04/09/2008 10:24 AM Senate FIN

CS FOR SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 294(TRA) am                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  establishing the  Alaska Marine  Transportation                                                                   
     Advisory Board  and setting  out its powers  and duties;                                                                   
     making  conforming  amendments;  and  providing  for  an                                                                   
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CLIFF STONE,  STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE  PEGGY WILSON,  explained                                                                   
that the  bill started off  as a quasi-independent  authority                                                                   
board.    A   compromise  was  worked  out   with  the  House                                                                   
Transportation    Committee    and    the    Alaska    Marine                                                                   
Transportation  Advisory Board  (AMTAB).   The bill  sets the                                                                   
Board into statute.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stone walked the Committee  through the bill.  On page 1,                                                                   
the Department  of Transportation  and Public Facilities  now                                                                   
has to consult  with AMTAB.  On page 2, the  board makeup has                                                                   
been increased from  9 to 11 members in order  to broaden the                                                                   
scope and create more advocates.   On line 22, it was not the                                                                   
intent of  the bill  sponsors to  create the impression  that                                                                   
there  were two union  seats on  the board.   The  Governor's                                                                   
office  now  understands  the  intent to  have  one  position                                                                   
include someone  with Coast Guard,  Navy, or Merchant  Marine                                                                   
experience.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
7:01:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stone noted  that at least one member from  the Ketchikan                                                                   
Gateway  Borough  must be  included  on  the board,  and  two                                                                   
members who are  residents of areas not served  by the Alaska                                                                   
marine highway also must be on  the board.  He explained that                                                                   
after  the  commissioner  of the  transportation  and  public                                                                   
facilities  has considered  one  or more  candidates for  the                                                                   
position  of director  or deputy commissioner  of the  Alaska                                                                   
marine  highway system,  the commissioner  shall confer  with                                                                   
the board about the position.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Stone highlighted  the most  popular part  of the  bill,                                                                   
"the  board   may  establish   volunteer  regional   advisory                                                                   
committees".  The sponsors included  this language to broaden                                                                   
the users  of the marine highway  system.  There  is language                                                                   
that a  current AMTAB  board member  could be reappointed  to                                                                   
the board.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stone said there was a zero fiscal note.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  asked how the rotation of  the board works.                                                                   
Mr.  Stone referred  to  Section  3 of  the  bill to  explain                                                                   
initial  appointments  and  length   of  service.    Co-Chair                                                                   
Stedman  commented that  the seats are  three-year terms  and                                                                   
there is a staggered start up.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator Huggins  referred to  page 3, line  15, and  asked if                                                                   
any  consideration   was  given  for  the  location   of  the                                                                   
meetings.  Mr. Stone said none was given.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
7:04:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Elton  had concerns  about continuity throughout  the                                                                   
bill.  He  asked about Section  1, page 1, the  initial long-                                                                   
range plan.   He wondered if  the board would be  involved in                                                                   
the update  of the  plan.  He  referred to  page 3,  line 30,                                                                   
where it  says the commissioner  shall confer with  the board                                                                   
regarding  the  candidates.    He voiced  concern  about  the                                                                   
wording.    On page  4,  line  9, he  addressed  the  wording                                                                   
"submit that plan  to the department for  its consideration".                                                                   
He voiced concerns about "lack of teeth" in the bill.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
7:07:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson referred  to the  bottom  of page  2, where  a                                                                   
member of  the Ketchikan borough  is included.  He  asked why                                                                   
Ketchikan was singled  out.  Mr. Stone noted  subsections A-E                                                                   
had specific seats for those communities.   The sponsors felt                                                                   
it important to single out Ketchikan  because it is a gateway                                                                   
to Alaska.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
7:08:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVE  KENSINGER,  PETERSBURG,   stressed  the  importance  of                                                                   
having a  board that provides  important policy  direction to                                                                   
the marine  highway system.  He  testified in support  of the                                                                   
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
7:10:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHY   ROEMMICH,  MARINE   TRANSPORTATION  ADVISORY   BOARD,                                                                   
testified in  support of the bill.   She said she  prefers to                                                                   
see  it for  three years.   The  bill would  provide a  solid                                                                   
foundation.  She  especially liked the fact  that it includes                                                                   
people in other parts of the state  not located on the marine                                                                   
highway.  She  thought that having more  communities involved                                                                   
would be a very positive thing.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
7:13:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARY SIROKY, SPECIAL ASSISTANT,  DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION                                                                   
AND PUBLIC FACILITIES,  stated that the bill  meets the needs                                                                   
of DOT.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Huggins wondered  about the effective  date  of five                                                                   
years for the board.  Ms. Siroky  thought that the department                                                                   
would work with the AMTAB no matter  how the bill was worded.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CSSS  HB 294(TRA)  am was  heard  and HELD  in Committee  for                                                                   
further consideration.