05/07/1998 08:15 PM House FIN

SENATE BILL NO. 312                                                            
                                                                               
"An Act relating to animals, to food, to pest control,                         
and to the Alaska Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act; and                             
providing for an effective date."                                              
                                                                               
BETH HAGEVIG, STAFF, SENATOR GARY WILKEN, explained that SB
 was a good government bill designed to help those in                       
the business of food production and service to better                          
access the laws that apply to them.  The legislation would                     
clean up various statutes relating to food and animals                         
under the purview of the Department of Environmental                           
Conservation by either deleting them or consolidating them                     
into AS 17.20, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.  The                           
legislation makes no significant changes to DEC's current                      
authority relative to food and animals.                                        
                                                                               
Ms. Hagevig continued, current statutory requirements for                      
food production and service are scattered throughout Title                     
3, which covers agriculture and animals and Title 17, which                    
covers food and drugs.  Some of the provisions between                         
these two titles conflict with one another, while others                       
are obsolete.  In present form, statutes relating to food                      
production and service are often confusing and difficult to                    
find for those who need them, such as the Alaska food                          
servers and producers.  By consolidating the statues under                     
one act, and eliminating conflicting or obsolete statutes,                     
the Legislature provides greater access to the Laws of                         
Alaska for those most directly effected.  The housekeeping                     
measure is also a customer service issue that makes the                        
system user-friendly to all Alaskans, saves time and                           
provides for more efficient administration of food laws in                     
Alaska.                                                                        
                                                                               
Representative J. Davies MOVED to report SB 312 out of                         
Committee with individual recommendations and with the                         
accompanying zero fiscal note.  There being NO OBJECTION,                      
it was so ordered.                                                             
                                                                               
SB 312 was reported out of Committee with a "do pass"                          
recommendation and with a zero fiscal note by the                              
Department of Natural Resources.