02/10/1998 03:37 PM Senate STA

                                                                               
           SB 255 - JOINT TASK FORCE ON MILITARY BASES                         
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN brought SB 255 before the committee as the first                
order of business and directed attention to a proposed State                   
Affairs committee substitute.                                                  
                                                                               
SENATOR MILLER moved the adoption of CSSB 255(STA), version "F" as             
a working draft.  Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.                     
                                                                               
TIM BENINTENDI, staff to Senator Tim Kelly who is the prime sponsor            
of SB 255, explained the legislation would establish a joint House             
and Senate committee to take up issues strictly dealing with                   
military base closures in Alaska.  It would focus upon, but not be             
limited to, activities of the Base Realignment and Closure                     
Commission (BRAC), a federal entity which will likely be activated             
in the very near future.                                                       
                                                                               
Mr. Benintendi said the attention by BRAC given to Alaska bases in             
the past presented a considerable challenge and necessitates                   
vigilance and a strong and unified response from the Legislature.              
The military establishment in Alaska accounts for approximately                
$2.7 billion annually throughout Alaska's economy.  In addition,               
the base closures experienced to date, Adak naval Air Facility and             
Fort Greely, have shown that the process requires considerable                 
attention on the part of state government to monitor the economic              
impact and the reuse potential of such base closures.  The joint               
committee would provide that critical focus.                                   
                                                                               
Mr. Benintendi related that the proposed committee  substitute                 
corrects the makeup of the commission to three members of the                  
Senate, three members of the House, and three public members.                  
                                                                               
Number 065                                                                     
                                                                               
Responding to a question from CHAIRMAN GREEN, MR. BENINTENDI                   
clarified that previously there was a task force composed solely of            
legislative members, as well as a contract with a private firm in              
Washington, D.C. to help with the process.                                     
                                                                               
Number 100                                                                     
                                                                               
CHRIS NELSON, testifying via teleconference from Anchorage,                    
confirmed that the Joint Task Force on Military Bases was                      
established in 1994 in preparation for the 1995 Base Realignment               
and Closure Commission round.  He said he thinks the establishment             
of a joint committee puts things on a more formal and long-term                
basis, as well as putting Alaska on a par with other states and                
other communities which are beginning to look at the BRAC 2001  and            
2005 scenario that is now being proposed by the Secretary of                   
Defense.                                                                       
                                                                               
Number 130                                                                     
                                                                               
There being no further testimony on SB 255, CHAIRMAN GREEN asked               
for the pleasure of the committee.                                             
                                                                               
SENATOR WARD moved that CSSB 255(STA) and the accompanying fiscal              
note be passed out of committee with individual recommendations.               
Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.