2004-02-16                     House Journal                      Page 2593
HB 455                                                                                            
HOUSE BILL NO. 455 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                       
the Governor, entitled:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
     "An Act making supplemental and other appropriations; amending                                 
     appropriations; making an appropriation to capitalize a fund; and                              
     providing for an effective date."                                                              
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                                      
                                                                                                    
The Governor's transmittal letter dated February 9, 2004, follows:                                  
                                                                                                    
"Dear Speaker Kott:                                                                                 
                                                                                                    
Today I am transmitting two supplemental appropriation bills for                                    
Fiscal Year 2004.  This bill, sometimes referred to as the "fast track"                             

2004-02-16                     House Journal                      Page 2594
supplemental bill, includes items that have particularly tight time                                 
requirements that are not accommodated by the usual passage of                                      
supplemental appropriations later in the spring.                                                    
                                                                                                    
The "fast track" supplemental totals $4.1 million in general funds.  Our                            
management goal was to include requests for circumstances that were                                 
not within the departments' control or were unanticipated when the FY                               
2004 budget was finalized, such as reimbursement of the information                                 
services fund due to the ACS settlement, federal requirements per the                               
Help America Vote Act, and an expedited timeframe for the state                                     
veterans' home conversion in Palmer.                                                                
                                                                                                    
In addition, we are requesting federal funds of $93.4 million for the                               
veterans' home conversion in Palmer, to implement the federal                                       
contract for the Adak air facility, and for federal project earmarks in                             
the transportation bill (along with the projects' match requirement) that                           
must be obligated before September 30, 2004.                                                        
                                                                                                    
I request that you put this bill on a "fast track" for final action in early                        
March.                                                                                              
                                                                                                    
                                Sincerely yours,                                                    
                                /s/                                                                 
                                Frank H. Murkowski                                                  
                                 Governor"