03/27/2007 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

         SB  16-EXTEND REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:01:08 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of SB 16.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
DEAN  THOMPSON, Attorney,  Alaska  Power Association  (APA),  said                                                              
APA  is  the  trade  association   representing  several  electric                                                              
utilities around  the state, and  it supports the  reauthorization                                                              
of the  Regulatory Commission  of Alaska (RCA).  He has  not heard                                                              
any opposition from  members of the APA regarding  other statutory                                                              
changes to the RCA that were discussed last week.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCGUIRE said  his previous  comments  will be  incorporated                                                              
into a  later bill. Diversified  groups in the industry  have made                                                              
similar comments, she added.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:02:41 AM                                                                                                                    
TED   MONINSKI,    Director   of   Regulatory    Affairs,   Alaska                                                              
Communication Systems  (ACS), said  ACS doesn't always  agree with                                                              
the  RCA,  but   during  the  past  four  years  he   has  seen  a                                                              
significant  improvement  in  the   qualitative  and  quantitative                                                              
performance  of the  RCA. He  said ACS  supports SB  16. He  noted                                                              
other  changes that  have been  discussed,  and he  has no  qualms                                                              
with them. He  offered ACS's strong endorsement  for the provision                                                              
that would  add additional clarification  and expand  the coverage                                                              
of  AS42.05.175,  which  deals  with  final  order  deadlines.  It                                                              
strongly supports  embedding deadlines in statute  and making them                                                              
reasonable.  He  said  requests  should  be approved  if  the  RCA                                                              
hasn't acted  within reasonable  timelines.  There is language  to                                                              
expand the  statute to  include coverage  of virtually  everything                                                              
that  might come  before the  commission, he  stated. The  current                                                              
version of AS42.05.175  has worked well, but it  doesn't cover all                                                              
matters coming before the commission.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:06:14 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR FRENCH moved  CSSB 16(CRA) from committee  with individual                                                              
recommendations  and  attached  fiscal  note(s).  There  being  no                                                              
objection, the motion carried.