Legislature(2025 - 2026)ANCH LIO DENALI Rm
09/12/2025 01:00 PM House LEGISLATIVE BUDGET & AUDIT
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Approval of Agenda | |
| Approval of Minutes | |
| Executive Session | |
| Final Release of Audits | |
| Preliminary Release of Sunset Audits | |
| Consideration of Contract for Outside Counsel for Personnel Matter | |
| Legal Update on the Special Audit | |
| 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
September 12, 2025
1:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, Chair
Representative Zack Fields, Vice Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel (via teleconference)
Senator Bill Wielechowski (via teleconference)
Representative Andy Josephson
Representative Chuck Kopp
Representative Cathy Tilton
Senator Scott Kawasaki (alternate) (via teleconference)
Representative Bryce Edgmon (alternate) (via teleconference)
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Bert Stedman
Senator Lyman Hoffman
Representative Neal Foster
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Representative Julie Coulombe
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
EXECUTIVE SESSION
FINAL RELEASE OF AUDITS
PRELIMINARY RELEASE OF SUNSET AUDITS
CONSIDERATION OF CONTRACT FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR PERSONNEL
MATTER
LEGAL UPDATE ON THE SPECIAL AUDIT
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
No witnesses to record
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:02:20 PM
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON called the Legislative Budget and Audit
Committee meeting to order at 1:02 p.m. Representatives
Josephson, Kopp, Tilton, Edgmon (via teleconference), and Fields
and Senators Wielechowski (via teleconference), Giessel (via
teleconference), Kawasaki (via teleconference), and Gray-Jackson
were present at the call to order. Also present was
Representative Coulombe.
^APPROVAL OF AGENDA
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
1:03:46 PM
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON announced that the first order of business
would be the approval of the agenda.
CO-CHAIR FIELDS moved that the Legislative Budget and Audit
Committee approve the agenda. There being no objection, the
agenda was approved.
^APPROVAL OF MINUTES
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1:04:03 PM
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON announced that the next order of business
would be the approval of the minutes.
CO-CHAIR FIELDS moved to approve the minutes for the June 30,
2025, and August 21, 2025, meetings. There being no objection,
the minutes were approved.
^EXECUTIVE SESSION
EXECUTIVE SESSION
1:04:17 PM
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON announced that the next order of business
would be executive session for consideration of the final
release of sunset audits of the Real Estate Commission, the
Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers, the Board of
Professional Counselors, and the Board of Social Work Examiners;
the preliminary release of sunset audits of the Board of Marital
& Family Therapy and the Board of Psychologists and
Psychological Associate Examiners; the consideration of a
contract for outside counsel for a personnel matter; and to
receive a legal update on the special audit titled, "Oil and Gas
Production Tax Audit Process."
1:04:57 PM
VICE CHAIR FIELDS moved that the Legislative Budget and Audit
Committee go into executive session under Uniform Rule 22(b)(1)
for the discussion of matters, the immediate knowledge of which
would adversely affect the finances of a government unit, and
Uniform Rule 22(b)(3) for the discussion of matters that may, by
law, be required to be confidential. He asked that the
following persons remain in the room or online: Kris Curtis,
legislative auditor, and necessary staff; Emily Nauman; any
legislators not on the committee; and staff of legislators on
the committee. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
1:05:38 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:05 p.m. to 2:04 p.m. for
the purpose of executive session.
2:04:52 PM
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON called the Legislative Budget and Audit
Committee meeting back to order at 2:04 p.m. Representatives
Josephson, Kopp, Tilton, Edgmon (via teleconference), and Fields
and Senators Wielechowski (via teleconference), Giessel (via
teleconference), Kawasaki (via teleconference), and Gray-Jackson
were present at the call to order. Also present was
Representative Coulombe.
^FINAL RELEASE OF AUDITS
FINAL RELEASE OF AUDITS
2:05:29 PM
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON announced that the next order of business
would be the final release of audits.
VICE CHAIR FIELDS moved that the Legislative Budget & Audit
Committee release the following audits as final audit reports:
the Real Estate Commission, the Board of Certified Real Estate
Appraisers, the Board of Professional Counselors, and the Board
of Social Work Examiners. There being no objection, it was so
ordered.
^PRELIMINARY RELEASE OF SUNSET AUDITS
PRELIMINARY RELEASE OF SUNSET AUDITS
2:05:56 PM
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON announced that the next order of business
would be the preliminary release of sunset audits.
VICE CHAIR FIELDS moved that the Legislative Budget & Audit
Committee release the following preliminary sunset audits to the
agencies for response: the Board of Marital and Family Therapy
and the Board of Psychologists and Psychological Associate
Examiners. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
^CONSIDERATION OF CONTRACT FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR PERSONNEL
MATTER
CONSIDERATION OF CONTRACT FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR PERSONNEL
MATTER
2:06:24 PM
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON announced that the next order of business
would be consideration of a contract for outside counsel for a
personnel matter.
VICE CHAIR FIELDS moved that the Legislative Budget and Audit
Committee authorize a contract for legal services, not to exceed
$195,000, to be paid from existing funds, relating to a
personnel matter. He further moved that the Legislative Budget
and Audit Committee authorize the Legislative Auditor and chair
to give direction to Legislative Legal Services and outside
legal counsel regarding the matter. There being no objection,
it was so ordered.
^LEGAL UPDATE ON THE SPECIAL AUDIT
LEGAL UPDATE ON THE SPECIAL AUDIT
2:07:00 PM
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON announced that the final order of business
would be a legal update on the special audit titled, "Oil and
Gas Production Tax Audit Process."
CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON gave the following prepared statement:
While we were in Executive Session, the committee
received a brief legal update on the Special Audit
titled "Oil and Gas Production Tax Audit Process."
Per statute, the audit process is confidential, and
neither I nor any members of the committee are
permitted to comment publicly on this matter at this
stage.
We recognize that there is strong public interest in
the outcome of this audit, and we share the commitment
to transparency and accountability. However, to
preserve the independence and integrity of the audit
process, it must remain confidential until its formal
release by the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee.
We appreciate the public's patience and understanding
as this work proceeds.
2:08:50 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the
Legislative Budget and Audit Committee meeting was adjourned at
2:08 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| LBAC Agenda 09.12.25 FINAL.pdf |
JBUD 9/12/2025 1:00:00 PM |