Legislature(2005 - 2006)CAPITOL 106
03/08/2005 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR8 | |
| HB83 | |
| HB144 | |
| HB94 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HJR 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 83 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 94 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 144 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 83-SEISMIC HAZARDS SAFETY COMMISSION 8:10:47 AM CHAIR SEATON announced that the next order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 83 "An Act relating to the Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission." 8:11:05 AM REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GUTTENBERG, Alaska State Legislature, testifying at the request of co-sponsor Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, noted that HB 83 and HB 84 were combined into HB 83. He said the bill would extend the sunset date on the Alaska Seismic Hazard Safety Commission and add tsunami hazards to the commission's purview. The commission is due to expire, and [the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee] recommends it be allowed to expire because there has been no action on it, he said; however, [the commission] is critical to the safety and well being of Alaska. He stated that, currently, nobody in the state is working on ways to mitigate damages caused by earthquakes or tsunamis or recommending related building standards and codes to minimize damage in the event of such disasters. The commission's sole authority is to make recommendations. He indicated that the insurance industry is supportive of [HB 83]. 8:13:59 AM REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG said HB 83 seeks to prevent the loss of lives. 8:15:11 AM REPRESENTATIVE GATTO remarked that there are "essential building" standards; schools and fire department buildings are built to withstand earthquakes. He offered further details. 8:16:09 AM REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG responded that there are national standards, but they are applied indiscriminately to the entire state as if it were one zone. He said the state needs to delineate high-risk areas and decide where and what standards are needed. 8:17:32 AM REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked if Representative Guttenberg was saying the state should name specific dangers and the zones that they occupy. 8:18:27 AM REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG indicated the intent is to allow the commission to have the opportunity to decide the needs of the state regarding earthquakes and tsunamis. 8:19:27 AM ROD COMBELLICK, Associate Director, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Department of National Resources (DNR), stated the department's support of HJR 8. He said that hazards vary around the state "from the highest earthquake exposure in the nation along the southern margin of the state, to virtually no hazard up in the far northwestern corners of the state." 8:21:37 AM MR. COMBELLICK said there are efforts around the state, but no real coordination, or standards. Local government participation on the commission should be effective, he added. Other states show that the efforts of these types of commissions have been very effective in reducing casualties. 8:23:26 AM MR. COMBELLICK said it is easy to become complacent because of the rarity of these types of events, but that people are then surprised and not prepared when the next event occurs. An executive order transferred this commission to DNR, and there is already money set aside for the commission. "This is a modest investment now that will certainly reap major benefits in terms of money and lives saved in the future," he concluded. 8:24:22 AM CHAIR SEATON asked if HB 83 will impose building codes and inspections or simply make recommendations. 8:25:03 AM MR. COMBELLICK stated that the commission is strictly advisory, and recommendations may end up as building codes in the future. A big part of [the commission's] job will be public education and coordination around state. 8:25:51 AM CHAIR SEATON asked if codes would only be adopted by local government. 8:26:14 AM MR. COMBELLICK said yes, as he understands it. Some local jurisdictions have seismic codes now, and this commission would not change the process, it would only make recommendations. 8:27:33 AM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER asked if the addition of two members to the commission requires a change in its quorum. 8:28:48 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG noted that AS 44.37.065 (e) specifies that "six members constitute a quorum" for the nine-member commission. 8:29:27 AM REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG said keeping it at six is fine because the commission has no real authority, and that makes it a simple majority with an eleven-member commission. 8:29:46 AM ROGER HANSEN, State Seismologist and Research Professor, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, testified in support of HB 83. He said his group does a lot of work to understand earthquakes and tsunamis, and it develops many maps. A committee to investigate mitigation and land use is good, he said. 8:31:28 AM REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked how often the committee meets, and if there is money for travel, per diem, or conferencing. 8:32:04 AM REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG said that most commission members are public employees, and their role is built into their jobs. In terms of the member from the insurance industry, he or she can teleconference. 8:32:46 AM CHAIR SEATON closed public testimony. 8:33:07 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG moved to report CSHB 83(MLV) out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 83(MLV) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.
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