Legislature(1997 - 1998)
03/21/1997 09:03 AM Senate FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATOR WARD spoke in support of proposed changes regarding the make-up of the task force. SENATOR DONLEY MOVED Amendment #1. SENATOR TORGERSON objected for the purpose of discussion. SENATOR DONLEY WITHDREW Amendment #1 and MOVED Amendment #2. There was no objection and Amendment #2 was ADOPTED. SENATOR DONLEY MOVED CSSB 68(FIN) from committee with individual recommendations. Without objection, CSSB 68(FIN) was REPORTED OUT with updated fiscal notes from Legislative Affairs Agency (17.9), Office of Management and Budget (indeterminate) and Office of the Governor (indeterminate). SENATE BILL NO. 68 "An Act relating to the Task Force on Privatization; and providing for an effective date." COCHAIR SHARP announced that SB 68 would be taken up next. He noted there were two proposed amendments and asked for comment from the bill sponsor. SENATOR JERRY WARD, Sponsor, testified that he had worked with SENATOR DONLEY and felt the concept of the legislation was improved. The concept originally was taken from the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce. He believed amendments made in the State Affairs Committee as well the currently proposed amendments would improve the legislation, and he was in concurrence. His intent with the legislation was not to hurt public service by taking a hatchet approach to privatization, but to look at it in a businesslike and professional manner. SENATOR DONLEY MOVED Amendment #1 which placed a fiscal note on the bill for one staff person in FY 98 and a half- position in FY 99. He believed the task force would have a major undertaking and there was no provision for how it would be staffed. He believed the legislative budget had been dramatically reduced over the last several years to the extent that existing staff levels could not handle the workload of the task force. SENATOR TORGERSON objected for the purpose of discussion. He called attention to another fiscal note from Legislative Affairs Agency (LAA) for $28,000 and asked if Amendment #1 would replace that fiscal note. SENATOR DONLEY responded that it would be in addition to the LAA fiscal note. SENATOR TORGERSON summarized that the cost would now be $120,000 and suggested the staff position be privatized. SENATOR WARD agreed and stated his original intent was to use existing staff as much as possible. He also agreed with SENATOR DONLEY that it was a major undertaking because there are many parts of government, and none of the other states he researched had tried to do it with existing staff. SENATOR PARNELL stated he would not support Amendment #1 because he believed the sponsor was clear in prior testimony that it would not require additional staff. Also, based on his experience with the Long-Range Financial Planning Commission, OMB would bring whatever resources to bear that needed to be brought, and the legislature could do the same, although they could not match OMB's resources. Also, the chair would typically have full and exclusive use of the staff person. He reiterated that he opposed the amendment. SENATOR DONLEY asked if a full-time position had been funded for the commission. SENATOR PARNELL confirmed and cited that experience as reason for opposition to Amendment #1. SENATOR DONLEY continued discussion about staff workload. SENATOR TORGERSON stated his position that full-time staff would not be needed, but felt a fiscal adjustment would be needed if the next amendment was adopted, and he would be supportive of that. SENATOR DONLEY WITHDREW his motion to adopt Amendment #1 and stated his hope that leadership would devote sufficient resources to the task force. He didn't believe Legislative Finance had the capability to coordinate the task force and if someone was not designated, it wouldn't get done right. SENATOR DONLEY MOVED Amendment #2. COCHAIR SHARP objected for the purpose of an explanation. SENATOR DONLEY stated there was extensive discussion at the last meeting about the make up of the task force and previous experience with the Long Range Fiscal Planning Commission led them to feel under-represented at the table. Just having one majority member from both the House and Senate would continue the same problem. Amendment #2 would add an additional majority member from both the House and Senate and an additional person that the governor could appoint. Two of the three positions the governor would be appointing would be from workers and one of those would be white collar and one would be blue collar. That would be defined as somebody who was active in trades, representing trade type work. He ran the language by several groups of people and no one could come up with anything better so far, so it seemed to be acceptable to most people out there. The amendment increased the task force to thirteen. COCHAIR SHARP removed his objection. SENATOR PARNELL stated his earlier concern that they were guaranteeing a place at the table for people with financial interests in the outcome. They weren't guaranteeing any private sector seats, but labor and legislative membership was guaranteed. His understanding was that by increasing the number of labor representatives the governor would be appointing, it would free up the president and speaker from having that pressure exerted on them and they could appoint some public members with interest on the other side. He reiterated his main concern that there was no guarantee for private sector involvement even though the task force was to look at privatization. COCHAIR SHARP asked if there was additional discussion or objection to adopting Amendment #2. There being none, Amendment #2 was ADOPTED. COCHAIR SHARP asked that the LAA fiscal note be updated according to the amendment. SENATOR DONLEY MOVED CSSB 68(FIN) from committee with individual recommendations. Without objection, CSSB 68(FIN) was REPORTED OUT with updated fiscal notes from Legislative Affairs Agency (17.9), Office of Management and Budget (indeterminate) and Office of the Governor (indeterminate).
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