Legislature(2007 - 2008)CAPITOL 106
01/23/2007 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB10 | |
| HB20|| HB10 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| = | HB 10 | ||
| *+ | HB 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 20-CAMPAIGN FINANCE/LOBBYING/CONSULTING [Contains brief mention of HB 10] 9:24:14 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the last order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 20, "An Act relating to disclosure of campaign contributions; prohibiting spouses and domestic partners of legislators and legislative employees from receiving compensation for lobbying; and prohibiting legislators and legislative employees from entering into contracts to provide consulting services." 9:24:22 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHN HARRIS, Alaska State Legislature, testifying as sponsor of HB 20, noted that over the years, government has been made more and more complicated, and he stated his position that the legislature should make serving government "as convenient and as easy for as many people in this state to qualify to be a legislator." He said former Representative Ethan Berkowitz commented that one of the biggest ethical issues in the legislature is the Constitutional Budget Reserve (CBR). Representative Harris said probably 95 percent of the people in Alaska don't understand that it requires a three-quarter vote of the legislature to take money from the CBR. He said vote trading occurs frequently [relating to control of CBR votes]. Representative Harris said he thinks that is what the public does not want, but nevertheless it happens. He asked, "So, should we do away with the CBR? The public put it in, the public has to take it away." He stated that everything previously discussed related to HB 10 would "create a difficulty." He suggested that the way to simplify things would be to take away the ability of a legislature to work outside of the legislature entirely. The only way that could be done, he related, is to pay legislators enough money so they can afford to serve. Representative Harris said he is not suggesting that manner of simplification, but reiterated that that is what it would take. He said he doesn't disagree with reporting income. The focus, he suggested, must be, "How do we make it the very best to get the most amount of people to qualify to be a legislator?" He said he thinks that's the question the public wants asked. Many people don't want their business dealings disclosed and, thus, won't run for office. REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS said there are other options of which the public should be aware. For example, many states have switched to holding shorter legislative sessions, holding session every two years, or having a biannual budget. REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS, in response to a question from Chair Lynn, agreed that morality cannot be legislated. He said guidelines can be set so that there is a penalty for unethical behavior. He explained that what he was talking about previously is the issue of compensation. He said he works for salary and he did not work at all last summer because the legislature is on call at the behest of the governor and the governor had the legislature "under the threat of a call all summer and all fall." He said he is not complaining, but wants to point out that not many people in the public would endure that. 9:33:50 AM REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS said he asked the governor if she would sponsor an ethics bill, and he told the committee that he would be working closely to help move along such a bill. 9:34:48 AM CHAIR LYNN said it may be better to work with the governor's bill because "she certainly has more horsepower than the rest of us." Notwithstanding that, he recommended hearing all the other ethics bills that are put across the House Floor in order to incorporate them into the governor's bill. He stated that there are laws against burglary and theft, thus, he said the government legislates morality all the time with civil law. REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS said he is not arguing that guidelines are bad; he is just pointing out that having laws does not make people better and will not prevent people from choosing to break the law. REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS spoke of the effect one person's breaking the law has on the rest of the group to which he/she belongs. He said it is a very uncomfortable feeling to be associated through the public eye with a member or members of the legislature who may not be ethical. He stated that the legislature sets the guidelines for ethical behavior. 9:39:07 AM CHAIR LYNN talked about the complexity of the issue and said he thinks most everyone is an honest, hard-working, ethical person, doing the best he/she can. He said the legislature deals with controversial issues and "nothing is simple." 9:40:05 AM REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS, in response to a comment from Representative Gruenberg, said as of yesterday the governor's bill will not be limited to administrative ethics. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG responded by emphasizing the importance of including the minority party in discussions related to all ethics bills. He stated that to have real credibility, HB 20 should have the support of the Democrats, the Republicans, the governor, and the press. If an ethics bill is seen to be partisan or advancing a hidden agenda not in the public's interest, then "the entire public servant profession will receive the black eye ...." REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS concurred with Representative Gruenberg and said he thinks the governor, although a Republican, wants to be inclusive of all parties. He said he would ask that the governor make certain she include everyone in the discussion. CHAIR LYNN said, "Really, the bill should be sponsored by our constituents; it's what it's all about." REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS said the consultant hired to present an ethics seminar last week to the legislators and staff mentioned the fact that it is always the group in power that will get nailed with the ethics complaints, because that group makes more of the decisions. Trying to impose [blame] is a mistake, he indicated. He gave Representative Gruenberg his word that "this will not be a partisan issue ...." 9:45:27 AM REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS stated that HB 20 is important to the social and ethical climate of the legislature, and he expressed his appreciation for the committee's hearing the bill early in the session. TOM WRIGHT, House Majority Office, Alaska State Legislature, testifying on behalf of the House Majority Office, noted that HB 20 was written with broad language intentionally to allow for the anticipated discussion of the issues addressed in the bill. [HB 20 was heard and held.]
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