02/10/2015 10:15 AM House ENERGY

          HB  58-ELIGIBILITY FOR AK ENERGY EFFIC LOANS                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
11:46:41 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR COLVER announced  that the final order  of business would                                                              
be HOUSE  BILL NO.  58, "An Act  making an  entity that  is exempt                                                              
from  federal   taxation  under  26  U.S.C.   501(c)(3)  (Internal                                                              
Revenue  Code) and  a federally  recognized tribe  eligible for  a                                                              
loan from  the Alaska energy  efficiency revolving loan  fund; and                                                              
relating  to loans  from the  Alaska  energy efficiency  revolving                                                              
loan fund."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
11:47:01 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at ease.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
11:47:15 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TALERICO  moved to  adopt  the proposed  committee                                                              
substitute (CS)  for HB 58, labeled 29-LS0254\H,  Nauman, 1/27/15,                                                              
as the  working document.   There  being no  objection, Version  H                                                              
was before the committee.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
11:47:48 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE     JONATHAN    KREISS-TOMKINS,     Alaska    State                                                              
Legislature, speaking  as the sponsor,  introduced HB  58, Version                                                              
H.   He  informed  the  committee  the  bill concerns  the  Alaska                                                              
energy  efficiency revolving  loan  fund (AEERLP),  which -  since                                                              
its  creation   in  2010  -  has   not  been  used,   despite  its                                                              
capitalization potential  of $250 million.   The goal of  the fund                                                              
was to make buildings  in Alaska more energy efficient,  and HB 58                                                              
would create more  value for an existing fund.   Research revealed                                                              
that  one reason  AEERLP has  not  been utilized  was that  grants                                                              
were  previously available,  which  is no  longer the  case.   The                                                              
bill  allows  nonprofits  and  tribes   to  access  the  fund,  in                                                              
addition  to  public   entities  such  as  school   districts  and                                                              
municipalities, and thus would create more interest in the fund.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TALERICO  thanked   Representative  Kreiss-Tomkins                                                              
for sponsoring the bill.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR COLVER surmised  HB 58 opens the loan  fund to nonprofits                                                              
and federally-recognized tribes and Native organizations.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS said correct.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  COLVER  opened  public   testimony  on  HB  58.    After                                                              
ascertaining  no  one  wished to  testify,  public  testimony  was                                                              
closed.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
11:51:07 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
HB 58 was held over.