Legislature(2017 - 2018)HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/12/2017 01:30 PM House FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB166 | |
| HB103 | |
| HB151 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 166 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 151 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 144 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 51 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 103 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HOUSE BILL NO. 166
"An Act establishing a museum construction grant
program in the Department of Commerce, Community, and
Economic Development."
2:37:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JUSTIN PARISH, SPONSOR, explained that HB
166 created a matching grant program. He read the sponsor
statement:
House Bill 166 establishes a matching grant program in
the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic
Development, for eligible museum construction,
expansion or major renovation projects.
Museums are eligible for this program if they are
located in Alaska, entitled to receive state grants,
and provide matching funds from other sources of at
least 50 percent of the project costs.
Alaska has more than 60 museums throughout the state
that provide cultural, tourism, and educational
programs. Alaska museums receive 380,993 annual
visitors and they serve 29,469 school children each
year. Alaskan communities are enriched with the art,
history, and cultural language and education provided
at the museums. The approval of this bill will enable
museums to access and leverage funding so that they
may improve, expand or upgrade as needed, when funds
are appropriated. Included with the bill documents you
will find twenty-three letters of support from nine
different Alaskan museums, four regional or statewide
museums organizations and Senator Bishop.
The award is subject to appropriation and cannot
exceed more than 50 percent of the total proposed
project costs. HB 166 is a companion bill for SB 7,
Sponsors: Stevens, Bishop, Stedman and Egan.
Representative Parish was happy to answer any questions.
Co-Chair Foster read the list of available testifiers.
Vice-Chair Gara thought the bill was straightforward. He
referred to Page 2, line 1 in subsection C. He thought the
subsection read that the state could only grant an amount
that was 50 percent of the grant amount. He suggested that
it would be half of the grant amount rather than 50/50. He
surmised that the maker of the amendment intended the
amount to be up to 50 percent of the cost of the project.
Representative Parish relayed that he had put grant project
together. He thanked Vice-Chair Gara for his observation.
He would be happy to work out a change.
Vice-Chair Gara was happy to be corrected. Clarification
could be provided at the next hearing. Representative
Parish thought there was someone available who could
clarify the language.
Representative Wilson was aware of one [grant] for
libraries. However, she did not believe it dealt with major
renovation and construction. She thought it applied to a
new library based on the community size. She asked if the
library grant encompassed a major renovation and expansion.
Representative Parish would field the question to someone
more familiar with the program. He would leave his staff to
answer any remaining questions.
2:42:50 PM
KATHERINE ELDEMAR, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY AND
REGIONAL AFFAIRS, introduced herself.
Representative Wilson suggested there was a similar program
for libraries based on population. She was under the
impression the program covered the cost of building a new
library. She wondered if the bills were similar. Ms.
Eldemar responded that she would have to research the
statute. She offered that there was never any funding to
the library program through other venues. She continued
that no applications were funded through the library
statute.
Representative Wilson thought she was incorrect. She
indicated that North Slope had a new library and it went
through a program. She was uncertain of the details. Ms.
Eldemar referred to two statutes. She referenced
AS.14.56.355 pertaining to a public construction and major
expansion matching grant program. She explained that there
was not an appropriation from the legislature under the
statute. She furthered that funding was granted under AS
37.05.315 - not through the library grant statute.
Representative Wilson commented that was the project she
thought was being funded. She asked about the definition
for major renovation but did not see one for expansion. She
wondered about the size of the expansion. Ms. Eldemar would
get back to the committee with an answer.
Representative Guttenberg wondered about a structure for
establishing a systematic approach to prioritizing museum
capital funding requests in the state. He did not see
anything in the bill outlining prioritization except for
major renovations. He was concerned with the definition of
a major renovation. He did not see anything that
prioritized one thing over another. He asked if the
amendment was only setting up a fund.
Ms. Eldemar pointed to HB 166 on Page 1, Line 10-11. She
read from the bill:
The department may not accept an application for a
grant under this section unless the legislature makes
an appropriation for the grant program.
Ms. Eldemar explained that it was put in procedurally
because previously there were many applications submitted
to the division for the library program. They were scored
and given a number. Typically, the grant was awarded based
on the score. Unfortunately, there was no appropriation.
