Legislature(2025 - 2026)GRUENBERG 120
03/11/2025 03:15 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB91 | |
| HB30 | |
| HB119 | |
| HB43 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 91 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 43 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 104 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 119 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 30 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 30-OFFICE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
4:24:05 PM
CHAIR CARRICK announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 30, "An Act establishing the office of
entrepreneurship; relating to new businesses in the state;
relating to reports concerning procurements by agencies; and
relating to initial business license fees for new businesses in
the state."
4:24:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 30, Version 34-LS0320\I, Gunther, 3/5/25,
as a working document.
4:25:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE objected.
4:25:28 PM
STUART RELAY, Staff, Representative Ashley Carrick, Alaska State
Legislature, presented the summary of changes in the proposed
committee substitute, Version I, for HB 30 [included in the
committee file], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided, and the original bill version referred to as "Version
N"]:
Section 1: Version N would have changed Department of
Administration's procurement report from biennial to
annual. This change has been eliminated.
Section 2: no changes
Section 3: Deleted entirely: removing the business
license exemption for new businesses. Section 4 from
version N is now section 3.
Section 3: Rewrites Sec. 44.33.853. Duties to clarify
the goals of the Office of Entrepreneurship with more
specific language. These specific duties are:
• Provide a central point of contact for new
businesses seeking information, resources and state
services.
• Coordinate with community entrepreneurship
programs, economic development organizations, local
governments, military installations, regional
development organizations, small business development
centers and the university to improve delivery of
services to new businesses to identify and address the
needs of new businesses.
• Assist local jurisdictions with development of
their own small business liaison.
Note these changes do not change the scope of the
legislation but do address committee feedback for
enhanced program focus.
Section 3: 44.33.859. Definitions now includes
preexisting statutory definition that applies to
Alaska Bidder Preference to tighten definition of "New
Business in the State."
4:27:21 PM
CHAIR CARRICK offered her understanding that the changes
proposed under Version I would significantly reduce the fiscal
impact of the legislation. She invited the bill sponsor's staff
to speak to that.
4:27:38 PM
CAMERON EBERSOLE, Staff, Representative Ky Holland, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Holland, prime sponsor
of HB 30, stated that one of more considerable fiscal costs
under the original bill version was the cost of business license
exemptions for new businesses. Since the value of the that
provision weighed against the cost was dubious, that section was
removed in Version I.
4:28:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked if updated fiscal notes were
available.
MR. RELAY answered that he spoke with the department, whose
representative said that "the new fiscal notes will be for the
new version of the bill in its next committee of referral."
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE maintained his objection to the motion to
adopt Version I to HB 30.
4:29:17 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Holland, Himschoot,
Story, and Carrick voted in favor of the motion to adopt the
proposed CS for HB 30, Version 34-LS0320\I, Gunther, 3/5/25, as
a working document. Representatives McCabe, Moore, and Vance
voted against it. Therefore, Version I was before the committee
by a vote of 4-3.
4:30:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE said that she loved idea of helping new
businesses, but questioned why the sponsor feels it the
government's role to establish an office of entrepreneurship to
address this issue when typically this is addressed by non-
profit organizations and the private sector.
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND, as prime sponsor of HB 30, responded
that the new language offers requested specificity and may
result in a "smaller fiscal note." He said the government plays
an essential role in developing "the entrepreneurial and
innovation ecosystem." He opined that HB 30, Version I, would
be a step in accelerating desired diversification of the economy
and supporting needed emerging sectors. He mentioned multiple
reports supporting the idea of increased state involvement in
developing industries, and he said the proposed legislation
would create some of the resources by which to make this happen.
4:34:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said he struggles with idea of directing
how state agencies should spend money. He said he cannot think
of a worse body to direct state agencies than the legislature
even though he allowed that that is the job of the legislature.
He further expressed his unease about "streamlining government
by adding more government." He added that he started new
businesses without the help of government. He concluded that he
would be a "no" vote on HB 30, Version I.
4:35:42 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY talked about "the excitement of public
testifiers in room" when sharing their experience starting
businesses. She said she thinks it's time for state to grow its
innovative spirit, and she stated her support for HB 30, Version
I.
4:36:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to report CSHB 30, Version 34-
LS0320\I, Gunther, 3/5/25, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
4:37:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE objected.
4:37:04 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Holland, Himschoot,
Story, and Carrick voted in favor of the motion to report CSHB
30, Version 34-LS0320\I, Gunther, 3/5/25 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
Representatives Moore, McCabe, and Vance voted against it.
Therefore, CSHB 30(STA) was reported out of the House State
Affairs Standing Committee by a vote of 4-3.