00                  SENATE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 309(RLS)                                                                 
01 "An Act relating to the procedure for confirmation of the governor's appointments;                                      
02 relating to the board of the Mental Health Trust Authority; and providing for an                                        
03 effective date."                                                                                                        
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
05    * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                          
06 to read:                                                                                                                
07       TIME FOR CONFIRMING GOVERNOR APPOINTMENTS. (a) Notwithstanding                                                    
08 AS 39.05.080, for appointments presented by the governor during the Second Regular Session                              
09 of the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature,                                                                           
10            (1)  the legislature shall, in joint session assembled, act on the appointments at                           
11 any time by confirming or declining to confirm the appointments by a majority vote of all of                            
12 the members on the appointments presented; and                                                                          
13            (2)  if the legislature does not act to confirm or decline to confirm an                                     
14 appointment, the failure of the legislature to act to confirm or decline to confirm an                                  

01 appointment presented is not tantamount to a declination of confirmation on the day the                                 
02 Second Regular Session of the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature adjourns.                                           
03       (b)  The failure of the legislature to act to confirm or decline to confirm an                                    
04 appointment presented by the governor during the Second Regular Session of the Thirty-First                             
05 Alaska State Legislature will be tantamount to a declination of confirmation, on the earlier of                         
06            (1)  January 18, 2021; or                                                                                    
07            (2)  30 days after                                                                                           
08                 (A)  expiration of the declaration of a public health disaster emergency                                
09       issued by the governor on March 11, 2020; or                                                                      
10 (B)  issuance of a proclamation that the public health disaster                                                         
11 emergency identified in the declaration issued by the governor on March 11, 2020, no                                    
12       longer exists.                                                                                                    
13 (c)  Notwithstanding AS 47.30.021(a), a member of the board of the Alaska Mental                                        
14 Health Trust Authority whose term expires March 1, 2020, may not continue to serve until a                              
15 successor is confirmed. A person appointed to the board of the Alaska Mental Health Trust                               
16 Authority and presented to the legislature by the governor during the Second Regular Session                            
17 of the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature shall serve as successor to a member whose                                 
18 appointment expired on March 1, 2020, and exercise the functions, have the powers, and be                               
19 charged with the duties prescribed by law for the appointment pending confirmation or                                   
20 declination under (a) or (b) of this section.                                                                           
21 (d)  If, after the Second Regular Session of the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature                                  
22 adjourns, a person whose appointment is still awaiting confirmation or declination of                                   
23 confirmation resigns that person's appointment, or the position or membership of that person                            
24 becomes vacant for any reason other than the expiration of the person's term of office, the                             
25 governor may not appoint that person to the same position or membership until the First                                 
26 Regular Session of the Thirty-Second Alaska State Legislature convenes.                                                 
27    * Sec. 2. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).