02/21/2017 01:30 PM House TRANSPORTATION

        HB 131-RELOCATION ASSISTANCE FOR FED. PROJ/PROG                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:46:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR WOOL announced that the  next order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 131,  "An Act  relating to  relocation assistance                                                               
for  federally  assisted   public  construction  and  improvement                                                               
projects and programs; and providing for an effective date."                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:47:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LAURA  STIDOLPH, Staff,  Representative Adam  Wool, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,   presented  HB   131,  on   behalf  of   the  House                                                               
Transportation Standing  Committee, on which  Representative Wool                                                               
serves as  co-chair.  She stated  that HB 131 would  bring Alaska                                                               
into  compliance with  federal law  concerning reimbursement  for                                                               
relocation expenses  incurred by  individuals or  businesses that                                                               
were  displaced due  to federally  funded  highways, bridges,  or                                                               
facilities  projects.   She  said  that  Alaskans deserve  to  be                                                               
fairly  compensated in  the  aforementioned  circumstances.   Ms.                                                               
Stidolph explained that  HB 131 would also  protect Alaska's more                                                               
than   $500  million   annual  allocation   of  federal   highway                                                               
administration funding, by bringing the state into compliance.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. STIDOLPH said  that in 2012 Congress  relaxed the eligibility                                                               
criteria and increased the maximum  reimbursement limits, for the                                                               
state's  relocation assistance  payment programs  when it  passed                                                               
the transportation  authorization and  funding bill that  is more                                                               
commonly  referred to  as the  Moving Ahead  for Progress  in the                                                               
21st  century Project  Act  (MAP-21).   Ms.  Stidolph noted  that                                                               
prior to  MAP-21 the  payment rates  had not  changed in  over 30                                                               
years.   She  said that  although  the changes  went into  effect                                                               
October  1,  2014,  unfortunately  Alaska  Statute  continues  to                                                               
reflect  the  more  stringent eligibility  requirements  and  the                                                               
smaller maximum reimbursement limits.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. STIDOLPH  shared that during  the second half of  the Twenty-                                                               
Ninth Alaska  State Legislature, the inconsistency  between state                                                               
and federal  law was almost  fixed.  She explained  that language                                                               
similar to  HB 131  was proposed  and passed  unanimously through                                                               
the House,  but after being  passed through Senate  State Affairs                                                               
Standing  Committee  and  Senate   Finance  Committee  was  never                                                               
calendared for a Senate floor  vote.  Ms. Stidolph concluded that                                                               
HB 131  would assure Alaskans  that their legislature  wants them                                                               
to be compensated the same as residents of other states.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN asked what the  number of the bill was that                                                               
stalled.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. STIDOLPH answered House Bill 252.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR WOOL  extended his  perception that HB  131 is  just for                                                               
relocation funds and not for buying property.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. STIDOLPH confirmed that is correct.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:49:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP  offered his understanding that  HB 131 would                                                               
raise  Alaska's   statutory  authority  to   reimburse  displaced                                                               
Alaskans at the same rate they would be in other states.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. STIDOLPH  affirmed that to  be correct.   She added  that the                                                               
funding is comprised of 91  percent federal funding and 9 percent                                                               
funding from the state.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
[HB 131 was held over.]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:50:40 PM