ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE  February 14, 2008 8:11 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Bob Lynn, Chair Representative Bob Roses, Vice Chair Representative John Coghill Representative Craig Johnson Representative Andrea Doll Representative Max Gruenberg MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Kyle Johansen COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 12 Proposing an amendment to the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature relating to abstention from voting. - HEARD AND HELD HOUSE BILL NO. 293 "An Act relating to the location of the convening of the legislature in session and to the relocation of functions of state government; and providing for an effective date." - MOVED HB 293 OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE BILL NO. 364 "An Act relating to notice and consent for a minor's abortion; relating to penalties for performing an abortion; relating to a judicial bypass procedure for an abortion; relating to coercion of a minor to have an abortion; relating to reporting of abortions performed on minors; amending Rule 24(a), Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure, amending Rule 220, Alaska Rules of Appellate Procedure, and Rule 20, Alaska Probate Rules, relating to judicial bypass for an abortion; and providing for an effective date." - REMOVED ITEM FROM AGENDA HOUSE BILL NO. 269 "An Act requiring the state to procure United States and Alaska flags manufactured in the United States; and requiring state buildings and schools to display only United States and Alaska flags manufactured in the United States." - BILL HEARING POSTPONED TO 2/28/08 PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HCR 12 SHORT TITLE: AMEND UNIFORM RULES: ABSTAIN FROM VOTING SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MEYER 01/15/08 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/15/08 (H) STA, JUD 01/31/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 01/31/08 (H) Heard & Held 01/31/08 (H) MINUTE(STA) 02/14/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 BILL: HB 293 SHORT TITLE: LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TO BE IN ANCHORAGE SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MEYER, LYNN, NEUMAN, STOLTZE 01/04/08 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/4/08 01/15/08 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/15/08 (H) STA, FIN 01/24/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 01/24/08 (H) 01/29/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 01/29/08 (H) Heard & Held 01/29/08 (H) MINUTE(STA) 02/14/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 WITNESS REGISTER MIKE PAWLOWSKI, Staff Representative Kevin Meyer Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Reviewed HCR 12 on behalf of Representative Meyer, prime sponsor; highlighted aspects of HB 293 on behalf of Representative Meyer, prime sponsor. ACTION NARRATIVE CHAIR BOB LYNN called the House State Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:11:15 AM. Representatives Roses, Coghill, Johnson, Gruenberg, Doll, and Lynn were present at the call to order. HCR 12-AMEND UNIFORM RULES: ABSTAIN FROM VOTING [Contains mention of HCR 16, HCR 18, HCR 19, HB 309, SCR 12, and SB 203.] 8:11:45 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business was HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 12, Proposing an amendment to the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature relating to abstention from voting. 8:13:05 AM MIKE PAWLOWSKI, Staff, Representative Kevin Meyer, reviewed HCR 12 on behalf of Representative Meyer, prime sponsor. He said the proposed legislation would "govern the procedure through which a member can abstain from a vote." He modeled the procedure after the one followed by the Anchorage Assembly, in which the majority votes on whether or not a member who has declared a conflict should be allowed to abstain from voting. He said the legislation attempts to create a balance between protecting a legislator who has a conflict of interest with upholding the rights of that legislator's constituents to be represented. 8:14:26 AM REPRESENTATIVE ROSES noted that there are other similar pieces of legislation and that the chair had mentioned to him that he may form a subcommittee to consolidate the various bills into one. 8:16:51 AM CHAIR LYNN confirmed that there are six pieces of legislation, including HCR 12. He appointed Representatives Gruenberg, Roses, and Johnson to the subcommittee. REPRESENTATIVE ROSES said although he would be happy to serve, he would like to give the chance to Representative Johansen. CHAIR LYNN replaced Representative Roses' name with Representative Johansen's. He assigned Representative Johansen as chair and Representative Johnson as vice chair. He asked that the subcommittee work expeditiously. 8:19:29 AM CHAIR LYNN specified that he wished the subcommittee to consider HCR 12 alongside: HCR 16, HCR 18, HCR 19, HB 309, SCR 12, and SB 203. REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL suggested that all the sponsors of the aforementioned bills be contacted. 8:20:31 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he spoke with Tamara Cook, the director of Legislative Legal Services, about these issues and would like her included in the discussion. 8:21:07 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that HCR 12 was heard and held. HB 293-LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TO BE IN ANCHORAGE 8:21:42 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the last order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 293, "An Act relating to the location of the convening of the legislature in session and to the relocation of functions of state government; and providing for an effective date." 8:22:15 AM MIKE PAWLOWSKI, Staff, Representative Kevin Meyer, Alaska State Legislature, highlighted aspects of HB 293 on behalf of Representative Meyer, prime sponsor. He stated that "the real meat and substance of the bill" is in Section 3, where HB 293 proposes that the legislature "shall convene in the Municipality  of Anchorage at a location designated by the Alaska Legislative  Council". He noted that all references to the capital need to be "changed appropriately." He directed attention to page 11, Section 17, which proposes that the effective date of the bill be January 1, 2010. Section 16, he noted, proposes a repeal of AS 44.06.050-060, which he said is the language of the Fiscally Responsible Alaskans Needing Knowledge (FRANK) Initiative [of 1994]. Mr. Pawlowski said the repeal of the initiative assumes that over the next two years "there will be a thorough public process with the legislature" as it works through Legislative Council and open committee meetings to decide where to work and in which facilities. Mr. Pawlowski remarked that Sections 10 and 11, regarding AS 24.50.010 and AS 24.50.040, respectively, relate to the legislature's ability to host students and the requirement of each legislative guest to write an essay. 8:25:09 AM CHAIR LYNN said there is a handout in the committee packet showing the results of a poll related to the bill. 8:25:31 AM REPRESENTATIVE DOLL said she finds it interesting that with the current interest shown by the public in transparency of government, the proposed bill is being introduced with a repeal of the FRANK Initiative of 1994, AS 44.06, which guarantees the public's right to know the cost related to a capital move. She remarked that at the last hearing on HB 293, there were many people who testified in opposition to the bill. She said she also finds it interesting that no one called in from Anchorage to support the bill. She characterized HB 293 as a bad bill that is being introduced during a shortened, 90-day session, when everyone is working on more important issues. She stated her opposition to HB 293. 8:27:54 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he does not think the committee needs to amend statutes to be able to convene the legislature outside of Juneau for a special session. 8:29:01 AM REPRESENTATIVE ROSES moved to report HB 293 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. REPRESENTATIVE DOLL objected. A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Coghill, Johnson, Roses, and Lynn voted in favor of moving HB 293 out of committee. Representatives Gruenberg and Doll voted against it. Therefore, HB 293 was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee by a vote of 4-2. The committee took an at-ease from 8:29:52 AM to 8:31:38 AM. 8:31:41 AM CHAIR LYNN read the recommendation of each member. 8:32:11 AM [Following was discussion of the provision in HB 293 to repeal the FRANK Initiative.] 8:35:07 AM CHAIR LYNN announced the upcoming committee calendar. ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 8:36:02 AM.