MINUTES SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE May 5, 1993 1:17 p.m. TAPES SFC-93, #77, Side 1 (000-end) SFC-93, #77, Side 2 (575-end) SFC-93, #78, Side 1 (000-end) SFC-93, #78, Side 2 (575-195) CALL TO ORDER Senator Drue Pearce, Co-chair, convened the meeting at approximately 1:17 p.m. PRESENT In addition to Co-chairs Pearce and Frank, Senators Kelly, Kerttula, Rieger, and Sharp were present. Senator Jacko arrived as the meeting was in progress. ALSO ATTENDING: Senator Leman; Senator Little; Senator Miller; Representative Carney; Representative Davies; Representative Toohey; Charlie Cole, Attorney General, Dept. of Law; Bruce Botelho, Deputy Attorney General, Dept. of Law; Art Snowden, Administrative Director, Alaska Court System; Tom Koester; David Walker, Lead Attorney for Settling Plaintiffs in the Weiss case; Tom Waldo, Attorney for Public Interest Intervenors in Mental Health Litigation; Katya Kirsch, Alaska Environmental Lobby; and aides to committee members and other members of the Legislature. ALSO PARTICIPATING VIA TELECONFERENCE FROM ANCHORAGE: Cliff Eames, Alaska Center for the Environment; Peter Maassen, Marathon/Unocal; Bob Stiles, Diamond Chuitna; Lois Ann Reeder, Susitna Valley; Mary Grisco, Sierra Club; Becky Gay, Resource Development Council; Steve Borell, Alaska Miners Association; Yvonne Jacobson, Alaska Alliance for the Mentally Ill; Janice Monigold, Vice President, Board of Directors, Action for Consumers Trusting in Ourselves Now; Jim Gottstein, Attorney for Settling Plaintiffs (Traditional Mental Health Recipients); Jeff Jessee, Attorney for Mentally Retarded and Mentally Defective Beneficiaries of the Mental Health Trust. ATTENDING VIA TELECONFERENCE FROM MAT-SU: Ellen Wolf, Valley Alaska Center for the Environment. PARTICIPATING VIA TELECONFERENCE FROM FAIRBANKS: Charlie Boddy, Usibelli Coal; Marie Beaver, Northern Environmental Center. ATTENDING VIA TELECONFERENCE FROM KETCHIKAN: David Katz, Tongass Conservation Society. PARTICIPATING VIA TELECONFERENCE FROM HOMER: Larry Smith. ATTENDING VIA TELECONFERENCE FROM SOLDOTNA: Dorothy Westphal, Member, Local Mental Health Group. SUMMARY INFORMATION SB 67 - MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AMENDMENTS Lengthy teleconference was had. Testimony was presented by numerous individuals (listed above). CSSB 67 draft "U" was distributed for members' review. The bill was subsequently HELD in committee for continued discussion. SB 124 - ALASKA ENERGY AUTH POWERS & FINANCES CSSB 124 (Fin) version "J" was REPORTED OUT of committee with a new title, "do pass" recommendation, and zero fiscal note from the Dept. of Commerce and Economic Development. [Note - The bill was ultimately returned to committee from the Floor of the Senate 5-7- 93.] SENATE BILL NO. 124 An Act relating to the powers and finances of the Alaska Energy Authority; and providing for an effective date. Upon convening the meeting, Co-chair Pearce directed that SB 124 be brought on for discussion and advised that work draft CSSB 124 (8-GS1023\J, Cramer, 5/4/93) was being distributed for members' review. Senator Sharp MOVED for adoption of CSSB 124, version "J." No objection having been raised, CSSB 124 (Finance), version "J" was ADOPTED. Senator Sharp explained that CSSB 124 (Finance) provides a vehicle for establishment of a task force to evaluate regimented phase out of the Alaska Energy Authority. The Senator noted complications associated with phase out due to bonding requirements. Task force work would be accomplished during the interim between May and December. Senator Kerttula noted the absence of minority representation on the task force. Senator Sharp advised that he would have no problem accommodating a minority member. Senator Frank suggested that the Senate President and the Speaker of the House each appoint two members to the task force. That would provide opportunity to for minority participation. Senator Sharp suggested that the following amendment be prepared for offering on the floor of the Senate: Page 2, Line 7 Delete existing subsection (3) and replace with the following: (3) two members of the House of Representative and two members of the Senate selected by appropriate president officers, one of each body being of the minority. Senator Kerttula concurred in the foregoing. Co-chair Pearce queried members regarding disposition of the bill. Senator Sharp MOVED that CSSB 124 (Finance) pass from committee with individual recommendations. Co-chair Pearce asked if the task force would operate without fiscal impact. Senator Sharp voiced his understanding that the legislative budget would bear a portion of the cost and that utilities would provide their own funding. Co-chair Pearce suggested that bill language allow the commissioner of commerce and economic development and the commissioner of community and regional affairs to appoint designees to the task force but noted that that change could also be made on the floor of the Senate. No objection to passage of CSSB 124 (Finance) having been raised, it was REPORTED OUT of committee with a new title, and a zero fiscal note from the Dept. of Commerce and Economic Development. Co-chairs Pearce and Frank and Senators Kelly and Sharp signed the committee report with a "do pass" recommendation. Senators Kerttula and Rieger signed "no rec." Senator Jacko was absent and did not sign. [NOTE - CSSB 124 (Finance) was returned to committee from the floor of the Senate on May 7, 1993.] SENATE BILL NO. 67 An Act amending provisions of ch. 66, SLA 1991, that relate to reconstitution of the corpus of the mental health trust, the management of trust assets, and to the manner of enforcement of the obligation to compensate the trust; and providing for an effective date. Co-chair Pearce directed that SB 67 be brought on for discussion and distributed a work draft CSSB 67, version "U" (8-LS0409\U, Chenoweth, 5/5/93) for committee review. She further advised of a statewide teleconference hook up. [A transcript of testimony on SB 67 was prepared by the Dept. of Law. A copy is on file in the Senate Finance Committee minute book. A copy of the transcript and tapes of the meeting may be obtained from the office of the committee secretary, Room 520, State Capitol Building, Juneau, Alaska (465-2618), or by contacting the Legislative Finance Division, P. O. Box 113200, Juneau, Alaska 99811- 3200, (465-3795).] ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:10 p.m.