03/12/1998 01:37 PM Senate L&C

             SB 233 - ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL BOARD                           
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN LEMAN announced SB 233 to be up for consideration.                    
                                                                               
MR. DON DAPCEVICH, Executive Director, State Advisory Board on                 
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, said he supported extension of the                  
sunset provisions for the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC).              
                                                                               
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked if he could respond to the audit concerns.                
                                                                               
MR. DAPCEVICH answered that Ms. Kadow would do that.                           
                                                                               
MS. CHARITY KADOW, President, Spenard Community Council, said that             
the ABC Board is one of their most stalwart partners in trying to              
clean up the areas in the Spenard Community Council.  Of the 480               
liquor licenses in Anchorage, 150 are within the Spenard Community             
Council boundaries and two more are to be added; they have only six            
percent of the population.  The ABC Board plays a very distinct                
function within the industry, neighborhoods, and communities.  She             
supported the extension of the ABC as a partner in economic                    
development.                                                                   
                                                                               
MR. DOUG GRIFFIN, Executive Director, ABC Board, said the Division             
of Legislative Audit recommended a continuation of the Board.  He              
said the Board has tried to become more active in their enforcement            
and have tried doing a little more outreach in terms of working                
with other State agencies, community councils, and local                       
governments.  The Anchorage Assembly passed a resolution supporting            
the extension, reflecting their improving working relationship with            
them.                                                                          
                                                                               
MR. GRIFFIN said they had some difficulties over the last year with            
staffing, because a staff person got sick in June and never came               
back to work, but had accumulated a lot of leave, so they couldn't             
afford to hire another person right away.  As a result they have               
gotten behind on getting licensing, but this does have an impact on            
businesses and they will try very hard to get the backlog taken                
care of.  Their budget does not allow them to refill that position             
right now.                                                                     
                                                                               
He said they have requested funding for another position of an                 
enforcement investigator for Southeast Alaska, because they don't              
have a presence in that part of the State.  Currently, they try to             
get an investigator there once a year for routine inspections, not             
to conduct investigations or to provide the level of assistance                
they would like to provide to the local police, state troopers, or             
local businesses.                                                              
                                                                               
He said he disagreed with the first finding from the Legislative               
Auditor, but agreed with the other two and is taking steps to                  
address those problems.                                                        
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN LEMAN urged him to continue to work within the                        
communities.                                                                   
                                                                               
MR. GRIFFIN responded that since the audit came out, they have made            
a real effort to get out to communities.                                       
                                                                               
SENATOR HOFFMAN asked him which theater has a liquor license.  MR.             
GRIFFIN answered that the Fourth Avenue Theater had a liquor                   
license.                                                                       
                                                                               
SENATOR MACKIE moved to pass SB 233 from Committee with individual             
recommendations.  There were no objections and it was so ordered.