1999-02-19                     Senate Journal                      Page 0310
SB 84                                                                        
Under this bill, the non-participating tobacco manufacturers will take         
responsibility for their share of the financial burden caused by their         
products by setting up escrow accounts to cover qualified claims for           
health-related concerns. The availability of the escrow money will             
better ensure a source of compensation for Alaskans while preventing           
those manufacturers from deriving large, short-term profits from sales         
in this state and then becoming judgment-proof before liability may            
arise. This bill is fair and puts all tobacco product manufacturers on         
an equal footing regarding cigarette sales in Alaska.                          
                                                                               
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this bill, as part of an            
overall solution to address this major public health concern.                  
                                                                               
					Sincerely,                                                                
					/s/                                                                       
					Tony Knowles                                                              
					Governor                                                                  
                                                                               
                        Consideration of the Calendar                        
                                                                               
                                  Citations                                  
                                                                               
Celebrating - 1999 National Engineers Week                                     
Senator(s) Leman, Phillips, Lincoln, Elton, Wilken, Tim Kelly,                 
Taylor, Adams, Pearce, Ward, Hoffman, Green                                    
                                                                               
Senator Mackie moved and asked unanimous consent that the citation             
be adopted. Without objection, the citation was adopted and referred           
to the Secretary for transmittal.                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
                             Unfinished Business                             
                                                                               
SB 42                                                                        
President Pearce added a Judiciary Committee referral to SENATE                
BILL NO. 42 An Act making corrective amendments to the Alaska                  
Statutes as recommended by the revisor of statutes; and providing for          
an effective date.                                                             
                                                                               
The bill was referred to the Judiciary and Finance Committees.