ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL   JUNE 25, 2019  2:00 PM   MEMBERS PRESENT  Senator Gary Stevens, Chair  Representative Louise Stutes, Vice Chair  Senator John Coghill  Senator Bert Stedman  Representative Bryce Edgmon  Representative Neal Foster  Representative DeLena Johnson  Representative Steve Thompson  Representative Tammie Wilson      MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Mia Costello  Senator Cathy Giessel  Senator Lyman Hoffman  Senator Natasha von Imhof  Representative Chuck Kopp      OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT      AGENDA  APPROVAL OF MINUTES  COMMITTEE BUSINESS  CONTRACT APPROVALS      SPEAKER REGISTER  Jessica Geary, Executive Director, Legislative Affairs Agency (LAA)  Tim Powers, Information and Teleconference Manager, LAA  Tim Banaszak, Information Technology Manager, LAA      2:03:11 PM    I. Call to Order    CHAIR STEVENS called the Legislative Council meeting to order at  2:03pm in the Anchorage Legislative Information Office (LIO)  Large Conference Room. Present at the call were: Senators  Coghill, Stedman, Stevens; Representatives Edgmon, Foster,  Johnson, Stutes, Thompson, Wilson. Senators Costello, Giessel,  Hoffman, von Imhof and Representative Kopp were absent.    9 members present.      II. Approval of Minutes    a. May 6, 2019     2:04:38 PM  VICE-CHAIR STUTES moved and asked unanimous consent that  Legislative Council approve the minutes dated May 6, 2019, as  presented.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were corrections or additions to  those minutes. Seeing none, the minutes are approved.      III. Committee Business    a. LIO Hours of Operation     2:04:56 PM  VICE-CHAIR STUTES moved that Legislative Council return all  year-round Legislative Information Offices (LIOs) to full-time  operation during the interim.    CHAIR STEVENS objected for purpose of discussion and asked Tim  Powers to give a brief explanation and history of this request.    TIM POWERS, Manager of Information and Teleconference for the  Legislative Affairs Agency, said he wanted to provide the  Committee some background on the LIO's operations and some cuts  that have occurred over the past few fiscal years.    Mr. Powers shared that in FY16, the LIO budget was reduced by  $358,700 which resulted in the following changes: reduced the  Utqiagvik and Kotzebue offices from twelve to six month  operation; reduced the Fairbanks and Mat-Su office Information  Assistant positions from twelve to six months; reduced eight  Juneau moderator positions from five to four months; and the  casual labor pool was reduced.    In FY17, the LIOs were further reduced by $298,000. Legislative  Council moved that all year-round LIOs close at noon on Fridays  during the interim. This was compared to the Court System half  day Friday closure, in which the entire Court System closes, not  just one section. In practice, this has proved impractical and  confusing for the public, legislators, and staff wanting a  teleconference on Friday afternoons. With this cut, they reduced  17 employees from 12 months to 11.3 months, resulting in a 6.1%  reduction in annual salary.    This reduction resulted in several issues, including morale and  employee retention. Short term effects included reduced  paychecks and leave accrual, while long term it affected  employee retirement. There were many long-time employees nearing  retirement whose salaries were reduced equivalent to two steps  or four years of work in longevity, which set back their  retirement.    Since the cuts began, LIOs lost Information Officers in  Utqiagvik, Cordova, Glennallen, Kenai, Kotzebue, Sitka,  Unalaska, Valdez (twice); Administrative Assistants in Juneau  and Anchorage; and two Information Assistants in Anchorage.  Employee turnover has increased drastically from eight  resignations in the nine years before the cuts, to 15  resignations in the four years since.    Mr. Powers said he has continued to exercise fiscal restraint  and lower overall costs, for example: turned off cellular data  (wifi back up) for the committee iPads for $10,000 annual  savings; upgraded the digital teleconference phone circuits  which reduced the teleconference operating costs $17,680  annually; turned on geographic call blocking which prevents  callers from using long distance when a local number is  available for $12,000-$24,000 annual savings. Costs have also  been reduced by printing both the Pocket Directory and the  Directory of State Officials in-house (22 and 25 per copy  respectively) with added flexibility in print quantity and  timeframe.    