Legislature(1999 - 2000)
05/14/1999 03:17 PM House C33
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 33-TASK FORCE ON PRIVATIZATION
CO-CHAIR HALFORD called the Conference Committee on SB 33 to order
at 3:17 p.m. Present were Senators Halford, Pearce and Elton, and
Representatives Brice and Cowdery.
JULI LUCKY, legislative staff to Co-Chair Halford, described the
differences between the House and Senate versions of SB 33 as
follows.
Subsection (7) of Section 1 of the House version (the findings and
intent section) was removed from the Conference Committee
Substitute (CCS). That subsection read: "there may be functions of
state government that should cease."
CO-CHAIR HALFORD asked if that same language remains in another
section of the CCS.
MS. LUCKY replied that sections dealing with the commission's
duties and reports contain that language. It was removed from the
findings and intent section only.
CO-CHAIR HALFORD clarified that the fact that some state functions
should cease may be the result of the Commission on Privatization's
review but it is no longer an initial finding in the bill.
SENATOR ELTON stated he would not characterize that duty of the
Commission as one it may do, but as one it shall do.
MS. LUCKY continued. Sections 2, 3, and 4 of the Senate version,
dealing with public employee relations, rights of public employees,
and contract bargaining, are not included in the CCS.
Section 2 of the CCS corresponds to Section 5 of the Senate
version; it deals with the composition of the committee and
contains most of the substantial changes made in the CCS. A
provision allowing two members to be appointed by the Governor was
removed from the CCS. Appointments that were in both the House and
Senate versions of the bill and remain in the CCS are the Senate
and House Co-Chairs, the Alaska Municipal League appointment, and
the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce appointment.
CO-CHAIR HALFORD asked if the Administration requested the removal
of the provision allowing the Governor to appoint two members. MS.
LUCKY said it did.
MS. LUCKY continued. Two public members will be appointed by the
Senate President, one must be a member of a Native corporation.
Both versions originally required each presiding officer to appoint
two public members, however the House version required the Speaker
of the House to appoint one public member who is a member of a
Native non-profit corporation. The CCS requires each presiding
officer to appoint a member from either a non-profit or a for-
profit Native corporation. The CCS retains the provision from the
House version that one appointee be a member of the AFL-CIO.
Subsections 8 and 9 pertain to the appointment of a minority member
from each house. As previously mentioned, the presiding officers
of the House and Senate will make those appointments rather than
the Governor.
SENATOR ELTON asked whether any discussion took place about making
one appointment from a Native non-profit corporation and one from a
Native for-profit corporation.
CO-CHAIR HALFORD explained the only discussion was with the sponsor
and that the change was an effort to maintain a smaller group
versus a larger group. The House version provided for 15 members
while the Senate version provided for 11 members.
SENATOR ELTON remarked that the House version required the Senate
President to select a member from a Native corporation and that the
Speaker of the House select a member from a Native non-profit
corporation. The CCS now allows the Speaker to appoint a member
from a Native corporation. He asked why that changed. CO-CHAIR
HALFORD said he was not aware of any particular reason.
MS. LUCKY replied that it is her understanding that being able to
select a member from either a Native non-profit or a for-profit
corporation will provide a larger pool from which to choose.
MS. LUCKY stated the next section of the CCS pertains to member
compensation. The House provision was retained which allows
payment of per diem and travel expenses for all appointed members.
The CCS contains one additional duty that was in the House version.
It allows the commission to identify state government functions
that should be eliminated.
The time line provision in the CCS corresponds to the Senate
version; no preliminary report is required and a final report is
due to the legislature on January 1, 2000. The report section
contains language from the House version pertaining to state
government functions that should be eliminated. The January 1,
2000 repealer date corresponds to the Senate version and is the
same as the due date of the report.
CO-CHAIR HALFORD asked for a motion to adopt the proposed CCS as
the working document of the committee. REPRESENTATIVE OGAN so
moved.
SENATOR ELTON objected and proposed an amendment to use the time
line from the House version. He maintained that the time line was
added to the bill as a House floor amendment and it received
significant support. The House time line provides for a preliminary
report due January 1, 2000 and a final report due January 1, 2001.
CO-CHAIR HALFORD suggested that the committee vote to adopt the
proposed CCS first. SENATOR ELTON withdrew his objection to adopt
the proposed CCS, therefore CO-CHAIR HALFORD announced, with no
objection, the CCS was adopted.
Number 180
SENATOR ELTON moved to adopt the language from HCS CSSB 33(FIN)amH
regarding the time line of the commission. He clarified that a new
Section 6 would have to be added that would be identical to the
language on page 4, lines 13 - 19 of HCS CSSB 33(FIN)am H, and that
the repeal date would change to January 1, 2001.
CO-CHAIR HALFORD noted that because the sponsor wants the
commission to complete its work as soon as possible, he will not
support the amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY asked if the CCS requires only one report.
CO-CHAIR HALFORD said that is correct and that the commission would
be defunct as of January 1, 2000. The proposed amendment would
require two reports and continue the commission for another year.
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN objected to adopting Senator Elton's proposed
amendment. He said two reports will be more costly, he wants the
report finished "on his watch," and he believes the report should
be acted upon during the next legislative session.
REPRESENTATIVE BRICE maintained that the work before the commission
is of such magnitude and depth that to try to complete the task in
six months is asking too much. He commented that the potential for
privatization and realignment of programs within the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities alone is very large.
SENATOR ELTON pointed out that his amendment does not mandate that
the legislature wait to take action until January 1, 2001. The
commission could accomplish its work earlier and submit a report at
any time.
SENATOR PEARCE remarked that any entity, whether government or
private, will use the entire amount of time allotted.
REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY agreed with Senator Pearce and
Representative Ogan and said he believes six months is a reasonable
amount of time to complete the report.
CO-CHAIR HALFORD asked for a roll call vote. The motion to adopt
Senator Elton's amendment failed with Representative Brice and
Senator Elton voting "yea," and Representatives Cowdery and Ogan
and Senators Pearce and Halford voting "nay."
REPRESENTATIVE BRICE moved to return the CCS to the full body for
consideration. There being no objection, the motion carried.
There being no further business to come before the committee, CO-
CHAIR HALFORD adjourned the meeting at 4:20 p.m.
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