04/20/1994 05:00 PM House STA

  SB 303 - UNIFORM VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM                                   
                                                                               
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY opened SB 303 for discussion.  He reported he                 
  had done some work on possible alternatives and found it is                  
  quite simple to change Alaska's law to allow people to vote                  
  for congressman just as they currently do for the President.                 
  He felt it was a judgment call as to whether it would be                     
  cheaper to spend the money on litigation or on the extra                     
  paper work to comply with SB 303.  He noted there would have                 
  to be a change of title to have an "alternate A" to SB 303,                  
  "and that would require a House Concurrent Resolution with                   
  the Senate."                                                                 
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE FRAN ULMER moved to pass SB 303 from                          
  committee with individual recommendations.                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY asked the committee secretary to call the                     
  roll.                                                                        
                                                                               
  IN FAVOR:      REPRESENTATIVES VEZEY, KOTT, ULMER, G. DAVIS,                 
                 SANDERS.                                                      
  OPPOSED:       REPRESENTATIVE OLBERG.                                        
  ABSENT:        REPRESENTATIVE B. DAVIS.                                      
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE PETE KOTT changed his vote from yea to nay.                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JERRY SANDERS changed his vote from yea to                    
  nay.                                                                         
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE ULMER asked the committee to reconsider SB
.  She commented given what the committee has heard about                 
  the state being out of compliance if the change is not made,                 
  she did not think anymore money should be spent on                           
  litigation.  She noted the state has lost the last few                       
  lawsuits it has filed against the federal government.  She                   
  referred to it as "mission impossible."  Although SB 303 is                  
  not perfect, it is not outrageous or unreasonable.  Given                    
  the Administration has tried very hard with SB 303 to not                    
  inconvenience anybody or cost very much, she felt the                        
  committee should go with it.                                                 
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY noted the vote is currently 3-3.  He requires                 
  four votes to move a bill out of committee.                                  
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE KOTT changed his vote back from nay to yea.                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE OLBERG changed his vote from nay to yea.                      
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY noted final vote.                                             
                                                                               
  IN FAVOR:      REPRESENTATIVES VEZEY, KOTT, ULMER, G. DAVIS,                 
                 OLBERG.                                                       
  OPPOSED:       REPRESENTATIVE SANDERS.                                       
  ABSENT:        B. DAVIS.                                                     
                                                                               
  MOTION PASSED                                                                
                                                                               
  Number 195                                                                   
                                                                               
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY, with no further business before the                          
  committee, adjourned the meeting at 5:16 p.m.