04/13/1993 10:38 AM Senate HES

  The last order of business  was SB 181 (SCHOOL  CONSTRUCTION                 
  GRANTS).  CHAIRMAN  RIEGER referred to  page 3, line 3,  and                 
  moved to delete "at least" and replace it with "all of."  He                 
  also moved that  on page 3,  line 9, delete "alternate"  and                 
  replace  with  "alternative."    Hearing no  objection,  the                 
  motion carried.                                                              
                                                                               
  SENATOR LEMAN said  at the previous  meeting on the bill  he                 
  distributed  a  proposed  amendment  for  page 2,  lines  11                 
  through 17.  The amendment was suggested by an engineer from                 
  Anchorage.  He noted he hasn't had  a chance to speak to the                 
  bill  drafter.    The  amendment   would  provide  that  the                 
  department shall determine where standard specifications are                 
  applicable and if the school district wishes to exceed that,                 
  they may do so at their expense.                                             
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN RIEGER said that the  concern is probably addressed                 
  on page 1, where it makes it clear that the department shall                 
  disallow  project budgets for  things which do  not meet the                 
  design criteria.                                                             
                                                                               
  SENATOR  SALO  said she  thinks the  problem  is on  page 2,                 
  Section  4  of the  bill.    She  said she  agrees  that  we                 
  shouldn't  be  building  outlandishly  expensive  or   fancy                 
  schools.  She said she thinks there will be a problem with a                 
  standard  design.   Standard  specifications are  probably a                 
  better approach than  a standard  design.  There  has to  be                 
  some flexibility because we will  find that the same  design                 
  doesn't work in all areas of the state as Alaska is too vast                 
  to have a standard design.                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN RIEGER suggested  changing page 2 lines  13 through                 
  16   to   say   "standard   and   regional   school   design                 
  specifications  shall  be  developed..."     He  said   also                 
  suggested  changing  line  16  to  say "for  which  standard                 
  regional  school  design  specifications   are  applicable."                 
  SENATOR SALO moved the amendment.  Hearing no objection, the                 
  motion carried.                                                              
                                                                               
  SENATOR  LEMAN  noted  that  DOT/PF currently  has  standing                 
  specifications for construction  projects in the state.   It                 
  doesn't mean  that you  have to  use and  always follow  the                 
  standard specifications.   They become  a guideline and,  in                 
  many cases, they are adopted in  the contract documents.  He                 
  said the amendment addresses a number of his concerns.                       
                                                                               
  There being no objection to the amendment, it was adopted.                   
                                                                               
  Number 287                                                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR  MILLER  moved  to  pass  CSSB  181  (HES),  out  of                 
  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  with  the                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  accompanying fiscal notes.   CHAIRMAN  RIEGER objected.   He                 
  said  he is  willing to  see the  accompanying fiscal  notes                 
  moved with  the  bill, but  believes  the fiscal  notes  are                 
  totally unacceptable.   He removed his  objection.  So  CSSB
   (HES,)  moved   out  of   committee  with   individual                 
  recommendations.