03/16/2011 03:24 PM House L&C

         HB 24-EXTEND REGULATORY COMM. OF ALASKA SUNSET                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:24:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OLSON announced  that the first order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 24, "An Act  extending the termination date of the                                                               
Regulatory Commission  of Alaska; and providing  for an effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:25:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSON moved  to  adopt  the proposed  committee                                                               
substitute (CS) for HB 24,  labeled 27-LS0173\M, Kane, 3/10/11 as                                                               
the working document. [Version M was before the committee.]                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:25:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KONRAD JACKSON,  Staff, Representative  Kurt Olson,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  on  behalf  of Representative  Kurt  Olson,  Chair,                                                               
House  Labor  &  Commerce  Committee, explained  the  changes  in                                                               
Version  M.     He  stated  that  Version  M   would  extend  the                                                               
termination date of the Regulatory  Commission of Alaska (RCA) to                                                               
2019.  This  date was recommended by the  Division of Legislative                                                               
Audit.   He reported that as  members are aware, the  Division of                                                               
Legislative Audit reviews agencies'  activities and processes and                                                               
determines whether  the agency is  acting in accordance  with the                                                               
legislature's  wishes, and  if it  should be  reestablished.   He                                                               
pointed  out that  a copy  of the  summary and  full audit  is in                                                               
members'  packets   with  the  determination  that   the  RCA  is                                                               
fulfilling a  public need  and is  continuing to  serve Alaskans.                                                               
The Legislative  Budget & Audit  report recommends  extending the                                                               
commission for  an additional eight years  after recognizing that                                                               
the  RCA has  been  making efforts  to address  any  issues.   He                                                               
reiterated  that the  RCA is  serving  a public  purpose and  has                                                               
demonstrated  an  effort to  resolve  issues  brought forward  by                                                               
prior  audits.   He  passed  out  an  updated fiscal  note  which                                                               
corresponded to Version M.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:28:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHIE  WASSERMAN, Executive  Director,  Alaska Municipal  League                                                               
(AML), stated  that the AML  has found especially  with utilities                                                               
run  by  municipalities  the  RCA can  be  helpful  in  assisting                                                               
utilities and  providing protection for customers.   She recalled                                                               
her  positive experience  in Pelican,  which was  under the  RCA.                                                               
She stated that the AML supports extending the RCA.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:30:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  OLSON,  after first  determining  no  one else  wished  to                                                               
testify, closed public testimony on HB 24.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSON moved  to report  the proposed  committee                                                               
substitute  (CS) for  HB 24,  Version  M, out  of committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being no objection, the  CSHB 24(L&C) was reported from the                                                               
House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.