04/19/2021 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 71                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act  relating   to  special  request  registration                                                                    
     plates  celebrating the  arts; relating  to artwork  in                                                                    
     public  buildings  and   facilities;  relating  to  the                                                                    
     management of  artwork under the  art in  public places                                                                    
     fund; relating to  the powers and duties  of the Alaska                                                                    
     State  Council  on  the  Arts;  and  providing  for  an                                                                    
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:08:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop  relayed that the  committee was  hearing SB
  for the  second  time. The  committee  had heard  public                                                                    
testimony on  the bill on  April 6, 2021. His  intention was                                                                    
to  consider amendments.  He asked  the  sponsor's staff  to                                                                    
reintroduce the  bill. He noted there  was invited testimony                                                                    
available to speak to the bill and answer questions.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:09:11 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIM LAMKIN,  STAFF, SENATOR GARY  STEVENS, relayed  that the                                                                    
bill  allowed  the Division  of  Motor  Vehicles to  collect                                                                    
funds for  the artistic  license plate  to apply  toward the                                                                    
budget of  the Alaska  State Council on  the Arts.  He noted                                                                    
that  the  amendments  would pertain  to  some  housekeeping                                                                    
provisions as a result of the FY 19 budget cycle.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1:                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, lines 15 - 19:                                                                                                     
          Delete all material.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wilson  discussed  Amendment 1.  He  discussed  the                                                                    
governor's veto  authority and  felt the  legislature should                                                                    
not  choose "winners  and losers."  He  thought a  following                                                                    
amendment would be a better solution than Amendment 1.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  asked for more  detail from  the amendment                                                                    
sponsor. He referenced the Executive Budget Act.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Lamkin stated  that the  goal behind  Section 5  of the                                                                    
bill was  to hold harmless  the funds that the  arts council                                                                    
generated through private donors.  The funds had been vetoed                                                                    
during  the budget  cycle, and  the  amendment was  drafted.                                                                    
The  sponsor had  appreciated  Senator Wilson's  observation                                                                    
that  the  arts  council  could not  be  exempted  from  the                                                                    
Executive  Budget  Act.  He  asked  the  committee  consider                                                                    
Amendment 2 in lieu of Amendment 1.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  asked  if  the   sponsor  was  in  favor  of                                                                    
Amendment 2 and not Amendment 1.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lamkin explained that the  sponsor supported Amendment 1                                                                    
and Amendment 2.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop  WITHDREW  his objection.  There  being  NO                                                                    
further  OBJECTION,  it  was so  ordered.  Amendment  1  was                                                                    
ADOPTED.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:12:43 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:13:02 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 2 (copy on file).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr.   Lamkin  relayed   that   in   consultation  with   the                                                                    
Legislative Legal  Department, the  committee, and  the arts                                                                    
council; the approach  in Amendment 2 was  drafted. The goal                                                                    
was to specify  arts council receipts so that  if funds were                                                                    
vetoed,  the  receipt  authority   would  also  have  to  be                                                                    
separately vetoed. He noted that  the approach was used by a                                                                    
long list of other funds with receipt authority.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop  WITHDREW  his objection.  There  being  NO                                                                    
further  OBJECTION,  it  was so  ordered.  Amendment  2  was                                                                    
ADOPTED.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop stated  that  the committee  would set  the                                                                    
bill aside  and request a Committee  Substitute with updated                                                                    
fiscal notes.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SB  71  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.