Legislature(2021 - 2022)GRUENBERG 120
05/03/2022 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB66 | |
| SB25 | |
| HB309 | |
| HB31 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 66 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 25 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 309 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 31 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
SB 25-STATE GOV'T FINANCES: WEBSITE
4:38:58 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the next order of business
would be CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 25(FIN), "An Act relating to the
establishment and maintenance of an Internet website providing
information on state government financial transactions and
specifying the information to be made available on the website;
and relating to the Alaska Checkbook Online Internet website."
4:39:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to adopt the proposed House
committee substitute (HCS) for SB 25, Version 32-LS0217\O, Marx,
4/13/22, as the working document.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS objected for the purpose of discussion.
4:39:41 PM
JEFF STEPP, Staff, Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,
Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Kreiss-
Tomkins, reviewed the changes in the proposed HCS ("Version O")
for CSSB 25(FIN). The summary of changes [hard copy included in
the committee packet] read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
The draft committee substitute makes four changes to
the bill:
• On Page 5, Lines 13-15, language is added
establishing that the University of Alaska shall
annually provide an audited financial report with
revenues and expenditures for inclusion in the Online
Checkbook website.
• On Page 5, Lines 17-19, a new subsection (e) is
added establishing that the Online Checkbook shall
include data on the legislature and judiciary to the
extent it is available from the central accounting
system.
• On Page 6, Lines 6-8, the University of Alaska is
removed from the definition of "state agency."
• On Page 6, Lines 13-18, a new Section 6 is added
clarifying that the Online Checkbook does not have to
contain data on the numbers of employees and
contractors by agency for the ten years preceding the
launch of the website.
4:41:14 PM
SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI, Alaska State Legislature, prime
sponsor of SB 25, thanked the committee for hearing the bill and
expressed his support for changes proposed in Version O.
4:41:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN directed attention to Section 4,
subsection (b), and asked whether the provision was detailed
enough to ensure a user-friendly and functional website for
members of the public.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said in crafting the bill, legislation from
across the country was considered in addition to conversations
with the Department of Administration (DOA) and the executive
branch. He believed that the proposed legislation would provide
an outstanding Internet website for Alaskans at a reasonable
cost.
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN said he appreciated the balance of cost
and functionality. He asked whether the website would provide a
permanent link to each expenditure, which could be shared with
third parties.
4:44:48 PM
DAVID DUNSMORE, Staff, Senator Bill Wielechowski, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Senator Wielechowski, prime sponsor of
SB 25, directed questions on implementation to the department.
He explained that the choice of language was a cognizant
decision to ensure that the Alaska Checkbook Online Internet
website would not be constrained by statute and evolving
technology. He said the impetus for the bill was to catch up
with other states and allow the department to continuously
improve the website.
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN directed his previous question to the
department.
4:46:30 PM
ROBERT ERVINE, Division Operations Manager, Division of Finance,
Department of Administration (DOA), said it was hard to
anticipate whether there would be a permanent link. Once a
transaction occurred and entered the database, he explained, it
would not change once the fiscal year closed. He noted that
there was a unique identifier attached to each transaction,
which would remain in the database forever unless it was
confidential.
4:47:20 PM
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN expressed his hope that the content would
be shareable. He suggested the inclusion of an export feature
for search results or generated links to share the information.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS removed his objection to the motion to
adopt the proposed HCS for CSSB 25(FIN), Version 32-LS0217\O,
Marx, 4/13/22, as the working document. There being no further
objection, Version O was before the committee.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony on SB 25.
4:48:58 PM
ROBIN O'DONOGHUE, Communications Manager, Alaska Public Interest
Research Group (AKPIRG), shared his support for SB 25. He
believed the creation of the Alaska Checkbook Online website was
critical, as it would allow members of the public to better
understand what their government officials are up to and how
they spend public dollars. He opined that it was timely and
urgent to create and pass the online checkbook in order for
Alaskans to know how the vast amount of federal dollars are
spent.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS, after ascertaining that no one else wished
to testify, closed public testimony on SB 25.
4:50:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR thanked the bill sponsor for bringing this
bill forward. She expressed her support for opportunities that
helped build trust with the public and improve transparency.
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN expressed his support for the bill and
thanked the bill sponsor.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS stated his tremendous support for the bill
and what it sought to accomplish. He acknowledged the working
collaboration demonstrated by DOA and the executive branch on
the proposal.
4:51:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to report HCS for CSSB 25(FIN),
Version 32-LS0217\O, Marx, 4/13/22, out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, HCS CSSB 25(STA) was reported out of
the House State Affairs Standing Committee.