Legislature(2007 - 2008)BELTZ 211
03/22/2007 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR4 | |
| SB121 | |
| SB120 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 120 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SJR 4 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 121 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SJR 4-NATURAL GAS FOR STATE RESIDENTS
1:32:51 PM
CHAIR ELLIS announced SJR 4 to be up for consideration and it
had a CS.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI, sponsor of SJR 4, said the CS had three
changes. The first was on page 2, line 11, where "the state's
first priority must be to ensure the availability of affordable
natural gas to meet the needs of the people of the state" was
changed to "the state must have as a priority the availability
of affordable natural gas to meet the needs of its people;".
The second change was on page 2, line 15, ", in coordination
with the Department of Natural Resources," was added after
"attorney general" at the request of the department.
1:34:16 PM
The third change was on page 2, line 16, where "termination" was
changed to "nonrenewal".
CHAIR ELLIS said the committee had heard from the public when
the bill was originally before the committee.
SENATOR STEVENS moved to adopt CSSJR 4(L&C), version E. There
were no objections and it was so ordered.
SENATOR BUNDE said he was still concerned about the definition
of "affordable" gas and added that the gas belongs to all the
people in the state and they shouldn't have to subsidize gas for
people who live in Southcentral Alaska. He also remarked that
SJR 4 was only a resolution and as Representative Lisa Murkowski
once said about resolutions, "Do you think anybody really reads
this stuff?"
1:36:30 PM
SENATOR STEVENS asked Senator Wielechowski if he saw any
indication in the resolution that the state would subsidize gas
for the Southcentral region of Alaska.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI replied no, and that is not the intent. He
just wants the producers to work with the local utilities to
find a way to provide affordable gas to Southcentral homes and
businesses. He did look into defining "affordable", but it
turned into a "real rabbit hole" of subjective terminology.
1:37:27 PM
SENATOR BUNDE pointed out that the woman from AKPIRG wanted this
to be a welfare item and that meant it would be subsidized at
some point. If some people in the state want to pay less than
market value for gas, that means the rest of the state
subsidizes it.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI responded:
This is our gas. This gas belongs to all Alaskans and
frankly I would rather provide low cost gas to
Alaskans than low cost gas to the Japanese. I don't
think this is a subsidy; I don't think this is
welfare. This is Alaskans using their gas for their
home and their business heating needs.
1:38:23 PM
SENATOR STEVENS moved to pass CSSJR 4(L&C), version E, from
committee with individual recommendations.
SENATOR BUNDE objected. A roll call vote was taken. Senators
Davis, Stevens and Ellis voted yea; Senator Bunde voted nay and
so CSSJR 4(L&C) moved from committee.
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