03/21/2011 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 18                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the duration of regular sessions                                                                       
     of the legislature; and providing for an effective                                                                         
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:06:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIM LAMKIN,  STAFF, SENATOR STEVENS, apologized  for Senator                                                                    
Stevens' absence, and offered to answer any questions.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman MOVED  to ADOPT  Amendment 1,  Gardner 27-                                                                    
LSO122\1.5.  He   stressed  that   there  was   a  technical                                                                    
amendment on line 3, and  stated that "2014" should be added                                                                    
because it would be the second session of the Legislature.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for purpose of discussion.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  felt  it  was too  early  to  extend  the                                                                    
duration  of  the  legislature.  He  requested  that  it  be                                                                    
enacted  in three  years.  He stressed  that  it would  work                                                                    
better in 2014.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman WITHDREW  his  OBJECTION.  There being  NO                                                                    
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  referred to  the two  previously published                                                                    
fiscal notes (LAA).                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson wondered  if  the bill  only  dealt with  the                                                                    
length of the  duration, rather than the  date which session                                                                    
begins. Mr.  Lamkin stated that  there was  an accommodation                                                                    
made, so  that session would  begin on the third  Tuesday of                                                                    
January in the second session of the Legislature.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson stressed  that  there  were some  legislators                                                                    
that had school children, so  the students would be required                                                                    
to switch  schools at  unusual times.  He wondered  if there                                                                    
was a consideration to move  the session start-date later in                                                                    
the year. Mr.  Lamkin replied that Senator  Stevens would be                                                                    
open to discussion. He pointed  out that there was an option                                                                    
to begin  each session on the  exact same day, and  only the                                                                    
end  date  would fluctuate.  He  felt  that there  was  some                                                                    
consideration  of  the   potential  disruption  to  Juneau's                                                                    
tourism economy,  if the  session were  moved closer  to the                                                                    
summer months.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator McGuire  MOVED to  report CSSB  18 (STA)  as AMENDED                                                                    
out  of committee  with individual  recommendations and  the                                                                    
accompanying previously published  fiscal note(s). Seeing NO                                                                    
OBJECTION it was so ordered.