Legislature(1999 - 2000)
02/03/2000 08:04 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 315-ONLINE SYSTEM REPLACES AK ADMIN JOURNAL Number 0454 CHAIR JAMES announced the next order of business is HOUSE BILL NO. 315, "An Act relating to elimination of the Alaska Administrative Journal and instituting public notice requirements on the Alaska Online Public Notice System; amending public notice publication requirements for certain regulations; and providing for an effective date." JOHN LINDBACK, Chief of Staff, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, read the following sponsor statement for HB 315: The Alaska Administrative Journal has served as a compilation of public notices from state agencies, the great majority of which are also required to be published in the print or broadcast media. Alaska Administrative Journal subscribership has dramatically declined with the advent of state government making information available to the public on the Internet. When Lt. Governor Ulmer first took office, there were about 125 paying subscribers ($90 a year). Subscribership has dropped to nine out-of-state businesses. On June 4, 1999, Governor Knowles signed Administrative Order 183, which requires all state agencies to post statutorily required public notices on the new Online Public Notice system. The system provides the public with a convenient way to find all public notices in one place on the state web page. The Online Public Notice website is organized in a similar format to the Alaska Administrative Journal. This legislation would eliminate the requirement that the Lt. Governor's Office produce the Alaska Administrative Journal and replace it with a requirement that the Lt. Governor provide oversight of the Online Public Notice system. It requires agencies by statute to post their public notices in the Online Public Notice system. The legislation has a zero fiscal note. It replaces one responsibility with another. MR. LINDBACK noted that one reason for Administrative Order 183, which establishes the Online Public Notice system, was that state agencies were publishing notices on their separate web pages, making it difficult for an ordinary citizen to navigate through every public notice posted. Using the Alaska Administrative Journal as a model, the Online Public Notice system would put all state public notices in one place. Mr. Lindback emphasized that everything contained in the Alaska Administrative Journal is now published on computer by the Online Public Notice system. Since September 15, 1999, the web site has been visited 15,000 times - an average of 100 visits per day. He noted that HB 315 eliminates all references in state statute to the Alaska Administrative Journal and inserts references to the Online Public Notice system. Number 0723 REPRESENTATIVE OGAN said he thinks it is a great idea but asked why the fiscal note is zero. Number 0774 MR. LINDBACK said he believes it takes the same amount of time to prepare the Online Public Notice system as it does to publish the Alaska Administrative Journal. Therefore, the fiscal note for HB 315 is zero. Number 0780 REPRESENTATIVE OGAN asked if anyone's interests will be hurt by HB 315 because not everyone has a computer connected to the Internet. He wanted to know how those people or businesses will get access to the Online Public Notice system. MR. LINDBACK answered no. Currently, only nine companies subscribe to the Alaska Administrative Journal; all the other subscribers have switched over to the Online Public Notice system to retrieve public notices in which they are interested. Mr. Lindback reminded the committee that all libraries in Alaska have computers for public use, so anyone who wants to monitor the Online Public Notice system can get access at the libraries. He said all state agencies now use the Online Public Notice system. Number 0899 REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON asked if the Office of the Lieutenant Governor had advised subscribers or solicited their opinions regarding the proposed change. Number 0948 MR. LINDBACK answered that the Office of the Lieutenant Governor had advised people that the Alaska Administrative Journal would be published online at no charge to the reader. At present, a subscription to the journal costs $90. People have also been advised about the new Online Public Notice system, which contains the same information as the Alaska Administrative Journal. By passing HB 315, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor hopes to eliminate double posting of public notices. Number 0990 REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON noted that the Alaska Administrative Journal subscribers were depositing $90 per year into the general fund. Since there were 125 subscribers, that means about $9,000 will no longer be contributed to state accounts receivable. REPRESENTATIVE OGAN asked if the governor has executive authority to mandate this kind of request without going through the legislative process. MR. LINDBACK indicated the governor cannot delete a statute. Number 1109 REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON commented that the Alaska Administrative Journal is mandated by statute. CHAIR JAMES agreed that deleting the Alaska Administrative Journal does require a statutory change. Number 1234 REPRESENTATIVE OGAN made a motion to move HB 315 with individual recommendations and the attached [zero] fiscal note. There being no objection, HB 315 moved from the House State Affairs Standing Committee.
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