The division had gone through the process of creating
regulations and reviewing and scoring the applications.
However, the grant was never funded. Subsequently, funding
was provided through the other statute she cited.
Representative Guttenberg remarked that the bill would
establish a new section on museum construction, expansion,
and major renovation. He did not see a reference to scoring
or prioritization of grant applications. He asked if a
scoring system like the previous one would be used. Ms.
Eldemar replied that if the bill became law, the division
would not accept applications until funding was in place.
Then, the division would start the process of putting
together regulations, which would take about a year. Once
the regulations were in place, the division would begin
processing applications. The division would not take any
action until appropriations were made. Criteria and
procedures would be established through regulations.
2:48:55 PM
Representative Guttenberg referred to information provided
in member packets. There was a variety of museums,
including the Tanana Valley Railroad Association. Some of
them were private, public, and non-profit. He asked which
entities would qualify for a grant. He asked if the Museum
of the North would qualify for a grant or if a privately
funded aviation museum would qualify. Ms. Eldemar responded
that if the bill became law, the division would start by
creating regulations. She would have to wait to see an
application to verify whether it was complete, whether it
satisfied requirements, or whether it was deficient in some
way. She would not know until she saw an application or
started the process.
Representative Guttenberg thought it was good that she was
not getting too far ahead. However, he suggested that it
would be nice to know in advance of passing legislation
where the line stood. He wondered, for instance, if a mom
and pop dime store museum on the corner, the downtown
Anchorage museum, a city-owned museum, or a university
museum would qualify. He could wait for an answer after the
meeting.
2:50:56 PM
Representative Kawasaki clarified that the division would
not be creating regulations that would specify certain
things until the legislation was passed and money was
appropriated. Ms. Eldemar indicated that the details would
come through regulations and that there would be
opportunity for public comment.
Representative Kawasaki wondered if the legislature needed
to place the criteria and eligibility in the bill to narrow
the scope. He wondered what kinds of museums the state
wanted to support. He asked her to comment about museum
funds being granted to places without museums versus places
that already had large museums. He thought that communities
without museums versus those that did would have priority.
LISA WORL, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE JUSTIN PARISH, asked
Representative Kawasaki to repeat his policy question.
Representative Kawasaki asked about new museum construction
and whether it should be imbedded within the eligibility
criteria as laid out in statute. He wondered if places that
did not have museums would be a priority over those
communities that already had museums. He asked if it was a
priority of the bill sponsor. Ms. Worl responded that
Representative Parish had received 23 letters of support
for a host of different types of museums already
established that held many different public cultural items.
She encouraged members to invite a person from the city
museum who was involved in the bill drafting who could
respond.
2:54:48 PM
Representative Thompson wanted to clarify that the bill
would set up a fund for the legislature to deposit money
and entities could make application. He wondered if the
legislature could make a direct grant to a museum that
would not require a match. He mentioned an atmospheric
control. Ms. Eldemar responded affirmatively.
Representative Pruitt asked about the other programs
already in place. He wondered why there was a proposal to
institute a new program. He inquired whether the
legislature should be getting rid of other programs. Ms.
Worl responded that the last one was written specifically
for libraries and the current one applied to museums. She
continued that when the bill was drafted it took the form
of the proposal brought to the representative. She could
provide clarification as to the reason for a separate
account.
Representative Pruitt asked if it was an appropriate time
to be discussing additional capital funds for museums. He
mentioned the House of Representatives recently having a
massive debate on the floor about taking the Permanent
Fund. He thought it was more important for the state to
maintain what it already had. Ms. Worl agreed with his
comments about money being short. The point of the bill was
to set the mechanism in place when there were funds
available for museums.
2:58:41 PM
Representative Tilton asked if there was a listing of
current museums throughout the state. Ms. Worl indicated
Patience Fredrickson was on the line from the Archives
Library and Museum. She offered to get back with
Representative Tilton with an answer if Ms. Frederickson
was not online.
Co-Chair Foster OPENED PUBLIC TESTIMONY on HB 166.
SHEILA WYNE, SHEILA WYNE STUDIOS, ANCHORAGE (via
teleconference), spoke in support of HB 166. She mentioned
the success of her art studio. She had artwork in the
permanent collections of four museums in the state. She
opined that it was critical for businesses like hers that
museum institutions had access to programs that allowed for
construction, expansion, and major renovations to keep up
with advances in technology, the tourist industry, and
trade. These museum programs and collections were magnets
that attracted new and repeating clients. The quality was
critical to local economies. She provided a personal
experience as a designer for a performance event at the
Anchorage Museum. The budget for the event $185,000 of
which $160,000 came from sources outside of Alaska. There
were 5,000 attendees. Several businesses benefitted from
the event. She thought museum institutions were critical to
communities, artists, and businesses. The museum
construction matching grants will help with their mission.
She encouraged support for the bill.
3:02:54 PM
EVA MALVICH, AVCP, BETHEL (via teleconference), spoke in
favor of HB 166. She was the director and curator for the
Yupiit Piciryarait Museum and a tribal member of the native
village of Mekoryuk (A co-owner of the museum). She
mentioned a fire that burned the museum in 1980. It took 14
years from the time it burned to open the cultural center
and open the collection to the public. She reminded members
that the museum had not been able to be filled until 1967,
the 100th year anniversary of the sale of Alaska. The state
matched $2500 supplied by the community of Bethel, which
was used to purchase lumber. However, the money ran out for
the project. She noted that it would soon be the 150th
anniversary of the sale of Alaska. It had been a long time
since the museum was given an opportunity to ask for
funding. She provided more information about the museum and
its benefits. She spoke of a grant that would provide the
museum with a desperately needed HVAC system. There had
been several missed opportunities to house exhibits due to
a non-functioning HVAC system. She provided examples of
exhibits that had been damaged due to environmental factors
and spoke about the expense of replacing the system. HB 166
would help immensely.
Co-Chair Foster noted that Patience Frederickson was
available online.
3:10:02 PM
BETHANY FOLLETT, CITY OF WASILLA/WASILLA MUSEUM AND VISITOR
CENTER, WASILLA (via teleconference), reported increased
interest in local and state history. She spoke about the
community programs offered at the museum that infused
history and culture into a learning experience. She also
mentioned other activities housed there. She believed HB
166 was critical to the city's museum buildings and
programming and provided details about the current museum
structure. It was bursting at the seams. She advocated that
the museum needed more space and an update to its
technology. Many libraries and museums had different and
specific needs for providing services to the public. She
opined that HB 166 provided the framework for Alaskans to
support state museums and to preserve Alaska's heritage.
3:12:58 PM
PATRICIA RELAY, MUSEUMS OF ALASKA, VALDEZ (via
teleconference), had heard her colleagues share about the
needs of their museums. She clarified the definition of a
museum. A museum was an institution, whether public or
private or in partnership that conserved and preserved and
interpreted the collection of artifacts and objects of
artistic, cultural, historical, and scientific importance
making them available to the public as permanent or
temporary exhibits. Museums served the public by preserving
cultural heritage. Museums were facing critical
infrastructure issues (She read from a prepared statement):
I am contacting you today to thank you for your
support of HB166, establishing a museum construction
grant program and companion bill SB7. Research shows
that almost half of all museums in the state are
either currently involved in a construction project or
will be in the next five years. That is incredible.
This bill provides the structure for establishing a
systematic approach to prioritizing museum capital
project funding requests in the state.
Museums and cultural organizations in Alaska are a
critical part of the educational and economic
infrastructure, spurring tourism and partnering with
schools to teach the local curriculum. They contribute
to our economy and wellbeing by:
• Employing over 260 Alaskans;
• Spend over $23,553,294. annually in the State;
• Host over 624,695 visitors annually; and
• Server over 36,290 school children annually.
Despite this vital role of museums, our facilities and
collections are at risk through decreasing federal,
local and charitable giving. As collections grow and
visitation increases, the pressure on our aging
infrastructure must be managed. The Valdez Museum &
Historical Archive is no stranger to this dilemma. The
Valdez Museum & Historical Archive has accomplished a
lot within the past few years: incorporating a
successful expanded range of public programming, major
upgrades to several exhibits, increasing its
visitation, and raising its standards of collection
management. Despite these achievements, the
institution is now at a point in which its progress is
being hampered by limitations of space. In order to
maintain and improve its standards of professionalism,
and to preserve its vision for the future, the
organization needs to move away from its current
environment of shared-purpose space and move towards a
facility with dedicated space designed for single
use functionality.
