05/17/2003 11:45 AM Senate STA

                   HB 215- ONE PERCENT FOR ART                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
BARBARA BITNEY,  staff to  Representative Bill Stoltze,  explained                                                              
the original  legislation was  to repeal the  one percent  for art                                                              
requirement, but  after working with  the Alaska State  Council of                                                              
the Arts the bill would:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
    · Apply only to state funding not federal funding                                                                           
    · Cap the one percent for a project at the first $10 million                                                                
      and at one-half percent thereafter.                                                                                       
    · Set aside five percent of the one percent for maintenance                                                                 
    · The Council would monitor and facilitate the maintenance                                                                  
      and restoration of existing art works.                                                                                    
    · Strengthen the Alaska artist's preference                                                                                 
    · Provide for reporting from state departments to the                                                                       
      Council                                                                                                                   
    · Require the Council to report to Legislative Budget and                                                                   
      Audit Committee on an annual basis                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRED DYSON asked what type of savings they anticipate.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. BITNEY  explained that the  attached report actually  provides                                                              
the best information available because  each agency tracks funding                                                              
differently,  which  makes  the  information  difficult  to  piece                                                              
together.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY  STEVENS said he has  followed the issue  with interest                                                              
and would like her  to expand on the changes made  to the original                                                              
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. BITNEY  said it now applies  only to general  fund expenditure                                                              
rather  than the  total construction  cost. Federal  funds are  no                                                              
longer included.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DYSON  asked whether  they  addressed anomalies  such  as                                                              
performing  arts centers  where the  entire  building is  arguably                                                              
dedicated to the  arts. Would the one percent  for art requirement                                                              
still apply in those instances?                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BITNEY  replied this  was  a  compromise since  the  original                                                              
legislation was to repeal the requirement altogether.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DYSON   asked  about   facilities  that  aren't   readily                                                              
available to the public.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BITNEY explained  the  one percent  for  art  program is  for                                                              
buildings that have  substantial public use and  the Department of                                                              
Transportation and Public Facilities make that determination.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GUESS asked why federal funds were no longer included.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BITNEY replied  it reduces  the required  allocation. If  you                                                              
were to use the  Anchorage Airport as an example  and consider the                                                              
federal funds that  have been added over time,  the art allocation                                                              
would be impossibly large.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GUESS made  a motion  to move  HB 215  and attached  zero                                                              
fiscal note from committee with individual  recommendations. There                                                              
being no objection, it was so ordered.