03/26/2007 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY

            SB  84-TESTING & PACKAGING OF CIGARETTES                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
2:51:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR FRENCH announced the consideration of SB 84.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR McGUIRE motioned to adopt  Version O committee substitute                                                               
for SB 84, labeled 25-LS0596\O, as the working document.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH  articulated the reason  the bill was held  over was                                                               
to look  into the explicit references  to New York law.  One such                                                               
example  is on  page  6, line  4. He  and  several other  members                                                               
researched  that point  and although  he has  some qualms,  it is                                                               
apparent that  New York is becoming  the de facto leader  in this                                                               
subject. It's a  sort of bargain that states are  making with the                                                               
tobacco industry to  have one nationwide standard  in the absence                                                               
of federal  action. His  initial concerns  have been  reduced, he                                                               
said.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:52:51 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR McGUIRE  motioned to report  CSSB 84(JUD)  from committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:53:04 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI stated that  subsequent to his expression of                                                               
concern  about using  New York  statutes, he  received some  very                                                               
helpful  information.  Currently  eight other  states  explicitly                                                               
reference  the New  York  fire-safety  standards for  cigarettes,                                                               
which gives him  a degree of comfort. He weighed  the interest in                                                               
protecting the way  Alaska laws are crafted  against the interest                                                               
industry  has in  having  a  consistent standard  and  he has  no                                                               
objection to passing the bill along.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  FRENCH  announced  that without  objection,  CSSB  84(JUD)                                                               
moves from committee.