Legislature(1997 - 1998)
03/21/1998 10:07 AM House STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 462 - USE OF STATE MONEY FOR IMAGES/MESSAGES Number 0190 CHAIR JAMES announced the next order of business was HB 462, "An Act relating to the contents of certain state documents," sponsored by Representative Therriault. She said she would entertain a motion to adopt the proposed committee substitute. Number 0208 REPRESENTATIVE IVAN IVAN made a motion to adopt the proposed committee substitute for HB 462, Version 0-LS1527\H, Bannister, 3/20/98, for consideration. There being no objection, it was so adopted. CHAIR JAMES called on Representative Gene Therriault, sponsor of the bill to testify. Number 0217 REPRESENTATIVE GENE THERRIAULT, sponsor, Alaska State Legislature, stated the changes primarily dropped the restriction on placing a message and photo to cover only those who hold an elected state office. Agency personnel would be able to put information on the longevity bonus check stub, for example. Information on the dividend application about the program would be appropriate, if signed by the commissioner or director of the program. Section 1(b) reads, "A state agency may not place a message on or with an application form, a warrant, or a direct deposit notice provided by the agency unless the message is (1) from a state agency employee who is not an elected state official; and (2) required by law, necessary for the operation of the document, related to seasonal health issues including flu shot reminders, or limited to stating the requirements or deadlines of a program or activity of a state agency." The wording was changed so that clearly on the longevity bonus check stub there could be information about the deadline for the permanent fund dividend, for example. He did not want to preclude that from happening. The definitions in the rest of the bill remain the same. Number 0251 REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ stated there is no effective date for the bill. He wondered whether there is anything in the "hopper" that would violate the bill. Number 0257 REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT stated certainly the next permanent fund dividend applications are far enough away that they would not be at the print shop now. There might be a problem with the longevity bonus check stubs, however. An immediate effective date isn't necessary, if it would cause some problems with the things in the works already. Number 0265 CHAIR JAMES stated anything started before an effective date would be precluded, unless there was time to change it. If something had already gone to print before the effective date, it wouldn't be affected. Number 0276 REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT stated it is up to the committee to decide if a specific effective date is necessary. It might be up to what the Administration says in terms of what it has in the "hopper," and what type of time line would be needed in order to change any kind of document in the works. Number 0281 CHAIR JAMES stated no one from the Administration is here, except for Nanci Jones from the Permanent Fund Dividend Division. REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT stated Pat Pourchot from the Office of the Governor spoke to him about the bill and expressed that the Administration thought it might be an encroachment on their basic powers. It was a pleasant conversation, but there was a difference in points of view. "Certainly, the legislative branch, the Administration has money budgeted to get their message out. But, we don't do that on regular, programmatic documents. And I think the -- part of the problem is that you start politicizing those documents and those programs. And there are other means to get your message out and I really don't think that we should allow that kind of information to be placed on these documents." Number 0302 REPRESENTATIVE KIM ELTON stated, in reference to the timing, the bill speaks more to when a document is printed rather than when it would be distributed. It seems, therefore, that there would not be a problem with the effective date. Documents prepared up until the time of the effective date would not be affected. CHAIR JAMES stated that would be her read too. She called on Nanci Jones from the Permanent Fund Dividend Division, Department of Revenue, to testify. Number 0316 NANCI JONES, Director, Permanent Fund Dividend Division, Department of Revenue, testified in reference to the printing of the longevity bonuses, retirement and benefit checks, permanent fund dividend checks, and payroll checks stating they all try to buy warrant stocks together. Each has something different printed on the top of the warrant. "There might be a place where we would have to destroy whatever we had in order to buy new stock." She is not sure about the intricacies of the longevity bonus mentioned earlier. The booklet does not go to print until late fall. CHAIR JAMES entertained a motion to move the bill out of the committee. Number 0332 REPRESENTATIVE IVAN made a motion to move the proposed committee substitute for HB 462, Version 0-LS1527\H, Bannister, 3/20/98, from the committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, CSHB 462(STA) was so moved from the House State Affairs Standing Committee.
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