03/28/2022 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 322                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the Alaska marine highway system                                                                       
     vessel replacement fund; and providing for an                                                                              
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:39:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick  reported that HB 322  was previously heard                                                                    
on March 15, 2022.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative  LeBon  MOVED  to   ADOPT  Amendment  1,  32-                                                                    
LS1501\B.1 (Marx, 3/23/22) (copy on file).                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative   LeBon    explained   the    amendment.   He                                                                    
communicated that the amendment  proposed to move the Alaska                                                                    
Higher Education  Investment Fund from its  current location                                                                    
in the  General Fund (GF)  to a  separate fund in  the state                                                                    
treasury. The provision  was an attempt to  protect the fund                                                                    
from a  constitutional sweep under  Article 9, Section  17 d                                                                    
of  the  Alaska  Constitution. He  furthered  that  students                                                                    
benefitting from  the Alaska Performance  Scholarship, state                                                                    
education  grants,  and  the  Washington,  Wyoming,  Alaska,                                                                    
Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI) program   should not be subjected                                                                    
to a  political vote on  an accounting procedure.   He noted                                                                    
that  the language  aligned  with a  companion  bill in  the                                                                    
Senate. He hoped  the other body would  [Senate] protect the                                                                    
fund. He withdrew his amendment.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative LeBon WITHDREW Amendment 1                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Ortiz MOVED  to REPORT   out  of committee  with                                                                    
individual  recommendations  and   the  accompanying  fiscal                                                                    
note(s). There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CSHB 322(TRA)  was REPORTED out  of committee with  four "do                                                                    
pass"   recommendations   and  three   "no   recommendation"                                                                    
recommendations  and  with  one  previously  published  zero                                                                    
fiscal note: FN1 (Gov/Fund Transfer).                                                                                           
1:42:06 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:47:13 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED