01/24/1994 09:00 AM Senate FIN

  SB 135:   An Act  making  a  special  appropriation  to  the                 
            Department of Transportation and Public Facilities                 
            to determine the cost  of acquiring real  property                 
            within the right-of-way of  the proposed extension                 
            of the Alaska Railroad from Eielson Air Force Base                 
            to the Alaska-Canada border; and providing for  an                 
            effective date.                                                    
                                                                               
            Senator  Mike  Miller testified  in support  of SB
.  The committee voted to adopt amendment #1 by                 
            Senator  Sharp.  The  appropriation bill  CSSB 135                 
            ($10.0) was REPORTED OUT of committee as amended.                  
                                                                               
  SENATE BILL NO. 135:                                                         
                                                                               
       An Act making a special appropriation to the Department                 
       of Transportation  and Public  Facilities to  determine                 
       the   cost  of  acquiring   real  property  within  the                 
       right-of-way of  the proposed  extension of  the Alaska                 
       Railroad   from  Eielson   Air   Force  Base   to   the                 
       Alaska-Canada  border; and  providing for  an effective                 
       date.                                                                   
                                                                               
  (Due  to machine malfunction,  this part of  the meeting was                 
  not taped.)                                                                  
                                                                               
  CO-CHAIR FRANK announced  that SB  135 was before  committee                 
  and  invited Senator  Mike Miller, sponsor  of the  bill, to                 
  join the committee at the table.                                             
                                                                               
  SENATOR MIKE MILLER testified in support of SB 135.                          
                                                                               
  Discussion was held by Senators  Jacko, and Miller regarding                 
  the  possibility  of  a  Canadian  link  with  the  proposed                 
  extension of the  Alaska Railroad.  In  response to Co-chair                 
  Pearce's question of  why the Alaska Railroad  or Department                 
  of Natural Resources were not  involved, Senator Miller said                 
  that Department of Transportation  & Public Safety  (DOT&PF)                 
  had originated  the study.   Again,  in response  to Senator                 
  Pearce, Senator Miller believed that DOT&PF could do this in                 
  house but it would probably be contracted out.                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
  (Minutes  from this  point  reflect  transcription  of  tape                 
  recorded portion of the meeting.)                                            
                                                                               
  SENATOR  SHARP MOVED  for  adoption  of  amendment #1.    No                 
  objection being raised, amendment #1 was ADOPTED.                            
                                                                               
  Co-chair Frank  pointed out  that the  fiscal note  received                 
  from the Department of Transportation  & Public Safety would                 
  not be moved with SB 135 since it is an appropriations bill.                 
                                                                               
  Senator  Sharp  MOVED  that  SB 135  as  amended  pass  from                 
  committee  with individual  recommendations.   No objections                 
  being raised, CSSB 135  was REPORTED OUT of committee.   Co-                 
  chairs Pearce and  Frank, Senators  Rieger, Jacko and  Sharp                 
  signed the committee report with a "do pass" recommendation.