1994-03-14                     Senate Journal                      Page 3195
SB 358                                                                       
SENATE BILL NO. 358 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                              
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                          
                                                                               
"An Act relating to the existence and functions of                            
certain multimember state bodies, including boards,                            
councils, commissions, associations, or authorities;                           
and providing for an effective date."                                          
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs, Labor and           
Commerce and Finance Committees.                                               
                                                                               
Zero fiscal notes published today from Department of Education (2),            
Department of Community and Regional Affairs, Department of                    
Corrections, Department of Natural Resources, Department of                    
Commerce and Economic Development (2).                                         
                                                                               
Governor's transmittal letter dated March 11:                                  
                                                                               
Dear Mr. President:                                                            
                                                                               
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution,          
I am transmitting a bill relating to the existence and functions of            
certain multimember state bodies, including boards, councils,                  
commissions, associations, or authorities.                                     
                                                                               
The bill contains several proposals recommended by my                          
Administration to eliminate certain multimember state bodies,                  
including the milk advisory board, the Alaska School Activities                
Association, the Steering Council for Alaska Lands, the Rural Affairs          
                                                                               
                                                                               

1994-03-14                     Senate Journal                      Page 3196
SB 358                                                                       
Commission, the Governor's Commission on the Involvement of                    
Young People in Government, the Yukon-Taiya Commission, and the                
environmental advisory board.  Several of these bodies have not                
been funded by the legislature, have not met in a number of years,             
or do not have members appointed.  Also, the State Museum                      
Collections Advisory Committee is proposed for deletion as an                  
efficiency measure.  The functions of the committee to oversee                 
collection acquisitions can be adequately handled by Department of             
Education staff.  It is good public policy to delete references to             
these bodies in the statutes since they are, in essence, not                   
functioning bodies or their duties can be absorbed by other state              
agencies as a cost-saving or efficiency measure.                               
                                                                               
The bill additionally clarifies the parole board's authority to delegate       
to a single member of the board the authority to establish special             
conditions of mandatory parole.  This will expressly authorize the             
parole board to continue its longstanding past practice of not noticing        
and convening a full board meeting to save costs of operation of the           
parole system.                                                                 
                                                                               
Finally, the bill amends the Alaska Labor Relations Agency's                   
authority to select arbitrators in railroad labor relations cases.  The        
bill sets out the role of the agency in designating arbitrators.  This         
clarification should make the appointment process easier and more              
cost effective for the agency to administer.                                   
                                                                               
This bill represents a step forward in eliminating certain                     
multimember state bodies as an efficiency measure or to reduce the             
size or costs of state government.                                             
                                                                               
I urge your support of this important bill.                                    
                                                                               
                                                                               
						Sincerely,                                                               
						/s/                                                                      
						Walter J. Hickel                                                         
						Governor