03/07/2000 03:07 PM House RLS

HJR 48-ACCESS ACROSS UNITED STATES/CANADA BORDER                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN COWDERY announced that the  next order of business before                                                              
the committee would be HOUSE JOINT  RESOLUTION NO. 48, Relating to                                                              
the free flow of  people and the fair trade of  goods and services                                                              
across the border between the United States and Canada.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS  noted that various organizations  such as                                                              
the  Council of  State  Governments  and the  National  Governor's                                                              
Association  have  tried to  get  this  amendment to  the  federal                                                              
Illegal Immigration  Reform and Immigration Responsibility  Act of                                                              
1996.   That act  includes a  provision which  restricts the  free                                                              
flow  of  people between  Canada  and  the  United States.    This                                                              
resolution indicates  that Alaska  supports leaving  those borders                                                              
open.  She  explained that HJR 48  is before the committee  due to                                                              
the need  for a  change in the  language in  order to clarify  the                                                              
intent of the resolution.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 1793                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS moved that the committee adopt the                                                                      
following amendment:                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, lines 15 to 17 are amended to read:                                                                                
          Be   it  resolved   that   the  Alaska   State                                                                        
          Legislature   calls  on   the  United   States                                                                        
          Congress  to  Amend  the  Illegal  Immigration                                                                        
          Reform  and  Immigrant Responsibility  Act  of                                                                        
          1996  to exempt [Canadian  citizens] from  the                                                                        
          requirements of sec. 110  of that act Canadian                                                                    
          citizens  at  land  border  crossing  stations                                                                    
          along the Canadian-U.S. border; and be it                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
          The  amending  elements  of this  section  are                                                                        
          repeated in page 2, lines  24 and 25 and, page                                                                        
          2, lines 28 and 29.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, it was so ordered and the amendment was                                                               
adopted.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 1804                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to  report HJR 48 as amended out of                                                              
committee with  individual recommendations  and the  attached zero                                                              
fiscal note.   There  being no  objection, it  was so ordered  and                                                              
CSHJR 48(RLS) was reported from committee.