05/03/2002 03:25 PM House L&C

SJR 44-STATE-FEDERAL JOINT RESEARCH PLAN                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI announced that the  first order of business would                                                               
be  CS  FOR SENATE  JOINT  RESOLUTION  NO. 44(L&C),  Relating  to                                                               
preparation  of a  joint state-federal  research and  development                                                               
plan.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI  reminded committee  members they  had previously                                                               
heard the House version of this legislation.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RUSS  KELLY, Legislative  Intern for  Senator Leman,  paraphrased                                                               
the sponsor statement as follows:                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     CSSJR  44   (L&C)  requests  that  state   and  federal                                                                    
     agencies work together to develop  a joint research and                                                                    
     development plan to help  expand and diversify Alaska's                                                                    
     economy,   strengthen  and   maintain  state   research                                                                    
     institutions  and protect  the health  of Alaskans  and                                                                    
     the environment of Alaska.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska's economy  is heavily dependent on  the research                                                                    
     and  development  activities  of public,  private,  and                                                                    
     academic  sectors  to  attract  investment,  jobs,  and                                                                    
     revenue  to   the  state.     Effective   research  and                                                                    
     development apply  knowledge toward  efficient resource                                                                    
     extraction,  resource  protection, provision  of  human                                                                    
     health, and the export of intellectual property.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     The goal  of the  joint effort will  be to  develop and                                                                    
     present  to  the legislature  a  plan  to identify  and                                                                    
     assess areas  of high  economic potential  for resource                                                                    
     development and  tourism on federal and  state lands in                                                                    
     Alaska.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. KELLY  sighted the Alaska  Science and  Technology Foundation                                                               
(ASTF), the  University of Alaska,  and the U.S.  Arctic Research                                                               
Commission   as  examples   of  the   research  and   development                                                               
institutions  the resolution  addressed.   He explained  that two                                                               
members of  the House of  Representatives and two members  of the                                                               
Senate would  be assigned to  make sure that the  legislature has                                                               
input in research and development plans in the future.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI  announced that there  was an amendment  in front                                                               
of the committee.  She marked it as amendment one.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG moved to adopt  Amendment 1.  There being                                                               
no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                          
CHAIR  MURKOWSKI asked  Mr. Kelly  if the  omission of  the North                                                               
Pacific Research Board was due to an oversight.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. KELLY answered it was.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI  pointed out  that the  amendment also  added the                                                               
chair of the North Pacific Research Board.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Number 0307                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ROKEBERG  moved  CSSJR 44(L&C)  as  amended  from                                                               
committee with  individual recommendations and the  attached zero                                                               
fiscal  note.   There being  no objection  HCS CSSJR  44(L&C) was                                                               
moved from committee.