02/09/1993 01:40 PM Senate L&C

  Next, SENATOR  KELLY introduced a  committee sponsored bill,                 
  SB 85 (TOURISM MARKETING COUNCIL) and invited TINA LINDGREN,                 
  Executive Director for the Alaska Tourism Marketing Council,                 
  to testify.                                                                  
                                                                               
  Number 431                                                                   
                                                                               
  MS. LINDGREN  explained the  bill and  gave reasons  why the                 
  tourism  marketing  council  should be  extended  for  three                 
  years.    She described  destination  marketing, why  it was                 
  important for  Alaska, and how it operated within the state.                 
  MS. LINDGREN  said there were  12000 operators who  used the                 
  council program as their  only means to access  the national                 
  market place, and they would lose their business without the                 
  assistance of the  council.  The large tour  companies would                 
  then gain the greater share of the market.                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR KELLY opened the meeting to questions.                               
                                                                               
  SENATOR PEARCE gave  some information on a  proposed omnibus                 
  bill that would extend boards  and commission  and explained                 
  the Tourism Marketing Council was chosen  to be extended for                 
  a longer  period of time.   MS. LINDGREN said  there were no                 
  objections  from  either  the  ATMC  or  the  Department  of                 
  Commerce.                                                                    
                                                                               
  SENATOR LINCOLN objected to the criteria used  to select the                 
  presiding  officer  and  board members,  which  she  thought                 
  denied  membership  to those  in  the visitor  industry, who                 
  couldn't  meet the  criteria.   She said  there weren't  any                 
  member on the  council from any  of her 93 communities,  and                 
  she said this  eliminated a lot  of expertise that could  be                 
  used by the  council.  SENATOR LINCOLN opposed  the criteria                 
  for the make-up of the board.                                                
                                                                               
  Number 468                                                                   
                                                                               
  MS. LINDGREN  reviewed the previous  use of the  criteria as                 
  being too difficult to meet, and she explained a prospective                 
  member only needed  to meet one of  the criteria.   She said                 
  the  Department  of Commerce  shared  her concern  about the                 
  representation, and she described how  members could come to                 
  the council through the committee structure.                                 
                                                                               
  SENATOR LINCOLN asked for an amendment on the make-up of the                 
  board on page 1,  line 10 by deleting "substantially."   She                 
  still thought the provisions would eliminate a lot of people                 
  who would be good participants on the council.                               
                                                                               
  After discussion  with SENATOR KELLY,  SENATOR LINCOLN moved                 
  to delete "substantially."   SENATOR PEARCE objected because                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  she wanted to work with SENATOR LINCOLN on the wording.                      
                                                                               
  SENATOR KELLY agreed with SENATOR  PEARCE and called an  at-                 
  ease to discuss the problem.                                                 
                                                                               
  Number 505                                                                   
                                                                               
  There was no  objection to SENATOR LINCOLN'S  amendment, and                 
  it was passed.                                                               
                                                                               
  SENATOR PEARCE moved to amend page 3, line 17, to change the                 
  date to 1997 for a sunset.  Without objections, so ordered.                  
                                                                               
  SENATOR PEARCE moved to pass CS  FOR SENATE BILL NO. 85(L&C)                 
  from committee  as amended  and with  a single  fiscal note.                 
  Without objections, so ordered.