04/06/2023 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

         HB  69-RECLASSIFICATION OF FIRST CLASS CITIES                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:18:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced  that the next order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE  BILL NO. 69,  "An Act relating to  the reclassification                                                               
of first class  cities as second class cities;  and providing for                                                               
an effective date."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:19:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCABE  moved  to adopt  the  proposed  committee                                                               
substitute (CS) for HB 69,  Version 33-LS0407\B, Dunmire, 4/4/23,                                                               
as a working document.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:19:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK  objected for  the purpose  of discussion  and an                                                               
explanation of changes.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:19:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVE STANCLIFF,  Staff, Representative  Mike Cronk,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, on behalf of Representative  Cronk, prime sponsor of                                                               
HB 69,  explained that there  had been  a meeting with  the Local                                                               
Boundary Commission  to discuss matters  as HB 69  moves forward,                                                               
and  this  resulted  in  two  issues.    He  explained  that  the                                                               
commission  had requested  time to  develop a  better system  for                                                               
communities  which fall  below the  threshold population  of 400,                                                               
and there  was an agreement  for a  two-year sunset to  allow the                                                               
commission to  internally deal with  the issue.  He  relayed that                                                               
it  would take  time for  the Local  Boundary Commission  to give                                                               
public notice and  organize a meeting with a  10-day interval for                                                               
notifying communities.   He stated that the  commission had asked                                                               
for 60 days, but 30 days was agreed upon.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:21:01 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK  removed his objection.   There being  no further                                                               
objection, Version B was before the  committee.  He gave the bill                                                               
sponsor the opportunity to add any closing comments.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:21:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MIKE CRONK,  Alaska State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor of  HB 69, commented that  the bill had been  written for                                                               
the City  of Tanana, but  mainly for  the students in  the Tanana                                                               
City School District.   He noted that now the  Tanana City School                                                               
District  is   under  contract  with  the   Yukon-Koyukuk  School                                                               
District, it has been an improvement for the community.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:22:10 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK opened public testimony on HB 69.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:22:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
NILS  ANDREASSEN, Executive  Director,  Alaska Municipal  League,                                                               
gave testimony in  support of HB 69.  He  explained that the bill                                                               
would  offer  an  expedited  process  for  local  governments  to                                                               
reclassify from  a first class city  to a second class  city.  He                                                               
expressed  the opinion  that this  would  improve and  strengthen                                                               
local control.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:23:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK,  after ascertaining that  there was no  one else                                                               
who wished  to testify,  closed public  testimony on  HB 69.   He                                                               
entertained a motion to move the bill out of committee.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:23:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCABE  moved  to  report CSHB  69,  Version  33-                                                               
LS0407\B,  Dunmire,  4/4/23,  out of  committee  with  individual                                                               
recommendations  and the  accompanying zero  fiscal note.   There                                                               
being  no objection,  CSHB 69(CRA)  was reported  from the  House                                                               
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.