1994-03-11                     House Journal                      Page 2728
HB 531                                                                       
HOUSE BILL NO. 531 by the House 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 Committee.           
                                                                               
The following fiscal notes apply:                                              
                                                                               
Zero fiscal notes (2), Dept. of Commerce & Economic Development,               
3/11/94                                                                        
Zero fiscal notes (2), Dept. of Education, 3/11/94                             
Zero fiscal note, Dept. of Community & Regional Affairs, 3/11/94               
Zero fiscal note, Dept. of Corrections, 3/11/94                                
Zero fiscal note, Dept. of Natural Resources, 3/11/94                          

1994-03-11                     House Journal                      Page 2729
HB 531                                                                       
The Governor's transmittal letter, dated March 11, 1994, appears               
below:                                                                         
                                                                               
                                                                               
"Dear Speaker Barnes:                                                          
                                                                               
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 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.                                                      

1994-03-11                     House Journal                      Page 2730
HB 531                                                                       
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"