03/16/2000 03:30 PM House HES

HB 353 - HEIRLOOM MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  DYSON announced  the first  order of  business as  HOUSE                                                              
BILL  NO.  353,  "An Act  relating  to  heirloom  certificates  of                                                              
marriage."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Number 0030                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ELMER LINDSTROM,  Special Assistant,  Office of the  Commissioner,                                                              
Department of  Health & Social  Services, came forward  to present                                                              
HB  353.   He  explained that  HB  353 is  a  "follow-on" bill  to                                                              
legislation  passed  several  years  ago that  created  a  special                                                              
heirloom   birth  certificate   program.     The  heirloom   birth                                                              
certificate is available to persons,  at their option, if they are                                                              
willing  to  pay a  premium  for  a legal  document  suitable  for                                                              
framing.  It  is an artistic rendition and something  anyone would                                                              
be  pleased to  hang in  the front  room.   The  program has  been                                                              
successful  over  the  years and  has  resulted  in  approximately                                                              
$50,000 in the Alaska Children's Trust to date.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LINDSTROM  indicated  this  bill  would  create  an  heirloom                                                              
certificate  of marriage,  which also  would be  a legal  document                                                              
suitable for framing.   It might well prove to  be pretty popular,                                                              
with  the proceeds  going  to the  Alaska  Children's Trust  being                                                              
subject to appropriation by the legislature  for that purpose.  He                                                              
noted that  there was  a proposed  committee substitute  (CS) that                                                              
would conform to an amendment in  the Senate Health, Education and                                                              
Social Services Committee  several weeks ago.   The amendment kept                                                              
open the price that would be charged  for an heirloom certificate.                                                              
In the  future, there may  be special-edition certificates  of one                                                              
type or  another that  might be  more valuable  than the  document                                                              
originally  envisioned, and  the  department would  be limited  to                                                              
charging what  a print of similar  value would go for on  the open                                                              
market.  It is not an open-ended  ability to charge, however.  The                                                              
document is one  that people would have to decide  that they want.                                                              
The regular certificate would be  available for the regular price.                                                              
MR.  LINDSTROM  said the  fiscal  note prepared  originally  would                                                              
remain  applicable to  the  proposed CS.    The heirloom  document                                                              
would have  a $25 surcharge above  the normal price of  a marriage                                                              
certificate.  That  might change over time as  opportunities occur                                                              
to do something more unique and spectacular.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 0287                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL made a motion  to adopt the proposed CS for                                                              
HB 353, version 1-GH2056\D, Lauterbach,  3/15/00, as a work draft.                                                              
There being no objection, Version D was before the committee.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN DYSON asked Mr. Lindstrom  whether removing the price cap                                                              
indicates that the department is also thinking about inflation.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. LINDSTROM  answered that the  department would be  required to                                                              
go through a  regulatory process anytime it elected  to change the                                                              
value  of  the  certificate.    He  hadn't  really  thought  about                                                              
inflation but would be cognizant of it.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BRICE  made a motion  to move CSHB 353,  version 1-                                                              
GH2056\D, Lauterbach,  3/15/00, out  of committee with  individual                                                              
recommendations  and  attached  fiscal  notes.    There  being  no                                                              
objection, CSHB  353(HES) moved from  the House Health,  Education                                                              
and Social Services Standing Committee.