HB 169-RCA REGULATION OF TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
7:47:55 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration of  HB 169.  "An Act relating  to the  authority of                                                               
the Regulatory  Commission of Alaska  to regulate  the production                                                               
and distribution of  telephone directories."  He  noted that this                                                               
was the first hearing on the  bill. [CSHB 169(L&C) was before the                                                               
committee.]                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
7:48:07 AM                                                                                                                    
ANNA  LATHAM,  Staff,  Representative Kurt  Olson,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, stated that HB  169 would eliminate                                                               
the  regulation and  production of  telephone directories  by the                                                               
Regulatory  Commission of  Alaska  (RCA).  Currently, the  Alaska                                                               
Administrative  Code  (AAC) requires  the  RCA  oversight on  the                                                               
production and  distribution of white  page directories,  but not                                                               
yellow page directories. At one  time white page directories were                                                               
very useful, but  people now create their own  directories in the                                                               
address book on their cell phone  and other mobile devices and no                                                               
longer  rely on  printed directories.  According to  the National                                                               
Center  for Health  Statistics, one  in four  households in  2009                                                               
relied completely on cell service.  Consumers have also expressed                                                               
strong   opinions    about   automatically    receiving   printed                                                               
directories and often return or throw  them away. In an effort to                                                               
modernize  Alaska's   regulatory  requirements,  HB   169  allows                                                               
telecommunication providers to directly meet  the wants and needs                                                               
of  their customers.  She highlighted  that the  RCA has  already                                                               
approved  an interim  program in  Anchorage, Fairbanks  and Kenai                                                               
allowing customers to opt out of receiving a directory.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY observed  that people who want  the book delivered                                                               
to their house still have that option.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. LATHAM agreed.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY opened public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
7:50:29 AM                                                                                                                    
TED MONINSKI,  Alaska Communication Systems, thanked  the sponsor                                                               
for bringing HB 169 forward.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY closed public testimony and solicited a motion.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
7:50:54 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MICCICHE  moved  to  report  HB  169,  Version  N,  from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY announced  that without  objection CSHB  169(L&C)                                                               
was  reported   from  the  Senate   Labor  &   Commerce  Standing                                                               
Committee.