02/27/2013 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY

          HB 63 - EXTEND BAR ASS'N BOARD OF GOVERNORS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:02:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KELLER announced that the  final order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 63, "An Act  extending the termination date of the                                                               
Board of Governors  of the Alaska Bar  Association; and providing                                                               
for an effective date."  [HB  63 was previously reported from the                                                               
House Judiciary Standing Committee on 2/25/13.]                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG made  a  motion to  adopt  a letter  of                                                               
intent for  HB 63, included  in members' packets; that  letter of                                                               
intent read in part [original punctuation provided]:                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
      Letter of Intent to Accompany House Bill 63 (Extend                                                                       
                  Bar Association Sunset Date)                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     A critical  function of the  Alaska Bar  Association is                                                                    
     the   continuing   legal   education   (CLE)   of   its                                                                    
     membership.   CLE contributes to lawyer  competence and                                                                    
     benefits  the public  and  the  profession by  ensuring                                                                    
     that attorneys  remain current  regarding the  law, the                                                                    
     profession's   obligations  and   standards,  and   the                                                                    
     management of their law practices.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Accordingly,   the   Alaska  Legislature   respectfully                                                                    
     recommends that  the Alaska Supreme Court  increase the                                                                    
     number of  Mandatory Continuing Legal  Education (MCLE)                                                                    
     credit  hours  for active  members  of  the Alaska  Bar                                                                    
     Association.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Offered in the  House Judiciary Committee--February 27,                                                                    
     2013.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT objected.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG explained that  the letter of intent was                                                               
drafted by the  Alaska Bar Association (ABA) at  his request, and                                                               
that the letter merely asks  the Alaska Supreme Court to increase                                                               
the number of  mandatory CLE credits required for  members of the                                                               
ABA.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KELLER pointed  out that currently HB 63  is only proposing                                                               
to extend the  termination date of the Board of  Governors of the                                                               
Alaska Bar Association.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG,  in response  to comments,  offered his                                                               
belief  that it's  very important  to  encourage the  ABA "to  do                                                               
this," and characterized HB 63 as a good vehicle by which to do                                                                 
so.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT removed his objection to the motion.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KELLER indicated that the letter of intent for HB 63 was                                                                  
adopted.  [HB 63 was previously reported from the House                                                                         
Judiciary Standing Committee on 2/25/13.]