05/02/1997 04:40 PM House FIN

  SENATE BILL 103                                                              
                                                                               
       "An  Act relating  to hearings  before  and authorizing                 
       fees for  the State  Commission for  Human Rights;  and                 
       providing for an effective date."                                       
                                                                               
  PAULA  HALEY,  (TESTIFIED  VIA  TELECONFERENCE),  ANCHORAGE,                 
  spoke in support of the legislation and explained that in an                 
  effort to reduce budgets, some  actions that save money also                 
  create efficiencies which better  meet public service  goals                 
  as is the case with the Human Rights Commission.                             
                                                                               
  The bill  would allow  the Human  Rights Commission to  hold                 
  hearings at  the office in  Anchorage rather than  where the                 
  alleged  discrimination  occurred,   as  is  required  under                 
  current law.   She  suggested that  it would  save time  and                 
  money in travel costs.   The Commissioner would continue  to                 
  ensure that complainants may participate in the hearings.                    
                                                                               
                                                                               
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  Ms.  Haley  continued,   the  bill  would  also   allow  the                 
  Commission to  charge fees to  cover the costs  of services,                 
  information and materials  and to provide tapes  rather than                 
  transcriptions of the  hearings.   The changes would  reduce                 
  the cost and time  involved in resolving cases, helping  the                 
  Commission to work through its  tremendous backlog of cases,                 
  and better respond  to the  public's increased requests  for                 
  its  services.   The  result would  be  better human  rights                 
  protection for Alaskans.                                                     
                                                                               
  Representative Foster MOVED to report  CS SB 103 (STA)am out                 
  of Committee  with individual  recommendations and  with the                 
  accompanying fiscal notes.  There being NO OBJECTION, it was                 
  so ordered.                                                                  
                                                                               
  CS  SB 103 (STA)am was reported out  of Committee with a "do                 
  pass" recommendation and with two fiscal notes by the Office                 
  of the Governor dated 4/29/97 and 3/24/97.