Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
04/08/2024 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB55 | |
| HB313 | |
| SB147 | |
| HB309 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 309 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 394 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 187 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 378 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 313 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 55 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 147 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 313-PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATORY COST CHARGE
3:36:05 PM
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 313, "An Act relating to the calculation of the
regulatory cost charge for public utilities and pipeline
carriers; and providing for an effective date."
3:36:27 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HB 313,
labeled 33-GH2516\A.1, Walsh, 3/30/24, which read:
Page 1, line 2, following "carriers;":
Insert "relating to preapproval for construction
of energy facilities;"
Page 2, following line 4:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 2. AS 42.05 is amended by adding a new
section to read:
Sec. 42.05.705. Preapproval for construction of
energy facility. The commission may not require
preapproval under this chapter for construction of an
energy facility that is
(1) an electric power generating plant or
combination of plants at a single site with a combined
capacity of less than 15,000 kilowatts; or
(2) an energy storage device or combination
of devices at a single site with a combined capacity
of less than 15,000 kilowatts."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER objected.
3:36:36 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS explained that Amendment 1 would exempt
smaller projects from regulation to expedite project
construction by stating that the Regulatory Commission of Alaska
(RCA) may not require preapproval under this chapter for
construction of an energy facility that generates 15 megawatts
(MW) or less.
3:37:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX said a 15 MW project is a "fairly good size"
project. He asked whether Representative Fields was privy to
the concerns raised by the House Special Committee on Energy
hearings several years ago about utilities becoming over
capitalized.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS contended that's 15 MW is considered a
small, community scale project. He added that it would be up to
the Alaska Railbelt Reliability Council (RRC) and the RCA to
consider whether it makes sense to invest a significant amount
of capital and distribute it across rate payers.
3:39:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER opined that exempting generating
facilities of any size from the RCA is a question that would be
better considered on its own merit. For that reason, he said he
would oppose Amendment 1.
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER shared his belief that the proposed
amendment is pertinent because the RCA had said, "We have too
much work, we need more money."
3:40:20 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Carrick, Fields,
Prax, Ruffridge, and Sumner voted in favor of Amendment 1.
Representatives Saddler and Wright voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment 1 was adopted by a vote of 5-2.
3:40:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER moved to adopt Amendment 2 to HB 313,
labeled 33-GH2516\A.2, Walsh, 4/4/24, which read:
Page 1, line 1, following "Act":
Insert "relating to the qualifications for
commissioners of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska;"
Page 1, following line 3:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Section 1. AS 42.04.020(a) is amended to read:
(a) The commission consists of five
commissioners appointed by the governor and confirmed
by the legislature in joint session. To qualify for
appointment as a commissioner, a person must be a
member in good standing of the Alaska Bar Association
or have a degree from an accredited college or
university with a major in engineering, finance,
economics, accounting, business administration, or
public administration and must have at least five
years of actual experience in utility regulation or
utility management. [ACTUAL EXPERIENCE FOR A PERIOD OF
FIVE YEARS IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW OR IN THE FIELD OF
ENGINEERING, FINANCE, ECONOMICS, ACCOUNTING, BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION, OR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IS EQUIVALENT
TO A DEGREE.]"
Page 1, line 4:
Delete "Section 1"
Insert "Sec. 2"
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 2, following line 13:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 4. Section 1 of this Act takes effect
July 1, 2024."
Renumber the following bill section accordingly.
Page 2, line 14:
Delete "This"
Insert "Except as provided in sec. 4 of this Act,
this"
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX objected for purposes of discussion.
3:41:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER said Amendment 2 addresses the experience
required by commissioners, which was requested by another member
of the legislature.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked which legislator made this request.
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER answered Representative Cronk.
3:41:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX said he understand the logic behind
Amendment 2, but he expressed concern about imposing a difficult
condition on the RCA.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS said he shares Representative Prax's
perspective. He added that he supports the goal, but the
language may be too exclusive.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked whether anyone from the RCA could
say how many of the current commissioners would have met this at
the time of their appointment.
3:42:47 PM
ROBERT DOYLE, Chair, Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA),
opined that the proposed amendment would narrow the field;
nonetheless, he said this would be a policy decision.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE restated his question, asking how many
current members of the RCA would have met this requirement. In
addition, he asked whether members serving on boards of
utilities could be another source to recruit from.
MR. DOYLE said he served on a board for 12 years at MEA;
however, that doesn't equate to 5 years of actual experience in
utility regulation or management. He shared his belief that
none of the current commissioners would have had 5 years of
experience in utility management and/or regulation.
3:45:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER moved Conceptual Amendment 1 to Amendment
2, which would insert a period after the word "administration"
on page 1, line 13, and strike the remaining language until line
18.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK objected.
3:45:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said he thinks there is some concern that
the equivalence standard could be interpreted generously.
CHAIR SUMNER interjected to note that the proposed conceptual
amendment may not accomplish Representative Saddler's intent, as
it strikes the bracketed language, thereby reinserting into the
bill.
3:46:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER restated the motion. He moved Conceptual
Amendment 1 to Amendment 2, which would insert a period after
the word "administration" on page 1, line 13, and delete the
words "and must have at least five years of actual experience in
utility regulation or utility management."
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK questioned the definition of "actual
experience" and how it would differ from "experience."
MR. DOYLE said that there is no specific definition, but to him,
it would mean a full-time position for 5 years in utility
regulation at the RCA or utility management at Matanuska
Electric Association (MEA), Chugach Electric Association, or
ENSTAR Natural Gas Company, for example.
3:50:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE sought to confirm that if Conceptual
Amendment 1 were to pass, a commissioner on the RCA would need a
degree and no experience would ever amount to that equivalent.
He asked whether that is accurate.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said that is the effect of Conceptual
Amendment 1. He said it would be his preference that a
candidate would have a couple years of experience in the work
world, but his concern is not to raise the bar too high to
require five years of actual experience in utility regulation or
management.
CHAIR SUMNER guessed that Representative Cronk's intention was
for people on the RCA board to have more experience with
regulation of utilities. He added that should Conceptual
Amendment 1 to Amendment 2 pass, he would likely withdraw
Amendment 2.
3:52:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER withdrew Conceptual Amendment 1 to
Amendment 2.
3:52:29 PM
CHAIR SUMNER withdrew Amendment 2. He announced that HB 313, as
amended would be held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 309 presentation.pdf |
HL&C 4/8/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 309 |
| HB 309- support as of 4.724.pdf |
HL&C 4/8/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 309 |
| HB 309 AAO Letter_AK_House Labor & Commerce.pdf |
HL&C 4/8/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 309 |
| HB 309 Sectional Analysis.pdf |
HL&C 4/8/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 309 |
| HB 309 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HL&C 4/8/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 309 |
| HB 309 fiscal note DCCED_Coprs,Businesses, Prof licensing as of 3.15.24.pdf |
HL&C 4/8/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 309 |
| HB 309- Memo regarding Delegation Authority.pdf |
HL&C 4/8/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 309 |
| HB226 Version U (CS for HLC).pdf |
HL&C 4/8/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 226 |
| HB226 Explanation of Changes Ver. S to Ver. U.pdf |
HL&C 4/8/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 226 |