02/10/1993 09:10 AM Senate STA

  S E N A T O R   L E M A N   i n t r o d u c e d    S B   7 9                 
  (BOARDS/COMMISSIONS/COUNCILS/AUTHORITIES)   and   SB      80                 
  (BOARDS/COMMISSIONS/COUNCILS/AUTHORITIES) as the final order                 
  of business.                                                                 
                                                                               
  RANDY WELKER,  Legislative Audit Division,  explained SB  79                 
  addresses the sunset legislation which  has been on Alaska's                 
  books  since 1977.   The legislature adopted  sunset laws in                 
  1977 top review the operations and functions of a variety of                 
  boards and commissions.  Since 1977, over 100 sunset reviews                 
  have been conducted  on various boards and  commissions, and                 
  significant   improvements   have    been   made   in    the                 
  accountability and operation of those boards.                                
                                                                               
  Mr. Welker noted that Alaska's review cycle of four years is                 
  the shortest  of any  state.   The average  review cycle  is                 
  eight  years and goes  as high as  13 years in  some states.                 
  The  Legislatiave  Audit   Division  is  recommending   that                 
  Alaska's cycle be amended  to a 10-year sunset cycle.   This                 
  would provide several  advantages: (1)  it would lessen  the                 
  demand  on  audit   resources;  (2)  there  would   be  less                 
  legislative time devoted to continuous introduction of bills                 
  and hearings  and testimony  on various  boards; (3)   there                 
  would be less strain on board  membership over the issues of                 
  sunset; and (4) less time would be devoted by the Department                 
  of Commerce & Economic Development to the sunset process.                    
                                                                               
  Responding to  a question  from Senator  Taylor, Mr.  Welker                 
  noted that there are several boards that  they found through                 
  a review  of statutes and other sources  of information that                 
  are inactive  and have been  for a long time.  These  boards                 
  are being repealed in SB 80.                                                 
                                                                               
  SENATOR ELLIS asked what effect this legislation has  on the                 
  Citizen's  Review  Panel  for Permanency  Planning.    RANDY                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  WELKER answered that SB 79 does  not address it, however, it                 
  is repealed in SB 80 because it has been relatively inactive                 
  since its adoption  by the legislature, primarily  by choice                 
  of the  Administration by  not  funding it.   SENATOR  ELLIS                 
  stated  his strong  opposition to  deleting that  particular                 
  panel.                                                                       
                                                                               
  TAPE 93-8, SIDE B                                                            
                                                                               
  Number 010                                                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS pointed out  that the list of  boards                 
  being  repealed  in  SB 80  were  recommendations  from last                 
  year's Legislative Budget  & Audit  Committee, and that  the                 
  bill has several committees  of referral so that it  can get                 
  full consideration.  He added that he shared Senators Ellis'                 
  concern with that particular board.                                          
                                                                               
  RANDY WELKER clarified that the  audit division's purpose in                 
  going through the statutes and preparing their report was to                 
  identify  those  boards  that  appeared   not  to  have  any                 
  activity.                                                                    
  Part of  the recommendations in the division's report and in                 
  the legislation are the result  of the Governor's Task Force                 
  on Boards and Commissions.                                                   
                                                                               
  Number 075                                                                   
                                                                               
  Representative Brown stated  that she  does not believe  the                 
  recommendation   to    eliminate   the    Telecommunications                 
  Information   Council   is  adequately   justified   in  the                 
  Governor's task  force report,  and that  she  does not  see                 
  anything in there that rationalizes why they want to get rid                 
  of it.   She said while  the telecommunications council  has                 
  had  its problems  in  the past,  it  is  doing a  good  job                 
  presently.  She urged that the committee delete reference to                 
  that  council  from  the bill  and  that  it  be allowed  to                 
  continue its work.                                                           
                                                                               
  Number 095                                                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR  LEMAN stated SB 79  and SB 80  would be back before                 
  the committee at the Wednesday, February 17 meeting at which                 
  time he hopes to move them from committee.