05/08/2025 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

                SB 177-STATE AGENCY PUBLICATIONS                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:24:08 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of SENATE  BILL NO.  177 "An  Act relating  to the                                                               
elimination  or modification  of state  agency publications  that                                                               
are outdated, duplicative, or excessive."                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KAWASAKI  stated that  the  governor  requested all  bills                                                               
submitted  by  him  receive  a  hearing  and  the  committee  has                                                               
complied. He  noted that SB  177 was scheduled, but  the governor                                                               
chose not  to send anyone to  introduce it. He explained  that SB
  originated   from  House   Bill  187,  introduced   by  then                                                               
Representative Kaufman  and passed unanimously by  both bodies in                                                               
2022.  He  referenced  a  letter   from  the  Department  of  Law                                                               
indicating  no  one  was  available   to  present  the  bill.  He                                                               
expressed  support  for  Senator Kaufman's  plan  to  reintroduce                                                               
similar  legislation  to  reduce  government  inefficiencies  and                                                               
costs and  reiterated disappointment that no  representative from                                                               
the governor's office attended to introduce SB 177.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:27:02 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  WIELECHOWSKI  asked  if  the committee  had  received  a                                                               
fiscal note.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:27:09 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI stated that no  fiscal note has been received from                                                               
the  agencies,  though  publishing reports  across  14  principal                                                               
agencies  and  sub-agencies is  costly.  While  the exact  fiscal                                                               
impact   is   unclear,   eliminating  outdated   or   duplicative                                                               
publications under SB 177 is expected  to save money. He said the                                                               
legislature  may  request the  Governor's  Office  and Office  of                                                               
Management and Budget (OMB) to provide an estimate.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:28:33 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI  noted that Sections 8  and 9 of SB  177 [AS                                                               
37.14.720  and   AS  38.05.180(b)]  repeal  about   42  laws  and                                                               
expressed interest  in what  those are. He  explained SB  177 was                                                               
submitted  to  meet  a mandate  requiring  agencies  to  identify                                                               
outdated,  duplicative, or  excessive publications,  which likely                                                               
account for the repealed sections.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:29:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI  stated that with  no one available to  present SB
,  it  is  speculative  to   determine  whether  the  repealed                                                               
sections  are duplicative.  Without input  from commissioners  or                                                               
agencies involved, it is unclear how to assess them.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:30:14 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI  asked if there  was anyone online  from the                                                               
Governor's office to answer questions.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KAWASAKI replied  there  was no  one  from the  Governor's                                                               
office online for SB 177.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:30:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if the meeting was properly noticed                                                                  
and if the Governor's office was aware the meeting was                                                                          
occurring.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:30:53 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI answered yes, SB 177 was properly noticed. He                                                                    
said the Department of Law sent a written response Tuesday                                                                      
morning, and it is available online under Senate Bill 177.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:31:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI held SB 177 in committee.