05/03/2002 01:15 PM House JUD

SJR 38 - CONST AM: PRIORITY OF EXPENDITURES                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 1319                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG  announced that  the last  order of business  would                                                              
be SENATE  JOINT RESOLUTION  NO. 38,  Proposing amendments  to the                                                              
Constitution  of  the  State of  Alaska  relating  to  information                                                              
regarding proposed  expenditures.   Chair Rokeberg noted  that the                                                              
committee has  already had  a public hearing  on SJR 38,  and that                                                              
the public hearing has been closed.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 1238                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
GWENDOLYN  HALL,  Staff  to  Senator   Pete  Kelly,  Alaska  State                                                              
Legislature, testified  on behalf of Senator Kelly,  sponsor.  She                                                              
said that she  did ask Senator Kelly  if he had any  objections to                                                              
placing  a  period  after  "section"  on  page  1,  line  15,  and                                                              
deleting  "if   the  legislature   requests  the  information   by                                                              
concurrent  resolution".   She  relayed that  the  sponsor had  no                                                              
objections to such a change.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG  noted such  a change would  force the  governor to                                                              
submit   "information   establishing   a  priority   of   proposed                                                              
expenditures"  regardless of  whether the  legislature feels  that                                                              
such  information  is  needed;  by leaving  the  language  as  is,                                                              
however, the legislature  would retain the flexibility  to request                                                              
that information if desired.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JAMES said  that she  is not  convinced that  such                                                              
information will  be needed all the  time.  She mentioned  that in                                                              
requesting   information   by  concurrent   resolution,   specific                                                              
information could be requested to satisfy a particular focus.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG agreed.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG called an at-ease from 5:16 p.m. to 5:17 p.m.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 1124                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  COGHILL moved to  report SJR  38 out of  committee                                                              
with  individual  recommendations   and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                              
note.   There being  no objection,  SJR 38  was reported  from the                                                              
House Judiciary Standing Committee.