02/26/2024 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 14                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Calling on  the United States Congress  and all federal                                                                    
     agencies  to  adopt  policies  and  engage  in  certain                                                                    
     efforts to  improve the competitiveness  and resiliency                                                                    
     of the state's seafood industry.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:04:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR CLICK  BISHOP, SPONSOR, believed  that there  was an                                                                    
urgency in getting the bill  across the Seante Floor as soon                                                                    
as possible.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:04:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  MOVED to  REPORT SJR  14 out  of committee                                                                    
with  individual recommendations  and attached  fiscal note.                                                                    
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SJR  14 was  REPORTED OUT  of committee  with six  "do pass"                                                                    
recommendations  and  one  new  zero fiscal  note  from  the                                                                    
Senate Finance Committee.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
^CONFIRMATION  OF  GOVERNOR'S   APPOINTEES:  JOHN  STURGEON,                                                                  
ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AUTHORITY                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:05:18 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOHN  STURGEON,   APPOINTEE,  ALASKA  MENTAL   HEALTH  TRUST                                                                    
AUTHORITY,  ANCHORAGE  (via teleconference),  discussed  his                                                                    
background.  He  noted  that  he   had  been  Chair  of  the                                                                    
Resources Committee for  the AMHTA for the last  5 years. He                                                                    
relayed  that   the  authority  generated  its   own  funds,                                                                    
generally through timber sales,  mining operations, and land                                                                    
sales  and  leases.  He  hopes   to  continue  to  help  the                                                                    
residents of Alaska.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson asked for additional educational background.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Sturgeon replied  that  he went  to  the University  of                                                                    
Minnesota and graduated with a degree in Forestry.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop moved that SFC  forward the nomination of Mr.                                                                    
Johnson  Sturgeon   to  the   Alaska  Mental   Health  Trust                                                                    
Authority  board of  trustees,  to a  joint  session of  the                                                                    
legislature.  He  furthered that  this  did  not reflect  an                                                                    
intent by any  member of the SFC to vote  for or against the                                                                    
confirmation during any further sessions.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:08:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^CONFIRMATION  OF   GOVERNOR'S  APPOINTEES:   BRENT  FISHER,                                                                  
ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AUTHORITY                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
BRENT   FISHER,  APPOINTEE,   ALASKA  MENTAL   HEALTH  TRUST                                                                    
AUTHORITY,  ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference), said  that hed                                                                     
been in  Alaska since 2009 and  had been on the  board for 3                                                                    
years. He was currently service  and Vice Chair on the Board                                                                    
of Trustees.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:08:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Fisher  shared that  he  had  a 30-year  background  in                                                                    
healthcare.  He  relayed  that he  owned  the  Alaska  Sleep                                                                    
Clinic.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:09:56 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Fisher   continued  to   discuss  his   background  and                                                                    
qualifications, noting that he  had a bachelors  degree from                                                                    
Brigham Young University  and an MBA from  the University of                                                                    
Texas,  Ausitn. He  stated  that he  was  familiar with  the                                                                    
beneficiaries of the trust and  had enjoyed his time serving                                                                    
on  the board.  He discussed  his work  in rural  Alaska. He                                                                    
hoped to continue to serve Alaskans.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:11:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson asked  for Mr.  Fishers  field  of study  at                                                                    
BYU.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:11:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Fisher   replied  that  he   had  a  double   major  in                                                                    
International Relations and Portuguese.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson aske where he saw the board in 5 years.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Fisher  replied that he  saw the board continuing  to do                                                                    
the  work  it  was   already  doing  while  efficiently  and                                                                    
effectively allocating  funds to  provide services.  He said                                                                    
the biggest  project he  saw on the  horizon was  the Crisis                                                                    
Now  project,  which  would effectively  provide  access  to                                                                    
counsellors to beneficiaries statewide.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop moved that SFC  forward the nomination of Mr.                                                                    
Brent  Fisher to  the Alaska  Mental Health  Trust Authority                                                                    
board of  trustees, to a  joint session of  the legislature.                                                                    
He  furthered that  this did  not reflect  an intent  by any                                                                    
member of  the SFC to  vote for or against  the confirmation                                                                    
during any further sessions.