Legislature(2005 - 2006)Anch LIO Conf Rm
12/15/2006 09:00 AM House LEGISLATIVE BUDGET & AUDIT
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Approval of Minutes | |
| Other Committee Business | |
| Revised Program – Legislative (rpl) | |
| Executive Session | |
| Release of Audits | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET AND AUDIT COMMITTEE
Anchorage, Alaska
December 15, 2006
9:06 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Gene Therriault, Chair
Senator Lyda Green
Senator Gary Wilken (alternate)
Representative Ralph Samuels, Vice-Chair
Representative Mike Hawker
Representative Pete Kott
Representative Beth Kerttula
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Ben Stevens
Senator Lyman Hoffman
Senator Bert Stedman
Representative Mike Chenault
Representative Reggie Joule (alternate)
Representative Kevin Meyer (alternate)
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
OTHER COMMITTEE BUSINESS
REVISED PROGRAM - LEGISLATIVE (RPLs)
EXECUTIVE SESSION
RELEASE OF AUDITS
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
JERRY BURNETT, Director
Administrative Services Division
Department of Revenue (DOR)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented RPL 04-07-1030.
NICO BUS, Acting Director/Administrative Services Manager
Division of Support Services
Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented RPL 10-07-5014 and RPL 10-07-
5028.
ELIZABETH ANDREWS, Director
Division of Subsistence
Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented RPL 11-07-0513.
LYNN TOMICH KENT, Director
Division of Water
Department of Environmental Conservation
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented RPL 18-07-0390.
BARBARA TOWNE, Budget Services
Division of Information and Administrative Services
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions regarding RPL 18-07-
0390.
LARRY DIETRICK, Director
Division of Spill Prevention & Response
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented RPL 18-07-0391.
HEATHER BRAKES, Staff
Legislative Budget and Audit Committee
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions.
PAT DAVIDSON, Legislative Auditor
Legislative Audit Division
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR GENE THERRIAULT called the Legislative Budget and Audit
Committee meeting to order at 9:06:02 AM. Present at the call
to order were Senators Green, Wilken, and Therriault and
Representatives Hawker, Kott, Samuels, and Kerttula.
^APPROVAL OF MINUTES
9:07:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to approve the minutes of
April 4, 2006; June 15, 2006; September 5, 2006; September 28,
2006; November 14, 2006. There being no objection, the minutes
from the aforementioned meetings were approved.
9:07:45 AM
^OTHER COMMITTEE BUSINESS
9:08:06 AM
CHAIR THERRIAULT, in response to a request by Representative
Samuels, moved down the calendar to Other Committee Business.
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to approve a $10,000
increase to the existing contract with Econ One Research, Inc.
(Econ One), thus bringing the total authorized amount to
$1,810,000.
CHAIR THERRIAULT explained that the additional funds would cover
the final billing from Econ One, as well as any additional
charges that may occur during the transition of the committee
chairmanship.
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS agreed, adding that this should "clean
up" the remaining contracts prior to the start of the next
legislative session.
9:09:38 AM
CHAIR THERRIAULT, upon determining that there was no objection,
stated that the contract amount would be extended as requested.
9:10:01 AM
^REVISED PROGRAM - LEGISLATIVE (RPL)
RPL 04-07-1030
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to approve RPL 04-07-1030,
regarding the Department of Revenue, Child Support
Services/Federal Incentive Receipts.
CHAIR THERRIAULT objected for discussion purposes.
9:10:34 AM
JERRY BURNETT, Director, Administrative Services Division,
Department of Revenue (DOR), explained that the Child Support
Division would be receiving funds approved in fiscal year 2004
(FY04). The department is requesting authorization to use these
funds to replace state funding in the fiscal year 2007 (FY07)
budget.
CHAIR THERRIAULT removed his objection. There being no further
objection, the RPL was approved.
RPL 10-07-5014
9:11:46 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to approve RPL 10-07-5014,
regarding the Department of Natural Resources, Resource
Development Manager.
CHAIR THERRIAULT objected for discussion purposes.
9:12:06 AM
NICO BUS, Acting Director/Administrative Services Manager,
Division of Support Services, Department of Natural Resources
(DNR), explained that the RPL would give the [Alaska Mental
Health Trust Authority (AMHTA)] authorization to hire an
additional resource manager for the remainder of the fiscal
year. He stated that the additional position is needed in order
to meet the workload requirements, and would also be requested
in the fiscal year 2008 (FY08) budget. In addition, $20,000 is
being requested to meet the current payroll requirements for
FY07.
CHAIR THERRIAULT inquired as to whether the entire requested
amount is AMHTA funds.
MR. BUS replied yes.
CHAIR THERRIAULT asked if the FY08 budget request would also be
from the AMHTA budget.
MR. BUS replied yes.
CHAIR THERRIAULT removed his objection. There being no further
objection, the RPL was approved.
RPL 10-07-5028
9:13:16 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to approve RPL 10-07-5028,
regarding the Department of Natural Resources, Big Delta
Riverbank Stabilization.
