Legislature(2005 - 2006)BELTZ 211
03/22/2005 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR14 | |
| SJR8 | |
| SJR14 | |
| HB90 | |
| HB97 | |
| SB143 | |
| SB24 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SJR 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SJR 14 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 143 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 90 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 97 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 143-STATE INFO SYSTEM PLAN: LEGISLATURE
4:40:08 PM
CHAIR THERRIAULT announced SB 143 to be up for consideration. He
informed members this legislation springs from the discussion
the committee had with regard to Executive Order 113 relating to
information technology (IT) functions. He asked Ms. Brakes to
introduce the bill.
4:40:30 PM
HEATHER BRAKES, Staff to Senator Therriault and to the Senate
State Affairs Committee, read the following into the record:
Under art. III, sec. 23 of the Alaska Constitution,
the Governor may, by executive order, make changes in
the organization of the executive branch. As the
committee might remember, it received an overview from
the Administration on Executive Order 113, which, in
effect, dissolves the Telecommunications Information
Council and transferred the powers and duties of the
Council to the commissioner of the Department of
Administration. The legislature under that same
provision has 60 days to consider the order. The order
subsequently took effect March 14. The definition of
'state agency' as currently defined under the order
includes the legislature and, in doing so, effectively
places the legislative branch under the jurisdiction
of the executive branch as it relates to
telecommunications operations.
SB 143 removes the legislative branch from that
definition and sets the legislature apart from the
executive branch.
Mr. Chairman, Karla Schofield, the deputy director of
the Legislative Affairs Agency and Curtis Clothier,
the manager of Data Processing for the agency, are
both here to speak to the specific provisions of the
bill and the proposed amendment that members should
have before them. Just one further point, if you would
turn to page 11 on the executive order, line 20, it
appears the word 'under' is missing so that the line
would read 'transferred under this order.' So that
might be something the committee might consider
sending a memo to the legislative attorneys to bring
to their attention.
4:43:34 PM
CHAIR THERRIAULT asked Ms. Schofield to come forward.
KARLA SCHOFIELD, Deputy Director, Legislative Affairs Agency,
stated support for SB 143. The passage of SB 143 would reflect
how the Legislature actually operates within the state's data
processing community and would allow the legislative branch the
same autonomy as the judicial branch.
The Legislative Affairs Agency has always had a cooperative
relationship with data processing services within the Department
of Administration and SB 143 would allow the agency to continue
to work with, but not be under the department.
The Legislative Affairs Agency has its own data processing group
and it makes its own long and short-range goals, which are
approved by the Legislative Council IT subcommittee. It is
important for the agency to have the flexibility to develop its
own programs because legislative branch goals sometimes differ
from those that the executive branch might have for the entire
state.
4:45:29 PM
CHAIR THERRIAULT asked Ms. Schofield if she had comments on the
proposed amendment.
MS. SCHOFIELD replied the agency supports the proposed
amendment. It is similar to the public records law procedures
that the agency follows and the Legislative Council oversees.
CHAIR THERRIAULT introduced Amendment 1, labeled F.1.
24-LS0746\F.1
Craver
3/22/05
A M E N D M E N T 1
OFFERED IN THE SENATE
TO: SB 143
Page 1, following line 4:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Section 1. AS 24.20 is amended by adding a new section to
read:
Sec. 24.20.055. Information systems. The executive
director of the Legislative Affairs Agency shall establish
information systems guidelines and prepare a short-range
and long-range information systems plan for the legislative
branch. The guidelines and plan must be adapted to the
special needs of the legislative branch as determined by
the Alaska Legislative Council and, when it is in the
agency's best interest, consistent with the
telecommunications information guidelines and plan adopted
by the commissioner of administration under AS 44.21.350 -
44.21.390."
Page 1, line 5:
Delete "Section 1"
Insert "Sec. 2"
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
SENATOR ELTON questioned why the amendment directs the executive
director of the agency and not the Legislative Council to
establish the plan.
CHAIR THERRIAULT acknowledged it could read, "The Legislative
Council shall establish..." and the executive director of the
agency would probably fulfill that role.
SENATOR ELTON said it would then be the designee of the Council.
He suggested that would take care of a situation in which the
executive director's position were vacant.
CHAIR THERRIAULT asked Mr. Clothier to come forward.
CURTIS CLOTHIER, Data Processing Manager, Legislative Affairs
Agency, stated support for SB 143. He said the existing language
is dated and needs to be cleaned up to reflect reality.
Legislative Affairs is in a separate branch of government from
the executive branch and as such the data processing section in
the agency has its own plans and procedures and has been
purchasing its own equipment, supplies and materials. They work
closely with the executive branch and serve jointly on several
committees and work groups. With passage of SB 143 that
relationship wouldn't change; it would merely put the agency on
the same footing as the judicial branch.
4:49:43 PM
CHAIR THERRIAULT said Ms. Brakes pointed out that the drafter
patterned this language after the language used in the Executive
Order page 2, line 17.
MR. CLOTHIER said he understands Senator Elton's concern that
the executive director could be gone for an extended period, but
the opposite could be true when the Legislative Council chair
isn't in town or the position is in flux.
CHAIR THERRIAULT announced that without objection, Amendment 1
was adopted.
He noted that the University of Alaska requested exemption from
executive branch oversight. The Alaska Railroad Corporation and
judicial branch are currently exempt and the University argues
that it is involved with levels of technology that are above and
beyond that of the state agencies.
The committee could leave the language as is and take the matter
up on the Senate floor or make that policy call today. A member
of the executive branch told him that exempting the University
is the Legislature's call, but if there was a move to take out
other quasi-judicial groups that could cause concern. He asked
whether members had a feeling one way or another.
4:53:27 PM
SENATOR ELTON said there is a beauty to centralizing the
telecommunications system as much as possible, but he would like
to hear a response from both the University and the executive
branch. The larger issue for him is why the Alaska Railroad
Corporation is exempted.
CHAIR THERRIAULT held SB 143 in committee to await testimony
from the University.
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