02/19/2013 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

           SB 24-MARINE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR EGAN announced consideration of SB 24.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:35:12 PM                                                                                                                    
DOUG  LETCH,  staff, Senator  Gary  Stevens,  sponsor of  SB  24,                                                               
explained that  Senate Bill  24 alters the  makeup of  the Alaska                                                               
Marine Transportation  Advisory Board (MTAB) by  adding a twelfth                                                               
seat designated  for a  representative from  Southcentral Alaska.                                                               
The  bill also  adds Gustavus  to  the list  of communities  from                                                               
which a person  can be appointed to  represent northern Southeast                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. LETCH  said the bill would  give a voice to  the Southcentral                                                               
communities  which were  previously included  in a  district that                                                               
includes Unalaska. The Kodiak Chamber  of Commerce requested that                                                               
Southcentral communities  be represented  by their own  member on                                                               
MTAB.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
He noted  that SB 24 comes  with a reasonable fiscal  note in the                                                               
amount of $3,000 per year. He  listed letters of support from the                                                               
Kodiak, Homer,  and Soldovia Chambers  of Commerce.  He concluded                                                               
that the  bill would go  a long way towards  serving Southcentral                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:38:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR   DYSON  asked   if  anyone   from   the  Department   of                                                               
Transportation  and Public  Facilities  (DOTPF)  was present.  He                                                               
noted that DOTPF does not have any objections to SB 24.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
He wondered  if having an  even number  of members on  MTAB would                                                               
present a problem for voting.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. LETCH  thought MTAB  meetings were  fairly amicable.  He said                                                               
the bill  attempts to minimize cost  by adding only one  seat. He                                                               
did not see a problem with an even number of votes.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked if MTAB has a set of bylaws.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. LETCH offered to provide that information.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  FAIRCLOUGH said  she has  the same  questions about  the                                                               
number of members and how that would reflect on a quorum.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. LETCH offered to look into it.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH  said she was in  support of SB 24  as long as                                                               
it does not oppose MTAB's bylaws.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LETCH   agreed,  and  offered   to  provide   the  requested                                                               
information.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR EGAN opened public testimony.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:42:40 PM                                                                                                                    
TREVOR  BROWN, Executive  Director, Kodiak  Chamber of  Commerce,                                                               
testified  in support  of  SB  24. He  referred  to  a letter  of                                                               
support  dated  January  24. He  noted  that  currently  thirteen                                                               
communities in Southwest Alaska are  represented by one person on                                                               
MTAB. He said that Kodiak and  the rest of Southcentral Alaska is                                                               
served by  the Alaska  Marine Highway  System (AMHS)  year round,                                                               
and  prefers to  have its  own representative  on MTAB.  He added                                                               
that  Southcentral has  different needs  than the  Aleutian Chain                                                               
area.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:44:30 PM                                                                                                                    
GEORGE SMALLWOOD, testifying on his  own behalf, said he commutes                                                               
between  Homer and  Soldovia on  the  ferry system.  He spoke  in                                                               
support of SB  24 in order to have a  representative on MTAB that                                                               
would benefit the people of his area.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:45:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  EGAN asked  if the  bill needs  to be  amended to  include                                                               
Gustavus.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. LETCH said that provision is in the bill.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  EGAN  suggested  holding  the bill  until  Mr.  Letch  can                                                               
provide answers to members' questions.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  FAIRCLOUGH preferred  to  move the  bill.  She said  she                                                               
assumed that the bylaws would take care of everything.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DYSON  moved to report  SB 24, labeled  28-LS0058\A, from                                                               
committee  with  individual   recommendations  and  the  attached                                                               
fiscal  note. There  being no  objection,  SB 24  moved from  the                                                               
Senate Transportation Standing Committee.