At the core of our mission is education. Over the
years we have had numerous teachers share their
gratitude for how the Valdez Museum supports their
work. Recently, Sheri Beck, a 4th grade teacher with
the Valdez City Schools shared with our Museum
Educator,
"I just returned from a National Social Studies
Convention in New Orleans. I thought of you so
many times and wished we could be brainstorming
side by side! I was also reminded how fortunate
we are in Valdez and in my partnership with you,
to have our local museum available for help and
support. Thankyou! Your recent lesson with my
students using artifacts and primary sources was
such a wonderful example of what we heard at the
conference as stellar teaching."
Without the proper care and housing or the Museum's
collections we would not be able to offer robust
education programs.
Thank you for sponsoring HB 166 and supporting SB 7,
establishing a museum construction grant program, so
that museums throughout the state of Alaska may
continue to serve their communities. Help us make
these bills a reality and speak up for Alaska's
museums!
3:18:24 PM
ANGELA LINN, MUSEUMS OF ALASKA, FAIRBANKS (via
teleconference), reported having worked in Alaska for over
22 years, 20 of which she was the Senior Collections
Manager of Ethnology and History at the University of
Alaska, Museum of the North in Fairbanks. According to the
Alaska Travel Industry Association, over 2 million visitors
were coming to Alaska every year generating over $100
million in state revenues and $83 million in municipal
revenues through taxes and other fees. Alaska museums
provided a major draw for visitors. According to the
American Alliance of Museums, 76 percent of all leisure
travelers participated in cultural or heritage activities
such as visiting museums. These travelers spent 60 percent
more on average than other leisure travelers. Fairbanks had
museums that specialized in and featured the unique stories
of the indigenous people. She reported that there was a
museum that featured planes, trains, and automobiles that
have helped in building Alaska in the modern period. Alaska
also had a children's museum where kids engaged in hands-on
learning. There were many others including a museum where
they were undertaking world-class research on collections
that spanned millions of years of biological diversity and
thousands of years of cultural traditions in the North. In
the current year, there was a significant increase in
tourism from Asian countries. Those visitors connected with
Alaska through its museums. She continued to discuss the
advantages of Alaska museums. She emphasized the need for
museum construction and renovations funding and encouraging
members to support HB 166.
Representative Guttenberg asked if Ms. Linn thought the
Museum of the North would be eligible under the grant. Ms.
Linn hoped so. She was uncertain about the university's
budgeting process. Her museum was a member of Museums
Alaska and a major part of the museum community. She hoped
her museum would be eligible for the funding.
Co-Chair Foster CLOSED Public Testimony on HB 166.
Representative Guttenberg asked if Ms. Frederiksen was
still online.
3:21:50 PM
MS. PATIENCE FREDERIKSEN, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES, ARCHIVES,
AND MUSEUMS, introduced herself.
Representative Guttenberg asked about the definition of
museums. He referred to Chapter 57 indicating that some of
the definitions and functions were not aligned with the
language of the bill. He thought the definitions needed to
be strengthened. He asked if she had looked at the bill and
whether it worked. Ms. Frederiksen responded that she had
not looked carefully at the bill, as it was under a
different department. She was happy to look at the bill,
review the definition of museum, and provide feedback.
Representative Guttenberg referred to Chapter 57 [A.S.
14.57] under designated cultural and historical
depositories. He wanted to make sure there were not
conflicts between what was in statute and the bill language
regarding a museum and funding. He wanted to make sure
things were aligned. Ms. Frederiksen asked if
Representative Guttenberg wanted her to talk to the
Division of Commerce. Representative Guttenberg responded,
"Okay. Alright. Thank you."
Co-Chair Foster announced amendments were due at 5:00 pm
Thursday, April 18, 2017.
Representative Wilson relayed that several questions had
been asked during the meeting. She wanted those questions
answered prior to having to submit amendments, as the
answers would be pertinent to the bill. She queried about a
timeframe.
Co-Chair Foster would take a brief at ease to inquire about
a timeline.
3:25:13 PM
AT EASE
3:26:32 PM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Foster would not set a deadline for amendments
until he had a better idea of when answers might be
provided.
HB 166 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.