04/10/2013 01:30 PM House FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 24                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the Alaska Marine Transportation                                                                       
     Advisory Board."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
7:51:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DOUG  LETCH, STAFF,  SENATOR GARY  STEVENS, stated  that the                                                                    
bill   was  smaller   and  proposed   changing  the   Marine                                                                    
Transportation  Advisory Board  and  adding  a twelfth  seat                                                                    
from Southcentral  Alaska. The  legislation would  allow the                                                                    
twelfth  seat   enabling  membership  to   participate  from                                                                    
communities  served  on  Kodiak Island,  the  Kachemak  Bay,                                                                    
Seldovia  and   Homer.  He   noted  an   additional  section                                                                    
reflecting Gustavus' consideration  for community membership                                                                    
in  the Southeast  section.  He mentioned  a  change in  the                                                                    
House   Transportation   Committee   at   the   request   of                                                                    
Representative  Wilson on  page 2  line 10  remove the  word                                                                    
"retired"  and  add "20  years  of  experience." The  change                                                                    
would increase the applicant pool  for that particular seat.                                                                    
He  spoke about  the  Marine  Transportation Advisory  Board                                                                    
(MTAP).  He  pointed  out  written  testimony  in  committee                                                                    
members'  packets   from  Homer  and  Seldovia   Chamber  of                                                                    
Commerce.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
7:54:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Holmes  asked if the  board had a  history of                                                                    
deadlock votes. Mr. Letch replied  that there had never been                                                                    
a tie vote and the board  did not have bylaws. The board was                                                                    
amicable  and  wanted to  bring  better  ferry laws  to  the                                                                    
state.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Costello discussed the  fiscal note showing a                                                                    
fiscal impact of $3 thousand for FY 14 through FY 19.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson asked  how often  the board  met. Mr.                                                                    
Letch  replied that  the board  was required  to attend  one                                                                    
meeting per year,  so the money would cover the  cost of the                                                                    
short meeting.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
7:58:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Edgmon  announced   that   Mr.  Letch   was                                                                    
retiring. Mr.  Letch replied that  he would move  to Orlando                                                                    
Florida after the legislative session.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze  commented that Mr. Letch  was a thoughtful                                                                    
and wonderful employee. He was an asset to the building.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Costello  MOVED  to  REPORT  SB  24  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal  note. There being NO  OBJECTION, it was                                                                    
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB  24  was REPORTED  out  of  committee  with a  "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation and with one new  fiscal note from Department                                                                    
of Transportation and Public Facilities.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:00:28 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:01:15 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED