04/02/2015 08:15 AM Senate SPECIAL CMTE ON THE ARCTIC

         HCR 5-DECLARE 2015-2017 AS YEARS OF THE ARCTIC                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:16:17 AM                                                                                                                    
CO-CHAIR  MCGUIRE announced  the consideration  of HCR  5. [CSHCR
(EDA)AM was before the committee.]                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:16:31 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE BOB  HERRON, Alaska State Legislature,  sponsor of                                                               
HCR  5, declaring  2015-2107 as  Years  of the  Arctic, said  the                                                               
resolution  is  appropriate because  on  April  24, 2015,  Alaska                                                               
assumes  the  Chair  of  the Arctic  Council  until  April  2017.                                                               
Specifically,  the  resolution resolves  that  the  Years of  the                                                               
Arctic is a  period during which Alaska should  make every effort                                                               
to  highlight  the  importance  of the  Arctic  to  Alaskans  and                                                               
Americans. The legislature encourages  the state and its partners                                                               
to work with the Institute of  the North in encouraging the state                                                               
to promote its  Arctic policy and increase  Arctic awareness. The                                                               
legislature  also  encourages the  state  to  promote its  Arctic                                                               
policy  during   this  period  and   to  address   the  strategic                                                               
recommendations  found in  the  Alaska  Arctic Policy  Commission                                                               
Implementation Plan.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  MCGUIRE  noted  that  CSHCR  5(EDA)AM  was  before  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
NILS  ANDREASSEN, Executive  Director,  Institute  of the  North,                                                               
testified  in support  of HCR  5. He  related that  the next  two                                                               
years are  an especially  important time for  Alaska and  for the                                                               
nation. During the  U.S. chairmanship of the  Arctic Council, the                                                               
state has an  opportunity to declare its leadership,  both from a                                                               
policy  perspective and  as citizens  and active  participants in                                                               
the  Circumpolar North.  He concluded  that the  resolution sends                                                               
the right message.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:19:51 AM                                                                                                                    
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE thanked Mr. Andreassen  and noted the arrival of                                                               
Senator Hoffman.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  MCGUIRE asked  about the  Senior Arctic  Official (SAO)                                                               
meetings and  the intention to  have as  many of the  meetings as                                                               
possible  in  Alaska  over  the next  two  years.  She  suggested                                                               
mentioning  this  in HCR  5.  She  also suggested  including  the                                                               
creation of an  Arctic host committee to support  and welcome the                                                               
SAO's over the next two years.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON said that there  are two SAO meetings every                                                               
year, one in  the spring and one in the  fall. He understood that                                                               
the State  Department is going to  hold all of those  meetings in                                                               
Alaska. Most  of the other eight  working groups will be  held in                                                               
Alaska. He thought it wouldn't hurt to add her suggestions.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE  proposed Conceptual  Amendment 1 -  Whereas, we                                                               
encourage the  State Department  to continue  working with  us to                                                               
hold as  many of  the Senior Arctic  Official meetings  in Alaska                                                               
during the next  two years. There being  no objection, Conceptual                                                               
Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE  proposed Conceptual  Amendment 2 -  Whereas, it                                                               
is  the intent  of  the state  to organize  a  host committee  to                                                               
welcome Senior  Arctic Officials and other  Arctic diplomats that                                                               
will be coming to Alaska during the next two years.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
She said it would be a means  of coalescing around a goal to have                                                               
a host  group that is  representative of the  business community,                                                               
indigenous populations,  lawmakers, and  the executive  branch to                                                               
help set the agenda where possible.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:23:28 AM                                                                                                                    
CO-CHAIR GIESSEL voiced concern about a possible fiscal note.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON  stated that  the Governor and  his special                                                               
assistant are already planning for  that and have requested funds                                                               
to do  so. He suggested  that the  resolution could say  that the                                                               
Senate  Special Committee  on  the Arctic  and  the House  Arctic                                                               
Committee could be  ex-officio members of the  host committee and                                                               
there  would be  no  need  for a  fiscal  note.  That would  show                                                               
support for the Governor's efforts  and the committees could have                                                               
supporting roles.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE reworded Conceptual Amendment  2 to say that the                                                               
State  Senate  Special Committee  on  the  Arctic and  the  House                                                               
Special Committee  on the Arctic  and Economic  Development would                                                               
like to join the Governor's  efforts as ex-officio members of the                                                               
host committee. There being no  objection, Conceptual Amendment 2                                                               
was adopted.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:26:27 AM                                                                                                                    
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE closed public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  GIESSEL moved  to report  CSHCR  5(EDA)AM, version  29-                                                               
LS0562\H.A,   as   amended,   from  committee   with   individual                                                               
recommendations  and attached  zero fiscal  note. There  being no                                                               
objection, SCS CSHRC 5(ARC) was  reported from the Senate Special                                                               
Committee on the Arctic.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE said she would  set up a press availability when                                                               
the Governor signs the three Arctic-related bills.