04/07/2021 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 95                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  relating to  the right of  first refusal  of a                                                                    
     volunteer  search  and  rescue group  with  respect  to                                                                    
     surplus state property."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:18:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID WILSON, SPONSOR, introduced himself.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:18:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JASMIN MARTIN, STAFF, SENATOR WILSON, introduced herself.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson explained the legislation through the                                                                            
Sponsor Statement (copy on file):                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Search  and  rescue  operations  across  the  State  of                                                                    
     Alaska  are  largely  done by  volunteer  organizations                                                                    
     dispatched by  the Alaska State Troopers.  These groups                                                                    
     provide  lifesaving services  to our  state at  minimal                                                                    
     cost. SB  95 provides  assistance to  the groups  at no                                                                    
     cost to the state.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     While search  and rescue groups  can be  reimbursed for                                                                    
     costs  incurred during  specific operations,  the state                                                                    
     does not  generally provide  them with  equipment. This                                                                    
     legislation  allows  a   volunteer  search  and  rescue                                                                    
     organization to exercise the right  of first refusal on                                                                    
     items related to search and  rescue before the property                                                                    
     is sold,  leased, licenses, or  disposed of.  This bill                                                                    
     enables  these volunteer  search and  rescue groups  to                                                                    
     more easily obtain the equipment they need to fulfill                                                                      
     their lifesaving mission.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Martin addressed the Sectional Analysis (copy on file):                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: Names this act the Ellie Mae Act.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2:  Amends AS 44.68.110  to allow  an organized                                                                    
     volunteer search and rescue group  to exercise right of                                                                    
     first  refusal  for  surplus  state  items  related  to                                                                    
     search and  rescue before they  are disposed of  by the                                                                    
     state.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:21:56 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman   remarked  that  the  search   and  rescue                                                                    
operations in  his district were frequently  underfunded. He                                                                    
wondered why there  would be a charge of  the full appraised                                                                    
value. He felt that there  should be a discount because they                                                                    
perform a public  function. He also wondered  how the search                                                                    
and rescue members would compete  for highly prized items to                                                                    
provide search and rescue operations.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson replied  that the bill was  intended to allow                                                                    
for the entities to find discounted items.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Martin  furthered that they  do not necessarily  need to                                                                    
perform a  search and rescue  party, but in statute  it says                                                                    
that they "could" perform a search and rescue party.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wielechowski queried the  definition of a search and                                                                    
rescue group.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Martin replied that it was not defined in statute. //                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman asked about Ellie May.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson responded that it was a fallen canine.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:26:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JONATHON HARSHFIELD, STATE  PROPERTY MANAGER, ANCHORAGE (via                                                                    
teleconference), introduced himself.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop  wondered  whether Mr.  Harshfield  was  in                                                                    
charge of disposing of excess property.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Harshfield replied in the affirmative.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Bishop  queried   some  hypothetical   situations                                                                    
regarding applying for excess property in the state fleet.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Harshfield   replied  that  there  would   be  a  brief                                                                    
qualification process.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop  surmised that there would  be a competition                                                                    
with other state agencies.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Harshfield responded  that there  would be  competition                                                                    
with other search and rescue groups.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Bishop  wondered   whether   the   state  had   a                                                                    
reutilization program within state agencies.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:30:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Harshfield  replied  that  there  were  multiple  tiers                                                                    
within the auction.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop  wondered  whether  there  were  any  other                                                                    
state-affiliated  agencies  that  would have  allowance  for                                                                    
state property.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wielechowski  surmised  that  there  was  a  tiered                                                                    
system for the property.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Harshfield replied in the affirmative.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wielechowski wondered  how  the  search and  rescue                                                                    
groups were  in the second tier  when they had the  right of                                                                    
first refusal.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Harshfield replied that they  were in the right of first                                                                    
refusal for any entity outside of the state.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wilson  furthered  that  the  state  was  releasing                                                                    
ownership of the equipment.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wielechowski  wondered who  would receive  the title                                                                    
of the property.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Harshfield  replied that most  likely the leader  of the                                                                    
group would  receive the  title, and agreed  to work  on who                                                                    
would  get ownership  at  the moment  of  disbanding of  the                                                                    
group.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:35:01 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Bishop  wondered   whether  Mr.   Harshfield  was                                                                    
familiar  with   the  federal  government's   Department  of                                                                    
Utilization of Property.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Harshfield replied in the affirmative.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman  wondered  whether  there  was  a  list  of                                                                    
surplus property to the agencies,  and wondered how the list                                                                    
was disseminated to the nonprofits.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Harshfield replied that there  was no schedule basis. He                                                                    
stated  that there  would  be work  with  the Department  of                                                                    
Public Safety  (DPS), and reaching  out to known  search and                                                                    
rescue groups.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator  von Imhof  felt  that it  was  interesting that  an                                                                    
individual person  would receive  ownership, rather  than an                                                                    
entity.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson deferred to Ms. Martin.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Martin replied  that there  was already  a process  for                                                                    
what happens  to a  piece of equipment  that the  state owns                                                                    
for a search and rescue group.  She agreed that there was no                                                                    
regulation  for  the program  because  the  program did  not                                                                    
exist. She  felt that  it would be  something that  would be                                                                    
outlined  in  regulation.  She  stated  that  an  individual                                                                    
person would  take responsibility  for a piece  of property,                                                                    
but not necessarily ownership.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator  von Imhof  wondered who  would take  ownership, and                                                                    
wondered whether there should be a definition.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Martin replied  that there  had  been discussion  about                                                                    
limiting the program to certain  types of organizations, but                                                                    
worried  that   it  would  leave  out   different  types  of                                                                    
volunteer organizations.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  asked for an  example of items that  would be                                                                    
considered excess property.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Harshfield  replied that it  would be anything  that DPS                                                                    
deemed assigned to that tier.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:40:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator   Olson   wondered    whether   it   would   include                                                                    
helicopters.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Harshfield replied in the affirmative.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  wondered whether the  Civil Air  Patrol would                                                                    
be qualified in the program.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson replied in the affirmative.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman surmised that the  equipment could come from                                                                    
any department with surplus equipment.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson replied in the affirmative.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Harshfield stated that the  process had not yet been put                                                                    
in place.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  wondered  whether the  North  Slope  Borough                                                                    
would be eligible for the excess property.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Martin replied  that they  were eligible  only if  they                                                                    
were a volunteer organization.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop OPENED and CLOSED public testimony.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SB  95  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.