05/09/2017 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

                HB 173-CLIMATE CHANGE COMMISSION                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
3:07:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS  announced that the first  order of business                                                               
would  be HOUSE  BILL NO.  173, "An  Act establishing  the Alaska                                                               
Climate Change  Response Commission;  relating to the  powers and                                                               
duties  of   the  Alaska  Climate  Change   Response  Commission;                                                               
establishing the  climate change  response fund; and  relating to                                                               
the  surcharge  on oil  produced  in  the  state."   [Before  the                                                               
committee, adopted as  a work draft on 5/4/17,  was the committee                                                               
substitute (CS)  for HB 173, Version  30-LS0163\R, Bruce, 5/1/17,                                                               
referred to as "Version R."]                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:07:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ANDY  JOSEPHSON,  Alaska  State  Legislature,  as                                                               
prime sponsor  of HB 173,  relayed that the  proposed legislation                                                               
would recreate a climate change  commission, which was previously                                                               
created  by administrative  order in  2007.   He said  that under                                                               
Version R, the robust funding source was removed.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:07:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   WOOL  asked   if  Representative   Josephson  is                                                               
concerned  about the  proposed legislation's  effectiveness given                                                               
it now lacks the "per barrel" fee.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON  answered that he is  concerned, but the                                                               
current  version represents  what  is politically  possible.   He                                                               
added that  the appointees  on the  commission will  be dedicated                                                               
men and  women who  are interested  in serving  the state  on the                                                               
issue  without the  use of  those resources.   He  further stated                                                               
that  he  is  hopeful  that  the state  will  obtain  grants  for                                                               
mitigation efforts, and the commission  will provide a pathway to                                                               
make a real difference.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   WOOL  relayed   that   Hajo  Eicken   [Director,                                                               
International  Arctic  Research  Center  (IARC)],  who  testified                                                               
during  the House  State Affairs  Standing  Committee meeting  of                                                               
4/11/17, expressed  his concern for  the effectiveness of  HB 173                                                               
without the funding.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:09:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX moved to report  the CS for HB 173, Version                                                               
30-LS0163\R,  Bruce, 5/1/17,  out  of  committee with  individual                                                               
recommendations and the forthcoming fiscal notes.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:10:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON objected.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KREISS-TOMKINS asked  Representative Johnson  to speak  to                                                               
her objection.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   JOHNSON   stated   that   with   a   nine-member                                                               
commission,  the   Municipality  of   Anchorage  (MOA)   and  the                                                               
Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) Borough would  not be well represented                                                               
with only one member.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:10:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
A roll call vote was  taken.  Representatives Tuck, Wool, LeDoux,                                                               
and  Kreiss-Tomkins  voted  in  favor of  reporting  HB  173,  as                                                               
amended, out  of committee.  Representatives  Birch, Johnson, and                                                               
Knopp voted  against it.   Therefore, CSHB 173(STA)  was reported                                                               
from the House  State Affairs Standing Committee by a  vote of 4-                                                               
3.