05/01/2006 05:00 PM Senate COMMITTEE ON UNIVERSITY OVERSIGHT

    CSHJR 14(RES)-URGE CONGRESS TO GRANT LAND TO UNIVERSITY                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced HJR 14 to be up for consideration.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
5:09:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAMES VAN HORN, Staff to  Representative James Elkins, sponsor of                                                               
HJR 14,  said the resolution  urges Congress to  pass legislation                                                               
to  convey 250,000  acres in  federal land  to the  University of                                                               
Alaska. As the largest landholder  in Alaska it is important that                                                               
the federal government  support the land grant  to the University                                                               
of Alaska to make it financially independent.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WAGONER   remarked  he's  unaware  of   any  land  grant                                                               
university in the U.S. that has become financially independent.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Van  Horn clarified  this  would  make the  university  less                                                               
dependent on the Legislature for funding.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
DICK MYLIUS, Director  of the Division of Mining,  Land and Water                                                               
for the  Department of Natural  Resources, said he  was available                                                               
to answer questions.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MARI  MONTGOMERY,  Director  of  the University  of  Alaska  Land                                                               
Management Office, said she was available to answer questions.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:12:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIM ELTON referenced page 2,  line 21 and noted that Gale                                                               
Norton is no longer the Secretary of the Interior.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARY STEVENS said that is  a good point and asked Mr. Van                                                               
Horn to comment  on whether the sponsor would  object to changing                                                               
the reference to the Acting Secretary of the Interior.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
5:15:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. VAN HORN  responded he could see no problem  with making that                                                               
change.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY STEVENS  called an at-ease from 5:15:29  PM to 5:18:11                                                           
PM.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ben Stevens joined the meeting.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELTON  motioned to amend  the resolution on page  2, line                                                               
21 to read "the Acting  United States Secretary of the Interior;"                                                               
and delete the name "Gale Norton,".                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection Amendment 1 passed.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wagoner  motioned  to  report  SCS  CSHJR  14(UOV)  from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s). There being no objection, the motion carried.