03/12/1994 10:05 AM Senate FIN

                                                                               
  SENATE BILL NO. 26                                                           
                                                                               
       An Act relating to the location of the convening of the                 
       legislature in  regular session;  and providing  for an                 
       effective date.                                                         
                                                                               
  Co-chair  Pearce  directed  that SB  26  be  brought  on for                 
  discussion and  further  directed attention  to  packets  of                 
  fiscal notes which she indicated were  drafted by staff from                 
  the  sponsor's office  in  conjunction with  Senate  Finance                 
  Committee staff.                                                             
                                                                               
                                                                               
  SENATOR RANDY  PHILLIPS,  sponsor of  the legislation,  came                 
  before  committee.   He  explained  that fiscal  notes total                 
  approximately $500.0 for state agencies and $3.4 million for                 
  the  legislature for  the first  year.  Over  the succeeding                 
  five years,  those notes  decrease.   Senator Phillips  said                 
  that  in  preparing  agency  fiscal  notes,  he  asked  each                 
  department how  much was spent  during the 1993  session for                 
  travel  out of town.  That provides a comparison of how much                 
  traveling is done  while the legislature  is in Juneau.   He                 
  then  suggested that  if  the legislature  were  to move  to                 
  Anchorage,  fiscal notes  originally  submitted by  agencies                 
  would be reduced.                                                            
                                                                               
  Senator Phillips explained that the bill would move only the                 
  legislature from Juneau "closer to home for all of us around                 
  this table . . . , in Anchorage."                                            
                                                                               
  Senator Phillips further  pointed to  need to review  travel                 
  amounts for all  state agencies.   He noted that the  actual                 
  for  FY 93 was  "almost $39 million."   Travel for  FY 94 is                 
  authorized at $44.5 million.  He  suggested that too much is                 
  spent  on  travel  in  light  of  the  state's  audio-visual                 
  teleconference  system.   Questions arose  regarding figures                 
  set forth for  both DOTPF and  University travel.   Co-chair                 
  Frank suggested that if travel costs  were examined on a per                 
  employee bases, the  legislature might not "look so  good by                 
  comparison."   Co-chair Pearce concurred.                                    
                                                                               
  Co-chair Pearce  requested a  breakdown of  the $3.4  fiscal                 
  note  for  the  legislature.    SHIRLEY ARMSTRONG,  aide  to                 
  Senator  Phillips,  came  before  committee.    She directed                 
  attention to the original $4.8 million note from Legislative                 
  Affairs.  In  preparing the reduced  note, $680.4 in  moving                 
  expenses  for staff  was  deleted as  was  $1.4 million  for                 
  renovating the  existing capitol  building for occupancy  by                 
  other agencies.  The savings  accruing from consolidation of                 
  leases was  not used  as an  offset because  the legislature                 
  does  not, at this  time, know  whether agencies  would move                 
  into the existing capitol building if it is not renovated to                 
  suit  their  purposes.     Fiscal  note  costs  for  a   new                 
  communications  system  and lease  costs  for a  building in                 
  Anchorage appear to be reasonable.   The largest cost is the                 
  Anchorage  lease.    Senator  Kerttula  remarked   that  the                 
  legislature should own  its own building  if it is to  move.                 
  Senator Phillips advised there would  be no problem "getting                 
  somebody to build a building for the legislature."                           
                                                                               
  Co-chair Pearce called for additional testimony on the bill.                 
  None was forthcoming.   Senator Jacko MOVED that SB  26 pass                 
  from committee with  individual recommendations.  SB  26 was                 
  REPORTED  OUT  of  committee.    Senator  Sharp  signed  the                 
  committee report with a "do  pass" recommendation.  Co-chair                 
  Frank and Senators Jacko, Kelly, and Rieger signed "no rec."                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Senator Kerttula signed  "No rec., Needs amend  to Wasilla."                 
  Co-chair Pearce did not sign.                                                
                                                                               
  NOTE - Although the bill was  reported out of committee this                 
  date  and transmitted  to Rules,  accompanying fiscal  notes                 
  were not released until March 30, 1994.  The following notes                 
  were then attached:                                                          
                                                                               
       Gov. (All)                    $  173.7                                  
       Gov. (Ex.Office)              $   76.6                                  
       Gov. (OMB)                        97.1                                  
       DOA                               37.4                                  
       DC&ED                             28.4                                  
       DC&RA                              9.9                                  
       DOC                                  0                                  
       DEC                               18.0                                  
       DOE                               25.9                                  
       DF&G                              17.3                                  
       DH&SS                             52.0                                  
       DOLabor                           10.1                                  
       DOLaw                             13.0                                  
       DMVA                               8.2                                  
       DPS                               23.6                                  
       DOR                               25.9                                  
       DOTPF                             28.4                                  
       LAA                           $3,398.0