2001-02-06                     Senate Journal                      Page 0291
SB 74                                                                                             
SENATE BILL NO. 74 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                    
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                               
                                                                                                    
                    "An Act making supplemental and other                                          
          appropriations; and providing for an effective date."                                     
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                                      
                                                                                                    
Supplemental Request Summary from the Office of the Governor was                                    
attached and is on file in the Office of the Secretary of the Senate.                               
                                                                                                    
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 6:                                                     
                                                                                                    
Dear President Halford:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
I am transmitting to you today two supplemental appropriation bills                                 
for Fiscal Year 2001, including this one which I urge you to put on a                               
"fast track" for final action as early in March as possible. The                                    
legislature and public are already familiar with the Special Olympics                               
and gas line projects in this "fast track" bill, but several other issues                           
also need attention sooner than the regular supplemental schedule                                   
allows.                                                                                             
                                                                                                    
In my State of the State/State of the Budget speech, I proposed that we                             
join together to quickly provide $500,000 toward the success of an                                  
extraordinary event that will take place in Anchorage early next                                    
month. The organizers of the Special Olympics World Winter Games                                    
have garnered tremendous financial and in-kind support to bring                                     
athletes and their families to Alaska from all over the world, but they                             
need our help now to complete the funding for lodging and other basic                               
expenses.                                                                                           
                                                                                                    
We also need early supplemental action so state agencies can proceed                                
quickly with intensive preparations to receive an application for                                   
construction of the natural gas pipeline. As an example, the                                        
Departments of Fish and Game and Environmental Conservation will                                    
not be able to conduct a full field season this year unless they receive                            
the  necessary  funds  in  time to  hire  staff  and  make  other  financial                        
                                                                                                    

2001-02-06                     Senate Journal                      Page 0292
commitments. With an appropriation of $1.96 million in March, we                                    
could intensify the overall gas line effort considerably and avoid a full                           
year's delay on the necessary field work.                                                           
                                                                                                    
Approval of this bill in March would make it possible to begin several                              
transportation and fisheries research projects this summer. It would                                
also ensure timely debt service payments and uninterrupted processing                               
of Medicaid payments. These and other timing issues are described in                                
the backup materials.                                                                               
                                                                                                    
       Sincerely,                                                                                   
       /s/                                                                                          
       Tony Knowles                                                                                 
       Governor