00 CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 298(TRA)
01 "An Act establishing the Alaska Marine Transportation Advisory Board and setting out
02 its powers and duties; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective
03 date."
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
05 * Section 1. AS 19.65.011 is amended to read:
06 Sec. 19.65.011. Comprehensive long-range plan. The Department of
07 Transportation and Public Facilities, in consultation with the Alaska Marine
08 Transportation Advisory Board, shall prepare a comprehensive long-range plan for
09 the development and improvement of the Alaska marine highway system and shall
10 revise and update the plan at least every five years. The department shall submit the
11 comprehensive long-range plan and revisions and updates of the plan to the
12 legislature.
13 * Sec. 2. AS 19.65 is amended by adding new sections to read:
14 Article 3. Alaska Marine Transportation Advisory Board.
01 Sec. 19.65.110. Alaska Marine Transportation Advisory Board. There is
02 established in the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities the Alaska
03 Marine Transportation Advisory Board.
04 Sec. 19.65.120. Board composition. (a) The board consists of 11 members
05 appointed by the governor. Each member must be a resident of the state. The board
06 shall be composed of the following members:
07 (1) one member who has a significant level of experience in the private
08 sector or local government, specializing in financing or economic development or
09 marketing, from each of the following districts:
10 (A) northern southeast Alaska, representing Haines, Juneau,
11 and Skagway;
12 (B) central southeast Alaska, representing Petersburg, Sitka,
13 and Wrangell;
14 (C) southeast Alaska, representing the cities of Angoon,
15 Hoonah, Kake, Pelican, and Tenakee Springs;
16 (D) the Prince William Sound and Kenai Peninsula areas,
17 representing the cities of Cordova, Valdez, and Whittier, the City and Borough
18 of Yakutat, and the communities of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek; and
19 (E) southwest Alaska, representing the cities of Akutan,
20 Chignik, Cold Bay, False Pass, Homer, King Cove, Kodiak, Port Lions, Sand
21 Point, Seldovia, and Unalaska, including Dutch Harbor;
22 (2) one retired marine captain, marine engineer, or licensed seaman;
23 (3) one representative, who may be retired, of a recognized union that
24 represents employees of the Alaska marine highway system;
25 (4) one business owner who has experience interacting with the Alaska
26 marine highway system;
27 (5) one travel agent or tourism specialist familiar with various Alaska
28 marine highway reservation systems available to the public; and
29 (6) two members of the public at large.
30 (b) For members being appointed under (a)(2) - (6) of this section, there shall
31 be at least one resident of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough and at least two members
01 who are residents of areas not directly served by the Alaska marine highway system.
02 (c) The members of the board shall serve staggered three-year terms. If a
03 vacancy arises on the board, the governor shall, within 30 days after the vacancy
04 arises, appoint a person to serve the balance of the unexpired term. A person appointed
05 to fill the balance of an unexpired term shall serve on the board from the date of
06 appointment until the expiration of the term.
07 (d) Board members serve at the pleasure of the governor. In addition, a
08 majority of the membership of the board may remove a member if that member misses
09 more than two meetings in a calendar year and has not been previously excused.
10 Sec. 19.65.130. Officers and quorum. The members of the board shall select
11 a chair and a vice-chair from among the members of the board each year. The vice-
12 chair presides over meetings in the absence of the chair. A majority of the members of
13 the board constitutes a quorum. A vacancy in the board does not impair the right of a
14 quorum to exercise all the powers and perform all the duties of the board.
15 Sec. 19.65.140. Meetings. The board shall meet at least four times each year.
16 Meetings may be called by the chair or by a majority of the members of the board. At
17 least one meeting each year must be attended by the board members in person, but all
18 other meetings may be conducted by teleconference. All meetings are open to the
19 public unless an executive session is called based on the criteria in AS 44.62.310(b).
20 Sec. 19.65.150. Per diem and expenses. Members of the board do not receive
21 a salary, but are entitled to per diem and travel expenses authorized for boards and
22 commissions under AS 39.20.180.
23 Sec. 19.65.160. Records. Records of the board are subject to inspection and
24 copying under AS 40.25.110.
25 Sec. 19.65.170. Legal assistance. The Department of Law shall provide all
26 legal services for the board.
27 Sec. 19.65.180. Powers, duties, and functions. (a) After the commissioner of
28 transportation and public facilities has considered one or more candidates for the
29 position of director or deputy commissioner of the Alaska marine highway system, the
30 commissioner shall confer with the board regarding that candidate or those candidates
31 before making an appointment to that position. The selection of those candidates shall
01 be without regard to political affiliation.
02 (b) The board may establish volunteer regional advisory committees. The
03 purpose of the advisory committees is to provide recommendations to the board
04 regarding concerns from the region whose members constitute the advisory
05 committee.
06 (c) The board, in cooperation with the Department of Transportation and
07 Public Facilities, shall prepare a strategic plan that includes the mission, core values,
08 objectives, initiatives, and performance goals of the Alaska marine highway system
09 and submit that plan to the department for its consideration.
10 Sec. 19.65.190. Staff. The department shall provide staff for the board.
11 Sec. 19.65.195. Definition. In AS 19.65.100 - 19.65.195, "board" means the
12 Alaska Marine Transportation Advisory Board.
13 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to
14 read:
15 INITIAL APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ALASKA MARINE
16 TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD. (a) Notwithstanding AS 19.65.120(c), added by
17 sec. 2 of this Act, and AS 39.05.055, the initially appointed members of the Alaska Marine
18 Transportation Advisory Board shall be appointed by the governor to terms as follows:
19 (1) three members shall serve one-year terms;
20 (2) three members shall serve two-year terms; and
21 (3) five members shall serve three-year terms.
22 (b) The governor may designate a member of the Marine Transportation Advisory
23 Board, created by Administrative Order No. 233, who is serving as an advisory board member
24 on the day before the effective date of this Act, as a member of the initial Alaska Marine
25 Transportation Advisory Board under (a) of this section, if the member meets the
26 requirements set by AS 19.65.120, added by sec. 2 of this Act. Nothing in this subsection
27 prevents the governor from appointing members to the board that do not serve on the Marine
28 Transportation Advisory Board as authorized by this subsection.
29 * Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).