05/04/2021 09:00 AM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 157                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act requiring  the disclosure  of the  identity of                                                                    
     certain  persons, groups,  and  nongroup entities  that                                                                    
     expend  money in  support  of or  in  opposition to  an                                                                    
     application  filed for  a  state  referendum or  recall                                                                    
     election; and providing for an effective date."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:31:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick noted  that HB 157 was  previously heard in                                                                    
committee on May 3, 2021.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SARA RASMUSSEN,  SPONSOR, introduced herself.                                                                    
She relayed  that the purpose of  the bill was to  align the                                                                    
Alaska   Public   Offices    Commission   (APOC)   reporting                                                                    
requirements  for   recalls  and  referendums   with  ballot                                                                    
initiatives making  the requirements the same  for all three                                                                    
items.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:32:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HEATHER  HEBDON, EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR,  ALASKA PUBLIC  OFFICE                                                                    
COMMISSION  (via teleconference),  reviewed the  fiscal note                                                                    
[FN1 (ADM)].  She anticipated an  increase in  workload with                                                                    
passage of the  bill. She noted the  additional workload for                                                                    
filing  assistance, education,  and regulation  promulgation                                                                    
as well as monitoring, auditing,  and enforcement of the new                                                                    
requirements. The fiscal note  reflected the addition of one                                                                    
Paralegal and associated costs.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:33:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Thompson  asked if  there were no  recalls or                                                                    
referendums  in  the  current   year,  what  the  additional                                                                    
employee would do. Ms. Hebdon  responded that currently, the                                                                    
agency only had two  dedicated employees to oversee campaign                                                                    
finance  disclosures and  the position  would likely  assist                                                                    
with the other campaign disclosure work.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Josephson  asked  how many  staff  positions                                                                    
worked on  campaign finance disclosures 10  years prior. Ms.                                                                    
Hebdon would have  to research the full  answer. She relayed                                                                    
that in  2015 the agency  had 13.5 full time  staff members;                                                                    
four   employees   were   dedicated  to   campaign   finance                                                                    
disclosure.  Representative Josephson  asked how  many staff                                                                    
did  the job  currently. Ms.  Hebdon replied  that currently                                                                    
there  were  two  employees that  oversaw  campaign  finance                                                                    
disclosure.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:35:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Josephson wanted  further clarification.  He                                                                    
asked how many total employees  APOC had in 2015. Ms. Hebdon                                                                    
restated that  that in  2015 the agency  had 13.5  full time                                                                    
staff members.  Representative Josephson inquired  about the                                                                    
number of  total staff  that currently  worked at  APOC. Ms.                                                                    
Hebdon  answered  that currently  there  were  8 APOC  staff                                                                    
members.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Merrick  indicated  amendments  were  due  in  her                                                                    
office by 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
HB  157  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:36:28 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:37:23 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENNED