Legislature(2005 - 2006)

2006-01-13 Senate Journal

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2006-01-13                     Senate Journal                      Page 1900
SB 236                                                                                            
SENATE BILL NO. 236 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                   
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                               
                                                                                                    
            "An Act relating to the dividend paid to the state by                                  
                 the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation; and                                       
          providing for an effective date."                                                         
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                                      
                                                                                                    
The following fiscal information was published today:                                               
 Fiscal Note No. 1, zero, Department of Revenue                                                     
                                                                                                    
Governor's transmittal letter dated January 13:                                                     
                                                                                                    
Dear President Stevens:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am                          
transmitting a bill relating to the dividend paid to the state by the                               
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation.                                                                 
                                                                                                    
As a result of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board                                          
Statement No. 34 ("GASB 34"), governmental entities no longer are                                   
allowed to report contributed capital and retained earnings on their                                
balance sheets.  In addition, the balance sheet itself has now been                                 
renamed to "Statement of Net Assets."  Under the rules of pre-GASB
34 generally accepted accounting principles, capital grants and other                               
transfers to or on behalf of the state were considered a return of capital                          
to the state and were shown as a reduction of contributed capital --                                
thus, not affecting net income.  The GASB 34 requires these same                                    
amounts to be included in net income (now called "Change in Net                                     
Assets").                                                                                           

2006-01-13                     Senate Journal                      Page 1901
The bill would permit the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation to                                     
remove those expenditures from "Change in Net Assets" before the                                    
dividend is calculated.   It further would allow the Alaska Housing                                 
Finance Corporation to remove prior years' capital appropriations from                              
"Change in Net Assets" before the dividend is calculated.                                           
                                                                                                    
The primary objective of these changes is to bring the corporation's                                
reconciliation and calculation of the dividend into compliance with                                 
GASB 34 rules.                                                                                      
                                                                                                    
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                            
                                                                                                    
Sincerely,                                                                                          
/s/                                                                                                 
Frank H. Murkowski                                                                                  
Governor