04/12/2021 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

           SJR 8-COMPLETION OF UNIVERSITY LAND GRANT                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:02:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PATKOTAK announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be CS  FOR SENATE JOINT  RESOLUTION NO. 8(RES) Urging  the Alaska                                                               
delegation  in  Congress, the  United  States  Department of  the                                                               
Interior, and the  Governor to facilitate a  land grant endowment                                                               
to  the University  of Alaska;  urging the  Alaska delegation  in                                                               
Congress  to   reintroduce  the   University  of   Alaska  Fiscal                                                               
Foundation Act;  and urging the  Department of  Natural Resources                                                               
to work with the University  of Alaska to identify lands suitable                                                               
for the land endowment.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:03:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GARY   STEVENS,  Alaska  State  Legislature,   as  prime                                                               
sponsor, explained  that the University  of Alaska (UA)  has been                                                               
"land deficit"  in its history, and  SJR 8 would give  UA greater                                                               
fiscal stability,  thereby resulting in the  university's reduced                                                               
reliance on  state general fund  money.  He  noted that SJR  8 is                                                               
the  response   to  the   request  from   Alaska's  congressional                                                               
delegation for  help in passing  the University of  Alaska Fiscal                                                               
Foundation Act.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:04:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER asked  for  clarification regarding  the                                                               
proposed  legislation's   effect  on   that  which   the  federal                                                               
government owes the State of Alaska.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEVENS replied  that the acreage in question  is part of                                                               
the lands  already owed  to the  State of  Alaska by  the federal                                                               
government.  In response to  a follow-up question, he deferred to                                                               
his staff.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:05:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIM   LAMKIN,  Staff,   Senator   Gary   Stevens,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature,  on  behalf  of   Senator  Stevens,  prime  sponsor,                                                               
explained that the available volume  of land is "fixed," and this                                                               
request  from  Alaska's  congressional  delegation  is  aimed  at                                                               
finalizing the  land conveyances.   As further  clarification, he                                                               
explained that  SJR 8 is  a resolution intended to  give Alaska's                                                               
congressional delegation a  tool to help finalize  the process of                                                               
land conveyances.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:07:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PATKOTAK opined  that SJR  8  is like  asking the  federal                                                               
government to pay an invoice instead of invoicing them again.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:07:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ED FOGELS, Partner,  Jade North, LLC, explained  that this effort                                                               
would not  change the  amount of  land owed to  the state  by the                                                               
federal  government; rather,  it "shaves  off" some  of the  land                                                               
owed and gives it to UA.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:08:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS  moved to  report SJR  8 out  of committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and  the accompanying zero fiscal                                                               
note.   There being no objection,  CSSJR 8(RES) was moved  out of                                                               
the House Resources Standing Committee.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:08:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease.