04/14/1998 05:10 PM House RES

SB 341 - AGRICULTURAL LAND BILL FIX                                            
                                                                               
CO-CHAIRMAN OGAN announced the first order of business was Senate              
Bill Number 341, "An Act relating to agricultural land; and                    
providing for an effective date."                                              
                                                                               
CO-CHAIRMAN OGAN called on Laura "Janey" Wineinger, staff to                   
Senator Lyda Green, sponsor of the bill.                                       
                                                                               
Number 023                                                                     
                                                                               
LAURA "JANEY" WINEINGER, Researcher for Senator Lyda Green, Alaska             
State Legislature, stated in the bill packet there is a sponsor                
statement; and letters of support from the Department of Natural               
Resources (DNR), the Alaska Revolving Loan Fund (ARLF), and the                
Matanuska-Susitna Borough (Mat-Su Borough).                                    
                                                                               
MS. WINEINGER explained SB 109 that passed last year inadvertently             
included Tract 30 at Point MacKenzie.  Tract 30 has a split title              
whereby the borough retained the development rights and the state              
retained the agriculture rights.  Senate Bill 341, therefore, would            
exclude Tract 30 out of SB 109 already in law.  It is a very simple            
bill.  It has passed the other body.                                           
                                                                               
Number 057                                                                     
                                                                               
CO-CHAIRMAN BILL HUDSON asked Ms. Wineinger whether the bill has               
any bearing on Tract 30 other than to exclude it and leave the                 
joint ownership to other concerns.                                             
                                                                               
Number 067                                                                     
                                                                               
MS. WINEINGER replied, "Correct."  There is a party interested in              
buying Tract 30 from the Mat-Su Borough.  The agricultural rights              
will be retained, but the developmental rights to it can be                    
purchased by a buyer from the borough.  It is similar to Tract 31,             
but it was not included in the bill last year like Tract 30.                   
                                                                               
CO-CHAIRMAN OGAN announced the arrival of Representative Joule.                
                                                                               
Number 103                                                                     
                                                                               
CAROL CARROLL, Director, Division of Support Services, Department              
of Natural Resources, stated the department supports the bill.                 
There was a problem with SB 109 because it didn't own all of the               
rights to Tract 30 and the bill would fix it.                                  
                                                                               
Number 114                                                                     
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE FRED DYSON made a motion to move SB 341 from the                
committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal              
note(s).  There being no objection, SB 341 was so moved from the               
House Resources Standing Committee.