04/16/1998 03:37 PM Senate STA

      CSHB 462(STA) - USE OF STATE MONEY FOR IMAGES/MESSAGES                   
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN brought CSHB 462(STA) before the committee as the               
first order of business.                                                       
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE GENE THERRIAULT, prime sponsor of HB 462, directed              
attention to the current version of the legislation and said there             
is some concern with the language on page 1, lines 12 and 13 where             
the limitation on the longevity bonus check stub is "limited to                
stating the requirements or deadlines of a program."  He said that             
language is pretty tightly worded and he suggested changing that               
wording to "relating to the program."  The restriction would not be            
so tightly worded and it would still be a prohibition on any                   
message coming from an elected official; however, the people that              
are involved in the program would have a little bit more latitude.             
He said the legislation is designed to curtail the increasingly                
prevalent practice of using state publications for further personal            
political agendas, and it would not preclude information related to            
the overall operation of the program.                                          
                                                                               
Number 075                                                                     
                                                                               
SENATOR WARD moved the following amendment to CSHB 462(STA):                   
                                                                               
Amendment No. 1                                                                
                                                                               
Page 1, lines 12 - 13:  Delete "limited to stating the requirements            
                       or deadlines of" and insert "related to"                
                                                                               
Hearing no objection, the amendment was adopted to be incorporated             
into a SCS CSHB 462(STA).                                                      
                                                                               
In his closing comments, REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT emphasized that             
the purpose of the legislation it to prevent the underlying                    
programs behind these application and check stubs from becoming                
politicized because there have been examples in the past where the             
Administration has taken some steps that have moved towards that.              
                                                                               
Number 110                                                                     
                                                                               
JACK KREINHEDER, Senior Analyst, Office of Management & Budget,                
stated the Administration is opposed to HB 462.  It is there view              
that the Governor is the chief executive officer of the state and,             
as such, any Governor should have the prerogative to communicate               
freely with the people of the state.                                           
                                                                               
Mr. Kreinheder made reference to the Governor's letter in last                 
year's permanent fund dividend application booklet, and he said it             
was not a political message; it simply discusses the importance of             
the permanent fund, the fund's success,  and it encourages people              
to apply in a timely manner.  He also noted there has been                     
discussion about the size of the Governor's picture on the booklet,            
but he pointed out that it was something initiated entirely at the             
division.                                                                      
                                                                               
Mr. Kreinheder commented that the bill appears to be an election               
year bill and they should be flattered that the Legislature is                 
considering adopting it.  He said it seems to imply that there is              
some confidence that this Administration will be around in the next            
election cycle as well.                                                        
                                                                               
Number 140                                                                     
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN stated she took exception to Mr. Kreinheder's                   
remarks because she doesn't think it would be appropriate for any              
Governor to be involved in this practice.  She added that it isn't             
only the message in the permanent fund dividend booklet that has               
outraged  her constituents, but messages on longevity bonus stubs              
as well.  She said there has been an inappropriate use of going                
into homes with various mailings, and they need to be curtailed                
regardless of  who occupies the third floor.                                   
                                                                               
Number 150                                                                     
                                                                               
SENATOR WARD asked Mr. Kreinheder if he thinks the legislation will            
stop the Governor from running quarter-page ads with his picture on            
it in the newspapers.  MR. KREINHEDER responded that the                       
legislation only applies to application forms, warrants or direct              
deposit notices.                                                               
                                                                               
Number 160                                                                     
                                                                               
SENATOR MILLER moved SCS CSHB 462(STA) and the accompanying zero               
fiscal note  be passed out of committee with individual                        
recommendations.  Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.