03/07/2025 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

         SB  50-MUNICIPAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS: HOUSING                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
            [CSSB 50(CRA) was before the committee.]                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:49:37 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of SENATE  BILL NO.  50  "An Act  relating to  the                                                               
comprehensive plans of first and second class boroughs."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:50:11 PM                                                                                                                    
HAHLEN  BEHNKEN,  Staff,  Senator Forrest  Dunbar,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  Juneau,  Alaska, provided  a  recap  of SB  50  and                                                               
stated that  SB 50 adds  a new  element to Title  29, encouraging                                                               
municipalities to  include a housing plan  in their comprehensive                                                               
plans. The  aim is  to broaden Alaska's  response to  the housing                                                               
crisis  by promoting  locally driven  solutions  to increase  the                                                               
housing supply.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:50:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR YUNDT moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1:                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                     CONCEPTUAL AMENDMENT 1                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                                           BY SENATOR YUNDT                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
             TO: CSSB 50(CRA)                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 12, following "housing":                                                                                  
             Insert "development"                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:51:15 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN objected for purposes of discussion.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:51:19 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  DUNBAR  stated   that  he  has  no   opposition  to  the                                                               
conceptual amendment.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:51:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN  removed his objection and  Conceptual Amendment 1                                                               
was adopted.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:52:13 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on SB 50.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:52:38 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHELE BROWN, Program Director,  Housing Alaskans Public Private                                                               
Partnership (HAPPP),  Anchorage, Alaska, testified in  support of                                                               
SB 50 and stated that HAPPP  is a statewide housing trust focused                                                               
on   accelerating  development   through  investment,   community                                                               
support, and innovative financing. She  said HAPPP supports SB 50                                                               
because successful  housing requires aligning  many factorsland,                                                                
infrastructure,  transportation,  workforce,  materials,  zoning.                                                               
Currently,  projects  are  treated  individually,  often  leaving                                                               
parts  incomplete. She  stated that  local  governments are  best                                                               
positioned to  align the different aspects  listed above. Locally                                                               
driven housing plans help set  clear priorities and foster strong                                                               
partnerships. Housing  isn't just a commodity,  it's an essential                                                               
community  infrastructure tied  to health,  safety, and  economic                                                               
stability. When  communities set  priorities, HAPPP's  funding is                                                               
more effective and better aligned with local needs.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:55:43 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced Senator  Merrick joined the meeting (via                                                               
teleconference).                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:56:02 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:56:05 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  DUNBAR moved  to report  CSSB 50  (CRA), work  order 34-                                                               
LS0356\N,   as   amended,    from   committee   with   individual                                                               
recommendations and attached zero  fiscal note(s), and authorized                                                               
Legislative  Legal  Services  to make  technical  and  conforming                                                               
changes.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:56:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN found no objection  and CSSB 50 (L&C) was reported                                                               
from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.