Legislature(1993 - 1994)
04/06/1994 09:07 AM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
CHAIRMAN LEMAN brings up SB 358 (ELIMINATE SOME STATE MULTIMEMBER BODIES) as the next order of business before the Senate State Affairs Committee. The chairman calls the first witness. Number 139 WALLACE OLSON, Retired University Professor, states he has worked with universities and museums around the world, and is familiar with museums and museum operations. Mr. Olson gives background information on why the current Museum Collections Advisory Committee exists as it does today. Apparently, in 1973, one man decided to trade items back and forth. It was really a bad deal. At that point, the state decided that, in the future, all museum collections would be monitored by a Museum Collections Advisory Committee. SB 358 would drop that committee, giving authority over collections to the Commissioner of the Department of Education. This would lead us right back into that same problem in 1973. If the control of a museum collection lies with one person, the same problems will arise again. Mr. Olson says other museums have told him that, and he has seen it himself. Museums do not operate in this manner. Number 166 MR. OLSON points out that, even though the museum is under the jurisdiction of the Division of Libraries, Archives, & Museums, museums are totally different from a library. Comparisons cannot be made as far as purchasing books for a library and making acquisitions for a museum. Museum collections reflect the heritage of the state for the next hundred years or so. Whoever decides what acquisitions will be made is deciding what will be preserved for future generations. Those decisions should be made by a committee representing all the population of the state. MR. OLSON states that, if the concerns with the committee relate to the fiscal costs related to the committee, those costs can be overcome with the application of modern technology. Mr. Olson thinks the costs associated with the committee could possibly be cut back to almost nothing, but he urges that the committee not be eliminated. Number 197 CHAIRMAN LEMAN informs Mr. Olson of the existence of an amendment to SB 358 which would restore the committee, making changes to save costs. The Museum Collections Advisory will be allowed to meet by teleconference, and it does change the value of items that must be approved by the committee from 1,000$ to 5,000$. The chairman asks that a copy of the amendment be given to Mr. Olson. CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks Ms. Shepard if her testimony is along the same lines as Mr. Olson's testimony, and asks Ms. Shepard if the amendment would satisfy her concerns. BEA SHEPARD, with Museums Alaska, responds the amendment would satisfy her concerns and she hopes it is adopted. Number 215 MR. WALLACE adds that his testimony is in written form, and he will submit it to the committee. Number 219 CHAIRMAN LEMAN thanks Mr. Wallace for his testimony and asks Ms. Leaf if there is opposition to amendment #2 from the governor's office. Number 221 KRISTIE LEAF, Director, Boards & Commissions, Office of the Governor, states there is no opposition to amendment #2 from the governor's office. The purpose of the bill is to improve efficiency. Number 228 CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks if anyone else wishes to testify on SB 358. Hearing none, the chairman brings up amendment #1 and asks for a motion to adopt the amendment. Number 229 SENATOR MILLER makes a motion to adopt amendment #1 to SB 358. Number 233 SENATOR TAYLOR objects and asks for an explanation of amendment #1. Number 235 MS. LEAF responds amendment #1 would increase the Worker's Compensation Board from five panels to six panels. Concern has been expressed that decisions from the board have been tardy. There would be no fiscal cost associated with amendment #1 because there would not be additional meetings, the panels would simply meet sooner. SENATOR TAYLOR withdraws his objection to amendment #1. Number 265 CHAIRMAN LEMAN, hearing no further objection to amendment #1, states the amendment has been adopted. Number 267 CHAIRMAN LEMAN introduces amendment #2 to SB 358. SENATOR TAYLOR makes a motion to adopt amendment #2. Number 271 CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks if there is discussion or opposition to amendment #2. Hearing none, the chairman states amendment # 2 has been adopted. CHAIRMAN LEMAN introduces a conceptual amendment to SB 358 which would add language from SB 286. The opinion of legislative counsel is that for the language in SB 358 to match the language in SB 286, the committee should simply adopt language directly from SB 286. The portions of SB 286 which relate to sections 7 and 9 of SB 358 would be adopted into SB 358. Number 328 SENATOR ELLIS asks the chairman if there would be any substantive changes with the adoption of the technical amendment. CHAIRMAN LEMAN replies there would be no substantive changes with the adoption of the amendment. CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks if there are any objections to amendment #3, the conceptual amendment. Hearing none, the chairman states amendment #3 has been adopted. CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks if there are further amendments or discussion on SB 358. Number 342 SENATOR MILLER makes a motion to discharge SB 358 from the Senate State Affairs Committee with individual recommendations. Number 343 CHAIRMAN LEMAN, hearing no objection, orders SB 358 released from committee with individual recommendations.
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