He said he is still looking for ways to save money and actually  lapsed $226,000 in FY16; $35,000 in FY17; $190,000 in FY18; and  approximately $200,000 in FY19.    He would like to restore the LIOs hours of operation to full  time and has money in the current budget to allow for that. He  would like to have LIOs open 37.5 hours per week, like every  other section in the Agency, to continue to assist the  Legislature.    CHAIR STEVENS thanked Mr. Powers and asked what the benefits to  the public are in taking this action.    MR. POWERS replied that the LIO functions as a contact for the  public to help them better understand the often complex  Legislative process.    To that end, in 2017, he implemented an online chat service on  the Legislature's website where the public can instantly connect  with an LIO information officer. Each year since, there have  been approximately 2000 contacts through this service.    Having the LIOS work full time would make them available to the  public every weekday, including Friday afternoons, to answer  legislative questions and/or arrange meetings.    VICE-CHAIR STUTES said she noticed this motion was for full time  only during the interim and asked Mr. Powers if he anticipated  going back to part time when the Legislature is in session?    MR. POWERS asked if she was referring to the session only LIOs.    VICE-CHAIR STUTES responded yes.    MR. POWERS replied that session only LIOs do still operate six  months per year, traditionally December through May, and could  possibly be open for special sessions. This action would not  impact any of those six month positions.    VICE-CHAIR STUTES requested additional clarification and read  the motion, "to return all year-round LIOs to full-time  operation during the interim." She asked if they were at full  time operation during session.    MR. POWERS replied yes, the LIOs do operate full time during  session.    VICE-CHAIR STUTES asked about the loss of 15-16 jobs and if  those were resignations from people quitting or retiring.    MR. POWERS replied three of the positions were due to  retirement.    CHAIR STEVENS said there has been discussion about impact to the  public, will you please discuss the impact to legislators. Is it  correct that currently there can be no committee meetings on  Friday afternoons?    MR. POWERS replied that this Friday, it would be possible. Since  there was such a short time between the first and second special  sessions, LIO staff currently work the session schedule. Upon  adjournment of the second special session, LIO staff will return  to the interim schedule and close LIOs on Friday afternoons unless this motion passes.    REPRESENTATIVE WILSON noted that Mr. Powers said he already had  money in the budget, so was his budget increased this year?    MR. POWERS responded that his budget was flat, not increased.    REPRESENTATIVE WILSON said it sounded like this would be a cost  increase of around $298,000, and wants to understand how that  money is in the LIO budget if it was flat and there was no money  in the interim before.    MR. POWERS said he was citing the lapsed fundsmoney achieved  through cost saving measures and not spent. He anticipated  lapsing approximately $200,000 this year and the cost of this  motion is approximately $107,000.    REPRESENTATIVE WILSON asked to confirm, this action will cost  approximately $107,000?    MR. POWERS replied yes, that will be the increased employee  expenses.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were further comments or questions.  He continued that his biggest concern is that when LIO staff are  not present on Friday afternoons, partisan staff must take care  of any issues as people walk in and ask questions, instead of  focusing on their work. He asked Ms. Geary for her comments or  recommendations on this motion.    JESSICA GEARY, Executive Director, Legislative Affairs Agency,  responded that this is something that has needed to happen. As  Mr. Powers mentioned, there have been severe morale issues; this  is a matter of fairness since the rest of the Agency remains  open and continues to work and be paid for a full day Friday.  Mr. Powers has done a phenomenal job decreasing costs and  finding efficiencies. Having LIO staff work full time, like the  rest of the agency, is an excellent use of the budget.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were comments or questions. Seeing  none, he requested a roll call vote.    A roll call vote was taken.    YEAS: Senators Coghill, Stedman, Stevens; Representatives Edgmon,  Foster, Johnson, Stutes, Thompson.    NAYS: Wilson    The motion passed 8-1.      