04/08/1994 08:38 AM House FIN

  HOUSE BILL NO. 427                                                           
                                                                               
       "An Act  relating to  compensation for  members of  the                 
       Local Boundary Commission."                                             
                                                                               
  DAVE  KAMRATH, STAFF,  HOUSE COMMUNITY AND  REGIONAL AFFAIRS                 
  COMMITTEE testified in support  of HB 427.  He  reviewed the                 
  Commission's  responsibilities.     He  observed  that   the                 
  Commission  is  one  of  five  boards and  commissions  with                 
  origins in the Alaska Constitution.  He discussed the makeup                 
  of  the  Commission.   He noted  that the  legislation would                 
  provide compensation to Local Boundary Commissioner  members                 
  at a rate of $100 dollars for each day or portion of the day                 
  that  a  member of  the  commission is  engaged  in official                 
  business  or travel.    It allows  the  Commission to  adopt                 
  regulations to provide  for compensation of partial  days in                 
  which  a  member is  engaged in  travel.   He  discussed the                 
  accompanying fiscal  note.  He stressed that the board meets                 
  18   times  each   year.     Half   of   the  meetings   are                 
  teleconferenced.                                                             
                                                                               
  Co-Chair  Larson  spoke  in  support  of funding  for  Local                 
  Boundary Commission members.                                                 
                                                                               
  Representative Foster noted that the commission member  from                 
  Nome has resigned because  he could not afford to  remain on                 
  the Commission.                                                              
                                                                               
  Representative   Hanley   asserted  that   all   boards  and                 
  commissions  should  be  revised  to  assure that  they  are                 
  compensated equitably.                                                       
                                                                               
  Representative  Brown asked  the  rate  of compensation  for                 
  other  boards.   Representative Therriault pointed  out that                 
  the  Reapportionment  Board  receives  $150  dollars  a  day                 
  compensation.  She  emphasized that membership on  the Board                 
  could  become a  full-time job.   She  recommended that  the                 
  Committee review compensation of other boards.                               
                                                                               
                                3                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  HB 427 was HELD in Committee for further discussion.