRASCA, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF BUDGET REVIEW, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, testified on HB 65. Ms. Frasca read the sectional analysis of the bill and offered to answer any questions. (The sectional analysis is available in the committee file.) Number 455 REP. GREEN asked about the fiscal impact of transferring the OPA to the Court System. MS. FRASCA responded that the Court System would have to pay the going market cost for attorneys, which would increase the fiscal impact. Number 465 ART SNOWDEN, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA COURT SYSTEM, testified that the cost to the Court System would be $449,000. Mr. Snowden also pointed out that this issue surfaced in 1991 and the Office of Management and Budget did a review at that time and found it to be a bad idea. MR. SNOWDEN noted that the major problem was not the agencies that administered the programs, it was the uncontrollable factors. In this case, the Office of Public Advocacy doesn't know from year to year how many people will be walking through their doors with what types of crimes. Number 475 REP. PORTER inquired if the appointment structure would change if the OPA is transferred from Administration to the Court System. MR. SNOWDEN responded that most of the court mandated appointments were made because the court had previously ruled that the persons in this situation had a constitutional right to representation. He further noted that the amount of work would not change who administers the funding. Number 500 MS. COLE stated that in statute 25.24.310 the court may appoint an attorney to represent a minor in custody disputes between the parents. Number 600 JAY DULANY, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, announced that he was present at the committee meeting to answer any questions the committee members might have. Number 702 CHAIRMAN HUDSON asked who acquires vehicle registration lists and if there were any problems with rights of privacy. MR. DULANY responded that vehicle registration lists were public information under Title 9. He further stated that there were only two requests for the entire file. Number 751 CHAIRMAN HUDSON expressed his concern that the title of the bill might not be sufficiently broad enough to cover the whole bill. TAPE 93-9, SIDE A Number 000 REP. PORTER asked Mr. Dulany how Alaska's fee structure stacked up against the rest of the states'. Number 013 MR. DULANY stated that Alaska's passenger registration fees were about average. Many states attach a tax to the registration fees, which causes Alaska's total fees to be very low. Commercial vehicles, even without a tax, are significantly lower than most other states. Number 028 REP. MULDER inquired if there was a demand for special license plates. MR. DULANY stated there is a demand for special license plates and the state could produce some revenue this way. Number 037 REP. MULDER asked that it be noted that he liked the optic yellow license plates. REP. SITTON asked who was exempt from the license fees and how much was lost by those exemptions. Number 043 MR. DULANY stated he did not have that information with him. Number 065 CHAIRMAN HUDSON wanted to know the importance of this legislation of the Governor's FY 94 budget. Chairman Hudson noted that a number of the sections in HB 65 carried a fiscal impact and he wanted to inquire how that would affect the governor's budget. Number 078 MS. FRASCA replied that the increase in revenues was not reflected in the Governor's budget, with two exceptions, amounting to approximately $750,000. Number 115 CHAIRMAN HUDSON asked Ms. Frasca if any portions of the legislation was tied to other legislation, specifically, the clean air bill. Number 119 MS. FRASCA responded that the some of the agencies did indicate a relationship, but she did not have that information with her. Number 123 CHAIRMAN HUDSON asked Ms. Frasca to provide a cross reference so the committee could see the relationships between this omnibus bill and other pieces of legislation, federal law or order. Number 128 REP. PORTER asked for the rationale for charging a fee for certification to corrections officers but not for Department of Public Safety officers. Number 144 JACK WRAY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, POLICE STANDARDS COUNCIL, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, answered that the problem was in the wording. Number 160 REP. PORTER commented that all officers should be treated the same. CHAIRMAN HUDSON adjourned the meeting at 4:55 p.m.