2010-07-09                     Senate Journal                      Page 2614
SB 117                                                                                                                        
Message dated June 29 was received, stating:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Stevens:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority vested in me by Art. II, Sec. 17, of the Alaska                                                             
Constitution, I am allowing the following bill to become law without                                                            
my signature [and am transmitting the engrossed and enrolled copies                                                             
to the Lieutenant Governor's Office for permanent filing]:                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
         HOUSE CS FOR CS FOR SENATE BILL NO.                                                                                    
         117(L&C) "An Act requiring the Department of                                                                           
         Revenue to set the minimum price for cigarettes for                                                                    
         sale by wholesalers and retailers; and prohibiting a                                                                   

2010-07-09                     Senate Journal                      Page 2615
         wholesaler or retailer from selling at wholesale or                                                                    
         retail cigarettes at a lower price than the price set by                                                               
         the Department of Revenue."                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                           Chapter 114, SLA 2010                                                                               
                          Effective Date: 9/28/10                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Committee testimony indicated that state law currently sets minimum                                                             
prices on cigarettes, but not on any other commodity. This legislation                                                          
follows that same philosophical construct of government setting prices                                                          
in the private sector market. I do not believe it is the government's role                                                      
to set minimum prices on market commodities.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Because this legislation requires me to choose from two options,                                                                
neither of which reflect my underlying free market principles, I look to                                                        
which outcome is least burdensome on Alaskans. HCS CSSB
(L&C) appears to be an improvement over current law in this                                                                  
respect because it removes a layer of administrative burden on private                                                          
sector businesses and seeks to provide some certainty.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
For these reasons, I have allowed this bill to become law without my                                                            
signature.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Sean Parnell                                                                                                                    
Governor