04/11/2017 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                SCR 10-ALASKA YEAR OF INNOVATION                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:02:27 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COSTELLO   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration of SCR 10.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:03:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGHES moved  to adopt  the work  draft CS  for SCR  10,                                                               
labeled 30-LS0618\J, as the working document.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:03:27 PM                                                                                                                    
WESTON EILER, Staff, Senate Labor  and Commerce Committee, Alaska                                                               
State Legislature,  reviewed the  following changes in  version J                                                               
for SCR 10:                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line  1. The title reads,  "Proclaiming 2018 to                                                                    
     be the Year of Innovation in Alaska."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1,  line 16  through page 2,  line 3.  Several new                                                                    
     categories of Alaskan  innovators were added including:                                                                    
     indigenous    peoples,   Alaska    Natives,   teachers,                                                                    
     entrepreneurs,    students,   and    all   hard-working                                                                    
     Alaskans.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page  2, lines  14-31. Five  new paragraphs  were added                                                                    
     that expand on the  economic development and innovation                                                                    
     currently   happening  in   the  state.   Collaboration                                                                    
     between  regional  and statewide  economic  development                                                                    
     organizations   is  highlighted;   entrepreneurial  and                                                                    
     innovation  ecosystems are  emphasized; the  importance                                                                    
     of  intellectual property  and  university research  is                                                                    
     cited;  and  it  emphasizes that  a  strong  innovation                                                                    
     ecosystem   depends   on    promotion   from   existing                                                                    
     companies, new industries, and strategic ventures.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, lines 9-10, conform to the title change.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR EILER  concluded that the  resolution was expanded  to include                                                               
comments  from members.  The changes  help  start a  conversation                                                               
that  is in  line with  what this  committee and  the Senate  has                                                               
worked on this session.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER suggested  changing the language on  page 1, line                                                               
16, to replace "indigenous peoples,  Alaska Natives" with "Native                                                               
peoples, pioneers,  scientists, builders". This  acknowledges the                                                               
diversity  and  variation among  early  Alaskans  and provides  a                                                               
timeline.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR.  EILER said  that same  idea is  what precipitated  including                                                               
"indigenous people" on page l, line 16.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:08:21 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO  asked for clarification  that she  was suggesting                                                               
saying "Native  peoples, pioneers,  explorers" and  then continue                                                               
with  the existing  language starting  with "miners"  on page  2,                                                               
line 1.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER said yes.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COSTELLO   said  she  would   consider  that   a  friendly                                                               
amendment. She asked if there was objection.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEVENS said he didn't  object but he didn't believe that                                                               
Alaskans  are any  more innovative  than other  Americans. "We're                                                               
Americans first  and I  think it's unnecessary  to say  all these                                                               
glowing  things about  us when,  in fact,  I don't  know if  it's                                                               
necessarily true."                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COSTELLO said  she didn't  intend to  compare Alaskans  to                                                               
anyone else.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER said she believes a  lot of people come here with                                                               
a  spirit of  adventure  that isn't  necessarily  found in  other                                                               
places.  It's not  unique because  it does  exist elsewhere,  but                                                               
there's more of it here.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:11:12 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES  observed that  in that  same paragraph  there are                                                               
other  things than  geography and  climate that  Alaskans respond                                                               
to.  She suggested  including the  word  "challenges" to  reflect                                                               
more innovative ways.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COSTELLO,  noting  that  an  amendment  was  not  offered,                                                               
reminded  members that  she asked  them to  look closely  at that                                                               
paragraph. She said she was  happy with the existing language and                                                               
solicited other comments.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGHES said, "I'm okay."                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:12:38 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES moved  to report the CS for SCR  10 from committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:12:55 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GARDNER objected to ask if her amendment was accepted.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO said yes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER removed her objection.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COSTELLO asked  Senator Hughes  to restate  the motion  to                                                               
reflect the amendment.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:13:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES  moved to report  the CS  for SCR 10,  as amended,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:13:48 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO  announced that  without objection,  CSSCR 10(L&C)                                                               
moved from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.