ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE  January 28, 2003 1:35 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Con Bunde, Chair Senator Alan Austerman Senator Ralph Seekins Senator Bettye Davis Senator Hollis French MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR Department of Labor and Workforce Development Overview TAPES  03-01, SIDE(S) A & B [SENATE L&C TAPE] CHAIR CON BUNDE convened the meeting of the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee at 1:35 p.m. Present were Senators Alan Austerman, Ralph Seekins, Bettye Davis, Hollis French and Chair Con Bunde. SUMMARY OF INFORMATION    COMMISSIONER GREG O'CLARAY, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, introduced some of his departmental directors and briefly explained how the department was fulfilling its mission to "foster and promote the welfare of the wage earners of the state, improve their working conditions and advance their opportunities for profitable employment" through the Workforce Investment Act. He described a new division that would enhance the department's relationship with the state's private employers by getting Alaskan youth into the workforce and keeping them in Alaska, and a retraining program for fishermen who are getting out of the industry. MS. HALI DENTON, Acting Director, Division of Labor Standards and Safety, said that Alaska's safety standards are highly regarded. He then answered questions about funding and the recent Governor's Safety Conference in Anchorage. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER ED FISHER commented on a program to assist the timber industry that had the support of the Alaska Forest Association and answered questions about state unemployment statistics.   ANNOUNCEMENTS    No announcements were made. COMMITTEE ACTION  No actions were taken. ADJOURNMENT  NOTE: The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the Senate Records Office at State Capitol, Room 3, Juneau, Alaska 99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2870, and after adjournment of the second session of the 23rd Alaska State Legislature this information may be obtained by contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.