02/22/2000 08:10 AM House CRA

HB 255-HOME RULE VILLAGES                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIRMAN  HARRIS announced  that  the first  order of  business                                                              
would be  HOUSE BILL NO.  255, "An Act  relating to  villages; and                                                              
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0099                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON,  speaking as the sponsor of  HB 255, pointed                                                              
out that the committee should have  a report from the subcommittee                                                              
on HB  255, which  had a  spirited discussion  with regard  to the                                                              
name of this  new category.  The subcommittee  determined that the                                                              
most descriptive  and user-friendly  title would  be a  "home rule                                                              
community."     He  informed  the  committee  that   Tamara  Cook,                                                              
Director,  Legislative  Legal  and   Research  Services,  had  the                                                              
opinion that a community is defined  as fitting under the category                                                              
of city.  Therefore, the name would  pass the constitutional test,                                                              
although it will require some work.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON informed members  that the Attorney General's                                                              
representative  did not  have strong objections.   Kevin  Ritchie,                                                              
Executive Director, Alaska Municipal  League, felt that the phrase                                                              
"home  rule"   was  widely   used,  with   a  recognized   meaning                                                              
nationwide.   Therefore,  the subcommittee  liked  the term  "home                                                              
rule  community" that  was in  the  proposed committee  substitute                                                              
(CS), Version H [1-LS1000\H, Cook,  1/24/00], which was before the                                                              
committee at the last hearing.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0295                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   KOOKESH  recalled   that  the  subcommittee   had                                                              
reviewed  seven or  eight possible  names.   The subcommittee  had                                                              
tried to fit in the word "city."   However, people in rural Alaska                                                              
do  not  want  to be  known  as  a  city.   The  name  "home  rule                                                              
community" was the name that seemed  to satisfy the dislike of the                                                              
word "city" by rural communities  while recognizing that "city" is                                                              
mentioned in the constitution.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MURKOWSKI noted that  at the last committee meeting                                                              
she  had requested  an  opinion from  Ms. Cook.    With the  input                                                              
received  from  Ms.  Cook  at the  subcommittee  meeting  and  the                                                              
memorandum  attached to  the subcommittee  report,  Representative                                                              
Murkowski said she was satisfied.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0468                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DYSON  moved  to   report  CSHB  255,  version  1-                                                              
LS1000\H,  Cook,   1/24/00,  out  of  committee   with  individual                                                              
recommendations.    There  being no objection,  it was  so ordered                                                              
and  CSHB 255(CRA)  was  reported  from  the House  Community  and                                                              
Regional Affairs Standing Committee.