02/24/1999 01:10 PM House JUD

HB 66 - 1999 REVISOR'S BILL                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN KOTT announced the next order of business is HB 66, "An                                                                
Act making corrective amendments to the Alaska Statutes as                                                                      
recommended by the revisor of statutes; and providing for an                                                                    
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN KOTT called on James Crawford, assistant revisor of                                                                    
statutes, to present the bill.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0627                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JAMES CRAWFORD, Assistant Revisor, Legislative Legal Counsel,                                                                   
Legislative Legal and Research Services, Legislative Affairs                                                                    
Agency, noted the revisor's bill is written under the authority of                                                              
AS 01.05.036.  He explained HB 66 is cut and dry and he intends to                                                              
only speak to a couple of the more interesting sections.  Firstly,                                                              
he announced he has an amendment (Amendment 1) to offer.  It                                                                    
addresses a problem relating to executive and legislative ethics                                                                
and campaign finance laws.  It changes AS 15.13.116(a) from (a)(5)                                                              
to (a)(4) because of the removal of (a)(2) correcting a                                                                         
cross-reference.  The amendment also corrects a typographical error                                                             
to page 14, line 18.  The amendment also removes a repealer that                                                                
has the effect of adding a tract of land to the Yakataga State Game                                                             
Refuge.  The tract in question is referred to as Cape Suckling.                                                                 
The tract was a subject of litigation involving the commissioner of                                                             
the Department of Natural Resources and the University of Alaska                                                                
regarding timber rights in Cape Suckling and the fair market value.                                                             
The settlement agreement transferred the university's timber rights                                                             
from Cape Suckling to other land.  Therefore, there couldn't be an                                                              
agreement on the fair market value and the sections in questions                                                                
couldn't have the effect of adding land to the game refuge.                                                                     
However, in agreement with updated information from the attorney                                                                
involved, it is not an irrevocable transfer.  There is a 20 year                                                                
window during which certain escape clauses can operate to revest                                                                
the timber interest.  In other words, the sections are not dead,                                                                
but merely dormant.  The revisor feels, therefore, that it is                                                                   
inappropriate to repeal those sections and recommends removing the                                                              
repealer.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. CRAWFORD started to explain the bill.  He noted Section 6                                                                   
amends a definition section that relates to the Uniform Probate                                                                 
Code (UPC) in Title 13.  It was subject to a series of amendments                                                               
in chapters 75, SLA 1996 in order to bring Title 13 in-line with                                                                
the national UPC.  At that time, the UPC definition of "person" was                                                             
not added to Title 13.  It was left out because the general                                                                     
definition of "person" in Title 1 was thought to be identical to                                                                
the UPC definition when in fact the UPC definition specifically                                                                 
mentions "government or governmental subdivision or agency" not                                                                 
found in Title 1.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0924                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CROFT asked Mr. Crawford to explain Sections 2 and                                                               
3 of the bill.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. CRAWFORD replied Sections 2 and 3 amend AS 09.44.040 and                                                                    
09.55.069, respectively, to reflect the appeal of the relief fund                                                               
that those sections reference.  The fund was repealed about 30                                                                  
years ago.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. CRAWFORD continued explaining the bill.  Section 12 amends AS                                                               
24.60.050(d) which relates to deadlines for filing certain                                                                      
disclosures for legislators and legislative employees.  Subsection                                                              
(c) was amended last year and subsection (d) was not due to an                                                                  
oversight.  Subsection (c) and (d) have always had the same date                                                                
reference.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Number 1069                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN made a motion to adopt Amendment 1                                                                         
(1-LS0339\A.1, Crawford, 2/23/99).  There being no objection, it                                                                
was so adopted.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 1088                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN made a motion to move HB 66, as amended, from                                                              
the committee with individual recommendations and the attached zero                                                             
fiscal note.  There being no objection, CSHB 66(JUD) was so moved                                                               
from the House Judiciary Standing Committee.