ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
   SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON WORLD TRADE AND STATE/FEDERAL                                                                  
                           RELATIONS                                                                                          
                          May 15, 2003                                                                                          
                           9:50 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator John Cowdery, Chair                                                                                                     
Senator Gene Therriault                                                                                                         
Senator Gretchen Guess                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ralph Seekins                                                                                                           
Senator Donny Olson                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 28 am                                                                                                
Urging  the United  States Congress  to support  the granting  of                                                               
official Observer  Status to the  Republic of China at  the World                                                               
Health  Assembly   Annual  Conference  to  be   held  at  Geneva,                                                               
Switzerland, in  May 2003, and  to support negotiation of  a free                                                               
trade agreement with the Republic of China.                                                                                     
     MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS ACTION                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
HJR 28 - No previous action to record.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Helen Bedder                                                                                                                
Aide to Representative Heinze                                                                                                   
Alaska State Capitol                                                                                                            
Juneau, AK  99801-1182                                                                                                          
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified for the sponsor of HJR 28                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 03-2, SIDE A                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JOHN COWDERY  called the Senate Special  Committee on World                                                             
Trade and State/Federal  Relations meeting to order  at 9:50 p.m.                                                               
Senators Therriault, Guess and Chair  Cowdery were present at the                                                               
call to order. The committee took up HJR 28.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
         HJR 28-TAIWAN:  TRADE & WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS.  HELEN BEDDER,  aide to  Representative  Cheryl Heinze,  told                                                               
members that  HJR 28  urges Congress to  support the  granting of                                                               
official observer  status to  the Republic  of China  (Taiwan) at                                                               
the   World  Health   Assembly  annual   conference  in   Geneva,                                                               
Switzerland this  month. HJR  28 also  urges Congress  to support                                                               
the negotiation  of a free  trade agreement with the  Republic of                                                               
China.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BEDDER  pointed  out this  resolution  also  authorizes  the                                                               
Alaska Legislature to encourage Congress  to endorse a request by                                                               
the  Republic of  China  to  be granted  observer  status at  the                                                               
annual conference.  It further authorizes the  Alaska Legislature                                                               
to  urge  Congress  to  encourage   the  Bush  Administration  to                                                               
negotiate a free trade agreement  with the Republic of China. She                                                               
informed members HJR 28 has a zero fiscal note.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COWDERY mentioned  the  State  of Alaska  has  had a  good                                                               
working  relationship  with  Taiwan  and  has  a  state  employee                                                               
working there.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GUESS  moved  to  pass  HJR 28  out  of  committee  with                                                               
individual recommendations and its attached fiscal note(s).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COWDERY  noted that without objection,  the motion carried.                                                               
He then adjourned the meeting at 9:52 p.m.