05/08/2025 10:00 AM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 80(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination  date of the Big Game                                                                    
     Commercial  Services Board;  extending the  termination                                                                    
     date of the Board  of Massage Therapists; extending the                                                                    
     termination  date of  the Alaska  Commission on  Aging;                                                                    
     extending  the   termination  date  of   the  Marijuana                                                                    
     Control Board; and providing for an effective date."                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:16:42 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JESSE BJORKMAN, SPONSOR, introduced the bill.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster asked if anyone could discuss the letter                                                                        
included in the packet.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
KEVIN RICHARD, DIRECTOR, ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA CONTROL                                                                          
OFFICE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke to the                                                                            
letter.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard asked about  the personal services and                                                                    
the 10 full-time positions and one special investigator.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Richard  responded that  work was not  passed on  to the                                                                    
Department of Public Safety (DPS).                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Allard   asked   if   the   three   special                                                                    
investigators used to fall under the DPS umbrella.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:20:41 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr.   Richard  responded   that  at   one  point   in  time,                                                                    
enforcement was  handled under the  DPS umbrella but  it was                                                                    
before his time.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Allard asked  whether and  why they  did not                                                                    
carry weapons anymore                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Richard  responded that they  were generally  focused on                                                                    
enforcement and regulation and not arresting people.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  wanted to find  out for sure  if they                                                                    
could arrest and carry firearms.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Bjorkman did  not have  a specific  answer, because                                                                    
the circumstances varied based on the scenario.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  relayed that her intent  was that law                                                                    
enforcement should use the full force  of the law to do what                                                                    
they needed to do.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:25:45 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Josephson  MOVED   to  REPORT   CSSB(FIN)80  from                                                                    
committee,   Work   Draft   34-LS0416\N,   with   individual                                                                    
recommendations and attached fiscal notes.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CSSB(FIN) 80  was REPORTED out  of committee with  seven "do                                                                    
pass"     recommendations,    two     "no    recommendation"                                                                    
recommendations,  and one  "amend" recommendation,  and with                                                                    
three  previously published  fiscal impact  notes: FN1(CED),                                                                    
FN2(CED), and FN3(DOH).