CHAIR THERRIAULT objected for discussion purposes.
MR. BUS explained that this RPL requests $375,000 in federal
funds, received through the US Department of Agriculture. These
funds, he said, would be used to help stabilize the banks of the
Tanana River, thus preventing further erosion. The work would
be contracted with the parks division, and would be done in the
spring.
9:14:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA asked for further detail regarding who
would be completing the work.
MR. BUS explained that since the site is a historical site, the
Office of History & Archaeology Alaska Historical Commission has
jurisdiction. The Design & Construction office of the Division
of Parks & Outdoor Recreation engineers for this project, he
said.
CHAIR THERRIAULT removed his objection. There being no further
objection, the RPL was approved.
RPL 11-07-0513
9:15:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to approve RPL 11-07-0513,
regarding the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Statutory
Designated Program Receipts (SDPR) Increase for Rockfish
Project.
CHAIR THERRIAULT objected for discussion purposes.
ELIZABETH ANDREWS, Director, Division of Subsistence, Alaska
Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G), explained that this RPL would
enable the department to continue a study of rockfish
harvesting. This study, she said, was originally budgeted as
federal receipts, rather than SDPR. She stated that the
original request was for $149,000, and the department is
requesting an additional $70,000.
CHAIR THERRIAULT withdrew his objection.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER objected for further discussion. He
offered his understanding that the federal receipt authority
would not be reduced; however, the SDPR authority would be
increased. He asked if this is correct.
MS. ANDREWS replied yes.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER withdrew his objection. There being no
further objection, the RPL was approved.
RPL 18-07-0390
9:17:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to approve RPL 18-07-0390,
regarding the Department of Environmental Conservation and
additional federal authority for environmental monitoring and
assessment.
CHAIR THERRIAULT objected for discussion purposes.
9:18:03 AM
LYNN TOMICH KENT, Director, Division of Water, Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC), explained that the RPL request
would increase federal receipt authority in the capital budget.
She noted that there is no state match for these funds. The
funding would continue the department's environmental monitoring
and assessment program, which collects baseline data on the
health of Alaska's coastal and fresh water. The funding, she
said, comes from the Environmental Protection Agency.
CHAIR THERRIAULT inquired as to the time frame in which the
funds will be expended.
MS. KENT replied that the program is ongoing, and the department
is working its way around the state. This request, she said, is
for three years.
9:19:34 AM
BARBARA TOWNE, Budget Services, Division of Information and
Administrative Services, Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC), stated that the funds would lapse in April
2009.
CHAIR THERRIAULT asked if federal funds for this program will be
built into the FY08 budget.
MS. TOWNE replied yes, if the department knows ahead of time
that the funds will be available.
CHAIR THERRIAULT removed his objection. There being no further
objection, the RPL was approved.
RPL 18-07-0391
9:20:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to approve RPL 18-07-0391,
regarding the Department of Environmental Conservation,
additional Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) authority.
CHAIR THERRIAULT objected for the purposes of [discussion].
LARRY DIETRICK, Director, Division of Spill Prevention &
Response, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), stated
that the department is one of three state trustees which belong
to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOSTC). He
explained that EVOSTC develops and executes restoration projects
for the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The EVOSTC office operates on a
federal fiscal year, he said. For FY07, $48.1 thousand was
approved, and to date, $41.1 thousand has been spent. The RPL
would authorize $38.9 thousand, which would carry out the
balance of FY07. He noted that the funds are provided by the
Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement.
CHAIR THERRIAULT removed his objection. There being no further
objection, the RPL was approved.
9:22:00 AM
CHAIR THERRIAULT inquired as to whether this was the final RPL.
HEATHER BRAKES, Staff, Legislative Budget and Audit Committee,
Alaska State Legislature, confirmed that this is correct.
9:22:15 AM
^EXECUTIVE SESSION
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to move to executive
session for the purpose of discussing confidential audit reports
under AS 24.20.301. There being no objection, the committee
went into executive session at 9:22:24 AM.
CHAIR THERRIAULT brought the committee back to order at 9:37 AM.
9:37:39 AM.
^RELEASE OF AUDITS
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion for the following final
audit reports to be released to the public: A Sunset Review of
the Regulatory Commission of Alaska; A Sunset Review of the
Alcohol Beverage Control Board; A Sunset Review of the Board of
Marine Pilots; A Sunset Review of the State Medical Board; A
Review of the Kenai Peninsula Community Care Center; A Review of
the Department of Administration, Procurement. There being no
objection, the aforementioned audits were released to the
public.
9:39:32 AM
PAT DAVIDSON, Legislative Auditor, Legislative Audit Division,
Alaska State Legislature, in response to a question from Chair
Therriault, stated that it would not be necessary to hold a
meeting to discuss audits prior to the upcoming Legislative
session.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the
Legislative Budget and Audit Committee meeting was adjourned at
9:40:05 AM.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|