04/17/2014 09:06 PM House FIN

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 194(FIN)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act creating the Alaska Tourism Marketing Board;                                                                       
     and relating to tourism marketing."                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
11:56:32 PM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
GENEVIEVE WOJTUSIK, STAFF,  SENATOR LESIL MCGUIRE introduced                                                                    
herself.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
11:57:47 PM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ROBERTA  GRAHAM,   ASSISTANT  COMMISSIONER,   DEPARTMENT  OF                                                                    
COMMERCE,  COMMUNITY  AND  ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT,  testified                                                                    
that  the  bill  formalized  the  relationship  between  the                                                                    
industry and the department. She  stated that the department                                                                    
supported  the   legislation  and  she  offered   to  answer                                                                    
questions. She noted  that 21 members would  be appointed by                                                                    
the governor  as proposed by the  leading trade association.                                                                    
She stated that the bill would  allow the board to work with                                                                    
the  department  on the  marketing  of  Alaska as  a  travel                                                                    
destination.  She   mentioned  a   fiscal  note   for  $3000                                                                    
representing the two meetings required in the bill.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
11:59:30 PM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
BILL  PEDDLER, ALASKA  TOURISM  ASSOCIATION, testified  that                                                                    
the industry  supported the bill.  Since 1988,  a formalized                                                                    
statutory  relationship was  established between  the Alaska                                                                    
travel industry  and the state. The  relationship suffered a                                                                    
few years  ago, and the  need to formalize  the relationship                                                                    
was again deemed necessary.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson stated that  the board had 21 members.                                                                    
She wondered if quorums might be difficult to obtain.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Peddler  replied  that  the   bill  required  a  quorum                                                                    
including one  member from  each region of  the state  and a                                                                    
minimum of nine  voting members attending. He  stated that a                                                                    
quorum was  never difficult to  obtain as the subject  was a                                                                    
passionate one amongst all the industry members.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson stated  that  she  participated in  a                                                                    
similar  group as  an assembly  member. She  appreciated the                                                                    
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Munoz asked about the benefit of the                                                                             
statute.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Graham  replied that  the  marketing  committee of  the                                                                    
Alaska  Travel Industry  Association  (ATIA) was  affiliated                                                                    
with the  trade association.  She stated that  the qualified                                                                    
trade association was in statute.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
[Note: Meeting continued in minutes dated 4/18/14 12:01                                                                         
a.m.]