04/25/1997 10:12 AM Senate FIN

       CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 21(STA)                                          
                                                                               
       "An  Act  relating  to  ferries  and  ferry  terminals,                 
  establishing   the  Alaska  Marine  Highway  Authority,  and                 
  relating to    maintenance  of  state  marine  vessels;  and                 
  providing for an    effective date."                                         
                                                                               
  Senator  Torgerson  moved CSSB  21 (),  O-LS0184\H, 4/24/97,                 
  Utermohle for  discussion purposes.  Senator Adams objected.                 
  Senator  Torgerson discussed the  bill specifically  page 2,                 
  line 16; page 4, line 10, line  30; page 5, line 6.  He said                 
  pages 4 and 5 would put someone at the table for negotiating                 
  purposes.   He continued  with page  21, line  31; page  22,                 
  lines 1 - 17.  Senator Adams  asked if pages 21 and 22 would                 
  change  the  bargaining  unit  from old  to  new.    Senator                 
  Torgerson indicated it would not.  He explained the power as                 
  vested with the Commissioner was the same as before.                         
                                                                               
  Mike McMullen, Director,  Division of Personnel,  Department                 
  of Administration  was invited  to join  the committee.   He                 
  explained  pages  21  and  22 of  the  bill.    He said  the                 
  bargaining units would stay in place as they exist or change                 
  in working with  PERA.  Co-chair  Sharp referred to page  4,                 
  line 1  and Senator Torgerson  indicated this was  trying to                 
  conform what the sponsor wanted.                                             
                                                                               
  Senator Robin Taylor was invited to  join the committee.  He                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  had no objection  to Co-chair Sharp's proposed  amendment on                 
  page 14, line  26, deleting "...vessel of  the Alaska Marine                 
  Highway Authority...".  Senator Torgerson moved amendment #1                 
  and without objection it was adopted.  Co-chair Sharp  moved                 
  amendment #2,  page 14.   Senator  Adams  objected and  said                 
  ships could be made  beautiful by art.  By  a vote of 6 -  1                 
  (Adams) amendment #2 was adopted.                                            
                                                                               
  Senator  Phillips asked if  the Department of Transportation                 
  had any  comments on  the amendments.   Co-chair Sharp  also                 
  asked  for  any  comments by  the  department  regarding the                 
  fiscal  note.    Brenda Markey,  Support  Services  Manager,                 
  Alaska  Marine  Highway,  Department  of Transportation  and                 
  Public Facilities  was invited to  join the committee.   She                 
  indicated that the  amendments would  not change the  fiscal                 
  notes in any way.                                                            
                                                                               
  Senator  Torgerson   moved  CSSB  21(FIN)   with  individual                 
  recommendations  and  accompanying  fiscal  notes.   Senator                 
  Adams objected stating that section  31 was missing from the                 
  fiscal note  analysis.  By a vote  of 6 - 1  (Adams) CSSB 21                 
  (FIN) was reported out to include a new fiscal note from the                 
  Department of Transportation.