05/09/2002 09:37 AM Senate FIN

     CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 332(FIN)                                                                                             
     "An  Act  extending the  termination  date  of the  Council  on                                                            
     Domestic   Violence  and  Sexual   Assault;  relating   to  the                                                            
     council's  duties; placing the executive director  and staff of                                                            
     the  council  in  the exempt  service;  and  providing  for  an                                                            
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This  was the first  hearing  for this  bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
PATTI SWENSON,  Staff to  Representative Con  Bunde, the sponsor  of                                                            
the bill,  explained to the  Committee that  this bill would  extend                                                            
the sunset  date  of the  Council on  Domestic Violence  and  Sexual                                                            
Assault  (CDVSA)  to  June  2006.  She  asserted  that  the  Council                                                            
provides an  essential service to  victims of domestic violence  and                                                            
to  perpetrators.  She  stated that  the  accompanying  fiscal  note                                                            
details the  expenses that  would be incurred  were the Council  not                                                            
extended,  and she noted  that the  bill includes  a provision  that                                                            
would change  the status of CDVSA  employees to exempt as  suggested                                                            
in the Alaska  Division of Legislative  Audit report [copy  on file]                                                            
dated October 31, 2001                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Amendment #1:  This amendment inserts a new bill section  to read as                                                            
follows.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Sec. 4.  The uncodified law of  the State of Alaska  is amended                                                            
     by adding a new section to read:                                                                                           
          TRANSITION FOR POSITIONS COVERED BY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING                                                             
     AGREEMENTS. This Act  does not terminate or modify the terms of                                                            
     a collective  bargaining agreement  in effect on the  effective                                                            
     date  of  this  Act.  As  soon  as any  collective   bargaining                                                            
     agreement covering  positions affected by secs. 1 and 2 of this                                                            
     Act  expires,  those  positions   shall  be considered   exempt                                                            
     positions as provided in secs. 1 and 2 of this Act.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilken moved for adoption of Amendment #1.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Green objected for discussion.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wilken  stated  that  Representative  Bunde's  staff  would                                                            
explain the amendment.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Swenson  announced  that  this amendment   contains  transition                                                            
language to  allow current staff to  retain their classified  status                                                            
until  the current  labor  contract  expires in  July  of 2003.  She                                                            
furthered  that this  amendment provides  for  notice to  employees;                                                            
thereby protecting the State from legal challenges.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator Leman  asked whether the inclusion  of this amendment  would                                                            
require a title change                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Swenson replied that a title change would not be required.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator Green withdrew her objection.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There being no further objection, Amendment #1 was ADOPTED.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Green moved to  report "House Bill 332 out of Committee with                                                            
individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
There being  no objections,  SCS CS HB 332  (FIN) was REPORTED  from                                                            
Committee with  previous fiscal notes from the Department  of Public                                                            
Safety,  Council  on  Domestic  Violence  &  Sexual  Assault,  dated                                                            
February  4, 2002 in the  amount of $9,725,200;  a fiscal note  from                                                            
the Department  of Public  Safety, Batterers  Intervention  Program,                                                            
dated February 4, 2002  in the amount of $320,000; and a fiscal note                                                            
from the  Department of  Public Safety, Victims  for Justice,  dated                                                            
February 4, 2002 in the amount of $246,000.