1997-05-11                     Senate Journal                      Page 1975
SB 35                                                                        
Message dated and received May 10 was read, stating:                           
                                                                               
Dear President Miller:                                                         
                                                                               
Under the authority of art. II, sec. 17, of the Alaska Constitution, I         
have allowed the following bill to become law without my signature:            
                                                                               
HOUSE CS FOR CS FOR SENATE BILL NO.                                           
35(FIN) am H                                                                   
An Act relating to management of state land,                                  
water, and land and water as part of a state park,                             
recreational or special management area, or preserve;                          
relating to reports to the legislature concerning                              
prohibitions or restrictions of traditional means of                           
access for traditional recreational uses within a park,                        
recreational or special management area, or preserve;                          
requiring legislative approval before certain land                             
managed under AS 41.21 may be closed or have                                   
access restricted; relating to Chilkat State Park.                             
                                                                               
			Chapter No. 27, SLA 1997                                                    
			Effective Date:  5/11/97                                                    
                                                                               
This bill is an imagined solution looking for a problem that does not          
exist.  The problem this bill alleges to address, the unwarranted              
closure of park areas, simply does not occur.  In fact, during the             
entire history of state park management, the Division of Parks has             
never made a closure that would be covered by this bill.  This raises          
the obvious question of the need for this legislation.                         

1997-05-11                     Senate Journal                      Page 1976
SB 35                                                                        
This bill requires yet another unnecessary report to the legislature.          
As an unfunded mandate for the Administration, this report will only           
serve to take our professional park managers away from their job of            
serving the public.                                                            
                                                                               
If anyone wonders how government grows, they could point to the                
cumulative effect of little bills like this.                                   
                                                                               
						Sincerely,                                                               
						/s/                                                                      
						Tony Knowles                                                             
						Governor                                                                 
                                                                               
The presence of Senator Ellis was noted.