04/09/1997 08:05 AM Senate FIN

                                                                               
       CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 76(FIN)                                           
                                                                               
       "An  Act making  appropriations  for the  operating and                 
  capital   expenses of the  state's integrated  comprehensive                 
  mental health  program;  and  providing  for   an  effective                 
  date."                                                                       
                                                                               
  Co-chair   Pearce   convened   the   session  and   reviewed                 
  subcommittee report summaries.                                               
                                                                               
  Senator Torgerson introduced the Department of Environmental                 
  Conservation  budget summary.  Following a brief explanation                 
  he  moved  DEC budget  be  adopted  into HB  76  and HB  76.                 
  Commissioner  Michele  Brown,  Director   Janice  Adair  and                 
  Barbara Frank were invited  to join the committee.   Senator                 
  Adams said mine  tailings should be regarded  as solid waste                 
  and there should  be a change  in the statute  requirements.                 
  He   was  also   concerned  about   drilling  waste,   Delta                 
  Slaughterhouse, open dumping  and the  Juneau Lab.   Senator                 
  Torgerson  advised  they  were  not  looking to  change  the                 
  regulations.   Commissioner Brown  did note the  Flexibility                 
  Act saying, "the policy  choice is yours.  Rural  should not                 
  enjoy health protection like urban?"  Co-chair Pearce noting                 
  the  continued  objection  of  Senator  Adams  adopted   the                 
  Department of Environmental Conservation budget summary into                 
  HB 75 and HB 76.                                                             
                                                                               
  Senator  Torgerson   introduced  and  moved   Department  of                 
  Transportation and Public Facilities budget summary  into HB
 and HB 76.  Referring to a chart used during subcommittee                 
  meetings he explained the amount  of employees ratio in  the                 
  department.    Senator  Phillips  said  it  seemed  the  879                 
  employees in the Marine Highway System was too high.  He was                 
  also concerned  about the high  rate of employees  in design                 
  and construction.   Senator Torgerson indicated one-third of                 
  the  department  was in  design  and construction.   Senator                 
  Adams   voiced   his    concern   over   road   maintenance.                 
  Commissioner Joseph Perkins and   Director Nancy Slagle were                 
  invited to join the committee.  Commissioner Perkins advised                 
  the committee he  had never seen  the chart but that  design                 
  was as important as  those plowing snow.  He went on further                 
  to  explain  what  all design  entailed.    Certain programs                 
  changed, other projects went into design phase, right-of-way                 
  programs were working two years in advance and some projects                 
  were shelved.  Senator Sharp voiced his frustration over the                 
  continuous  change of  commissioners  which interrupted  the                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  five-year plans.  Senator Adams  asked about the complicated                 
  federal   billing  system.     Nancy  Slagle  explained  the                 
  information system,  Title 23, Federal Code  of Regulations.                 
  Commissioner Perkins  also noted the  extreme requirement in                 
  ISTEA but stated we  were in compliance.    Kurt Parkan  was                 
  invited  to  join  the  committee  and  explained  aviation.                 
  Senator Pearce noting the objection of Senator Adams adopted                 
  the  Department  of  Transportation  and  Public  Facilities                 
  budget summary into HB 75 and HB 76.                                         
                                                                               
  Co-chair  Pearce  introduced  Department  of  Labor   budget                 
  subcommittee  summary.   Following a  brief discussion  with                 
  Arbe Williams, Senator  Adams moved the Department  of Labor                 
  budget be adopted into HB 75.  Hearing no objection Co-chair                 
  Pearce adopted the  Department of Labor budget  summary into                 
  HB 75.                                                                       
                                                                               
  Formal minutes of the meeting were not prepared as pertinent                 
  financial information is  available in Conference  Committee                 
  Reports on  the FY  98 operating  budget.   The meeting  was                 
  recorded and handwritten  log notes were  taken.  A copy  of                 
  the tapes and log notes may be obtained by contacting either                 
  the  Division  of  Legislative  Finance,  P.O.  Box  113200,                 
  Juneau,  Alaska  99811-3200  (Phone:  907/465-3795)  or  the                 
  office  of the  Senate  Finance Committee  Secretary (Phone:                 
  907/465-2618).                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  Senator  Sharp outlined  the evening  schedule beginning  at                 
  6:00 p.m.  He advised that the committee would break at 7:00                 
  p.m. to take up closeouts.                                                   
                                                                               
  Co-chair Pearce adjourned the meeting at 10:45 a.m.