05/11/1999 01:45 PM Senate L&C

             HB 110-SALE/LABELING OF MILK PRODUCTS                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN MACKIE announced HB 110 to be up for consideration.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN HARRIS, sponsor, said this is a consumer choice                                                             
bill giving dairy farmers in Alaska the opportunity to label their                                                              
milk and milk products as BST free.  It doesn't require them to do                                                              
that, but gives them the option.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN moved to adopt the Bannister 5/11/99 committee                                                                    
substitute to HB 110.  There were no objections and it was so                                                                   
ordered.  Said that the legislature repealed the milk marketing                                                                 
laws in 1995 and asked if this bill was consistent with that.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. PETER FELLMAN, Aide to Representative Harris, said this is a                                                                
completely new issue involving milk that comes from cows that has                                                               
been treated with a hormone to help increase their milk production.                                                             
Consumers have voiced their concerns about milk that comes from                                                                 
cows treated with hormones.  The repealed legislation was                                                                       
concerning milk pull dates which DEC handles.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG, Chairman, House Labor and Commerce                                                                     
Committee, said they held four hearings on this bill and there was                                                              
support for this legislation.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN asked if there were zero fiscal notes.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Number 160                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS noted that this is an option, not a                                                                       
requirement.  He didn't know how many would actually use it.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DONLEY asked if they couldn't label the milk now, since                                                                 
it's the truth.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. FELLMAN answered that this provides for some recourse and                                                                   
provides a standard.  It also provides for a means to release the                                                               
milk processor from some liability, if the milk producer himself                                                                
actually used the hormone.  The format in the bill has been put                                                                 
together by the FDA's guidelines.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN moved to report SCS HB 110(L&C) from committee with                                                               
individual recommendations.  There were no objections and it was so                                                             
ordered.