HB 148-ALASKA COORDINATE SYSTEM OF 2022  4:35:39 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 148, "An Act relating to the Alaska Coordinate System of 2022." 4:35:52 PM REECE WILLIAMS, Staff, Representative Laddie Shaw, Alaska State Legislature, introduced HB 148 on behalf of Representative Shaw, prime sponsor. He paraphrased the sponsor statement [included in the committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: HB 148 House Bill 148 revises Alaska Statute chapter 38.20, known as the Alaska Coordinate System, to reflect changes in the federal datum used as a base for the coordinate system and to allow for future updates. The system is comprised of rectangular plane coordinates used to define accurate positions or locations of points on the surface of the earth. Currently, forty-eight states have adopted state plane coordinate systems into their statutes. This bill revises the Alaska Coordination System as an ongoing modernization of the U.S National Spatial Reference System to reduce the distortions present in the current system. In addition to improved zone locations, that will cover population and resources areas, a new statewide zone will be created for Alaska. This will reduce the distortion of the projection currently in use and improve the display of statewide geographic data. This is an important and practical step for Alaska to adapt to this coordination system. Alaska will have the advantage of improvements in the geodetic positioning, and with the new gravity-based elevation. This will dramatically improve the ability to measure elevations in Alaska. This modernization effort will benefit scientists, surveyors, design professionals, GIS specialists, and the geospatial community. The improved coordinate system minimizes linear distortions and is designed to include population centers and resource development. I encourage your support in the passage of HB 148 as it is critical to Alaska maintaining accuracy to surveying and mapping. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS noted that most members were familiar with the legislation, as an identical bill was heard by the committee last session. After ascertaining that the full bill introduction was not necessary, he invited committee questions. 4:38:10 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked how often the statute [AS 38.20] required revision. MR. WILLIAMS responded that the statute was only revised when there was enough new federal datum acquired to justify an update. He noted that the last update was in 1988. 4:39:12 PM GWEN GERVELIS, Surveys Manager, Division of Mining Land and Water, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), confirmed that the last vertical datum update occurred in 1988; 1983 was the last horizontal datum update. She noted that the proposed legislation would provide a major revision and a much better model for the earth. She added that new datums were not expected for another 50 of 60 years. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS commended the efficient data compilation. 4:40:23 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked whether it would be harmful if this bill did not pass. MR. WILLIAMS explained that if the proposed legislation did not pass, Alaska would be severely lacking in its ability to survey and map, which would have a fiscal impact. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS directed Representative Eastman's question to Mr. Maxwell. 4:41:16 PM JAKE MAXWELL, Executive Member, Alaska Society of Professional Land Surveyors, asked Representative Eastman to repeat the question. REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked Mr. Maxwell to quantify the public impact if the proposed legislation did not pass. MR. MAXWELL conveyed that the bill was necessary because private and public industries could not support the new system unless it was codified. He added that every state was expected to adopt similar legislation. He concluded that updating the Alaska Coordinate System would be beneficial to the state. REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN sought to clarify whether failing to update the statute would financially impact Alaskans or result in less accurate data. He asked for a more "tangible" explanation of the effects of not passing the proposed legislation. MR. WILLIAMS said if the bill did not pass, Alaska would lack the advantage of increased consistency in its surveying and would not be able to use the updated technology. MR. MAXWELL explained that the legislation would help develop a modern and more functional statewide coordinate system for mapping. He reported that the vastly improved 2022 system used space and gravity measurements and would enhance the coordinate system model. 4:45:12 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS gathered that there would be no changes to pricing if the bill were to pass. He concluded that the only impact would be to surveys, as their accuracy would be improved. He asked if that was correct. MR. WILLIAMS answered yes. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS sought to identify the real-world implications of passing the bill. He asked whether surveyors would have to buy new equipment because their old equipment would be tethered to the old datum system. MR. MAXWELL stated that surveyors would not need to buy new equipment. 4:46:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked whether the bill sponsor would object to labeling the coordinate system as "2021" [rather than 2022] if the governor and the Senate had indicated that they were strongly supportive of passing this legislation [in 2021]. MR. WILLIAMS believed the number corresponded with the federal datum. He indicated his desire to stay consistent with the federal government. MS. GERVELIS verified that "2022" was NOAA NGS's [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Geodetic Survey's] new designation for the datum. 4:48:23 PM REPRESENTATIVE LADDIE SHAW, Alaska State Legislature, prime sponsor of HB 148, reiterated that the proposed legislation would bring [the Alaska Coordinate System] into the twenty-first century by defining accurate positions and locations. 4:49:05 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS [announced that HB 148 was held over.]