IV. Contract Approvals    a. FY20 Annual Hardware Refresh    2:20:58 PM  VICE-CHAIR STUTES moved that Legislative Council approve the  FY20 hardware refresh expenditure of $149,836 out of existing  capital funds.    CHAIR STEVENS objected for purposes of discussion and asked Tim  Banaszak to please provide a brief explanation of this request.    TIM BANASZAK, Manager, Information Technology, said on behalf of  the Legislative Council's IT Subcommittee, he offered the  following FY20 hardware end-of-life equipment replacement  recommendations for consideration: 21 laptop workstations that  replace models dating back to 2011/12; 35 tiny workstations; 20  color printers that replace models dating back to 2011/12; and  38 monitors. The total estimated cost is $149,836.    This is consistent with the Three Year Technology Plan and is  based on a five year or older equipment replacement cycle to  manage upkeep costs, maintain reasonable performance, address  obsolescence, and manage security risks to an acceptable level.    The IT Subcommittee technology recommendations are also: first,  integrating with hardware used in the mobile workstation  initiative that eliminates computer equipment being shipped  between district and session offices twice a year; second, it  applies a phased approach to standardizing one color laser  printer for each office, reducing the maintenance and toner  costs; and third, it is cost efficient, leveraging government  contract volume discount pricing that all three branches of  government use to leverage buying power.    Mr. Banaszak said he is happy to answer any questions.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were questions. Seeing none, he  requested a roll call vote.    A roll call vote was taken.    YEAS: Senators Coghill, Stedman, Stevens; Representatives Edgmon,  Foster, Johnson, Stutes, Thompson, Wilson.    NAYS: None    The motion passed 9-0.      b. Governor Egan Bust    2:24:48 PM  VICE-CHAIR STUTES moved that Legislative Council award a  contract to artist Roy Peratrovich to commission a bronze  sculpture of Governor Bill Egan in the amount of $19,000.    CHAIR STEVENS objected for purposes of discussion. He noted that  Council appointed the Capitol Art Subcommittee which met on May  11, 2019, reviewed the proposals, and selected Mr. Peratrovich  as the artist. Senator Coghill brought this issue to the Council  and has been working on it for some time. Chair Stevens asked  Senator Coghill to please discuss the project.    SENATOR COGHILL said in dealing with the sixtieth anniversary of  the Legislature, he considered how to commemorate it and honor  one of Alaska's first Governors. Bill Egan came to mind, so  Senator Coghill spoke with Governor Egan's son, former Senator  Dennis Egan, and requested permission to propose placing a bust  of Governor Egan in the Capitol foyer. Senator Egan agreed, so  Senator Coghill made the proposal to the Council and Rules  Chairs.    Senator Coghill found that both Eagle Bronzing in Wyoming and  Roy Peratrovichwho produced the bust in the Capitol of his  mothercould create this piece. Mr. Peratrovich's bid was lower  than Eagle Bronzing, and a new, less experienced sculptor could  create it for slightly less than Mr. Peratrovich. Senator  Coghill advocated for Mr. Peratrovich because of his experience  and historical context, and noted he is becoming physically  infirm so this may be one of his last sculptures. This is a fine  way to honor the Chairman of the constitutional convention and  first Governor. Due to the recent passing of his father, Senator  Coghill expressed that he became quite sentimental about this  project.    CHAIR STEVENS asked Senator Coghill to please speak to the  historical context and Mr. Peratrovich's background so everyone  is aware.    SENATOR COGHILL responded that Mr. Peratrovich's mother was a  historic civil rights activist, his father was in the  Constitutional Convention, he has sculpted many pieces including  one in the Capitol of his mother. He is a fine Alaskan and it  would bring historical value to his sculpture due to the  artistry, and the artist. Mr. Peratrovich has had many firsts including being the first Alaska Native civil engineer licensed  in the stateand brings a deep history.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were any questions and thanked  Senator Coghill for making this project a reality. Seeing no  questions, he requested a roll call vote.    A roll call vote was taken.    YEAS: Senators Coghill, Stedman, Stevens; Representatives Edgmon,  Foster, Johnson, Stutes, Thompson, Wilson.    NAYS: None    The motion passed 9-0.      V. Adjourn    CHAIR STEVENS said if there is no further business to come  before the Council, we are adjourned.     2:29:36 PM