05/06/2000 04:48 PM Senate FIN

     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 3001(FIN) am                                                                       
     "An  Act making  an appropriation  to cover  the fiscal                                                                    
     year 2001  monetary terms of the  collective bargaining                                                                    
     agreements for  employees of  the University  of Alaska                                                                    
     and   the  fiscal   year   2001   salary  and   benefit                                                                    
     adjustments  for  university   employees  who  are  not                                                                    
     members  of   a  collective  bargaining   unit;  making                                                                    
     appropriations  and   reappropriations  to   cover  the                                                                    
     fiscal  year  2001  monetary  terms  of  all  executive                                                                    
     branch collective bargaining  agreements and the fiscal                                                                    
     year 2001  salary and  benefit adjustments  for elected                                                                    
     officials,  officers, and  employees  of the  executive                                                                    
     branch who  are not members of  a collective bargaining                                                                    
     unit; making an appropriation  to cover the fiscal year                                                                    
     2001 salary  and benefit  adjustments for  Alaska Court                                                                    
     System employees; making an  appropriation to cover the                                                                    
     fiscal  year 2001  salary and  benefit adjustments  for                                                                    
     employees of  the legislature and  to cover  the fiscal                                                                    
     year  2001 benefit  adjustments,  other  than lump  sum                                                                    
     payments,  for  elected  officials of  the  legislative                                                                    
     branch; and providing for an effective date."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This  was the  first hearing  for  this bill  in the  Senate                                                                    
Finance Committee.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
ALYSON   ELGEE,    Deputy   Commissioner,    Department   of                                                                    
Administration, testified that this  bill puts into statute,                                                                    
the  same provisions  as those  contained in  the bargaining                                                                    
agreement.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Elgee stated that this  package includes a pay-out of up                                                                    
to $1200  for each  employee accrued at  $50 per  pay period                                                                    
worked  in  the prior  year.  She  noted that  a  qualifying                                                                    
employee  must  be in  active  status  on  July 1,  2000  to                                                                    
receive  the payment.  She added  that special  provision is                                                                    
included to  allow session employees  of the  legislature to                                                                    
receive the payment even if not in active status on July 1.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Elgee  said the  package  also  includes a  two-percent                                                                    
increase  effective July  1, 2001  and then  a three-percent                                                                    
increase effective July 1, 2002.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Elgee  spoke to changes  made to the  governor's version                                                                    
of the bill in the  House of Representatives that eliminates                                                                    
legislators  from   participation  in  any  of   the  salary                                                                    
increases.  However, she  said, legislative  employees, non-                                                                    
covered  employees  of  the executive  branch  and  judicial                                                                    
employees are covered.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Elgee   continued  pointing  out  that   the  committee                                                                    
substitute  also increases  the  employer contributions  for                                                                    
health coverage for non-covered state employees.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Adams offered a motion  to move from Committee CS HB
 (FIN)  am. There  was no objection  and the  bill MOVED                                                                    
from Committee.