ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE RULES STANDING COMMITTEE  March 18, 2019 9:00 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Chuck Kopp, Chair Representative Jennifer Johnston, Vice Chair Representative Bryce Edgmon Representative Louise Stutes Representative Steve Thompson Representative Lance Pruitt Representative David Eastman MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR  ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  No previous action to record WITNESS REGISTER No witnesses to record ACTION NARRATIVE 9:00:04 AM CHAIR CHUCK KOPP called the House Rules Standing Committee meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Representatives Pruitt, Stutes, Edgmon, Johnston, Eastman, Thompson, and Kopp were present at the call to order. ^ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING    9:00:41 AM CHAIR KOPP announced that the only order of business would be an organizational meeting to formally delegate the duty of setting the House floor calendar to the House Rules Standing Committee chair. 9:00:50 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON moved and asked unanimous consent that the House Rules Standing Committee delegate the duties and responsibilities set out in Uniform Rule 18 for the preparation of the House Daily Calendar, including the scheduling of bills for the floor, to the chair of the committee for the duration of the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature, and that the delegation would remain in effect until the committee withdraws it. 9:01:12 AM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN objected for the purpose of discussion. He noted legislation had been "put forward last week" which addressed the [House Rules Standing Committee], and he inquired whether it was Chair Kopp's intent that the committee "take a look at that." 9:01:37 AM CHAIR KOPP answered no. He offered further details as to the focus of today's meeting. REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN clarified that he had been referring to [HCR 4, a concurrent resolution sponsored by the House State Affairs Standing Committee] that is related to the Committee on Committees and proposes a change to the Uniform Rules. 9:02:30 AM REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON provided that the bill to which Representative Eastman had referred currently sits in the House State Affairs Standing Committee. He offered his understanding that the bill has two referrals before it would reach the House Rules Standing Committee. CHAIR KOPP concluded that the bill still had a journey to make before being seen by the House Rules Standing Committee. 9:02:51 AM REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT asked what Chair Kopp's process was for determining which bills are heard on the House floor. CHAIR KOPP answered that consistent with prior House Rules Standing Committee chairs, he would look to see that the bill had majority support in the body, at which point his intent would to be to put the bill on the floor. REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT asked if there would be a requirement for everyone to have a chit sheet to illustrate the support. CHAIR KOPP replied that he thinks the easiest and most equitable way to show the support would be a chit sheet. He indicated he has "gone back and forth" in his thinking about this issue. He explained that although he likes to take members at their word, he also knows that a chit sheet is a way for members to keep track of those to whom they have spoken, and "looking at that together is a confirmation of support." Further, Chair Kopp suggested [using a chit sheet would avoid a hypothetical situation in which] he may take Representative Pruitt at his word but not Representative Eastman. He opined, "I think a chit sheet is the best way to go." 9:04:52 AM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked if minority bills would be treated differently from majority bills. CHAIR KOPP answered, "Minority bills that have support will be treated the same." 9:05:13 AM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN [maintained his objection]. He stated that based on his interaction with constituents and what he has seen regarding calendaring and "attention given to the rules," he was "not prepared, at this time, to delegate further authority." 9:06:00 AM REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT stated that while he appreciates the concern expressed by Representative Eastman, he thinks Chair Kopp has "given us a standard for both minority and majority when it comes to the ... calendaring of bills," and he expects Chair Kopp to keep his word in that regard. He expressed appreciation for the meeting as a means to formally ask his questions. 9:06:44 AM A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Pruitt, Stutes, Edgmon, Johnston, Thompson, and Kopp voted in favor of the motion to delegate to the House Rules Standing Committee the duties and responsibilities set out in Uniform Rule 18 for the preparation of the House Daily Calendar, including the scheduling of bills for the floor, to the chair of the committee for the duration of the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature, and for the delegation to remain in effect until the committee withdraws it. Representative Eastman voted against the motion. Therefore, the motion passed by a vote of 6 to 1. 9:07:19 AM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Rules Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:07 a.m.