Legislature(1999 - 2000)
11/01/1999 03:33 PM House COM
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES Anchorage, Alaska November 1, 1999 3:33 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Porter Representative Green Representative Cowdery Representative Mulder Representative Therriault (via teleconference) Representative Berkowitz Representative Joule (via teleconference) MEMBERS ABSENT All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR Executive Session: Organizational Structure PREVIOUS ACTION No previous action to record. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 99-1, SIDE A Number 0001 CHAIRMAN PORTER called the House Committee on Committees meeting to order at 3:33 p.m. Members present were Representatives Porter, Cowdery, Mulder, Therriault, Berkowitz and Joule. Chairman Porter explained that the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the organizational structure of the House due to the resignation of Representatives Coghill, Kohring, Ogan, and Sanders from the Majority Caucus. REPRESENTATIVE MULDER moved, pursuant to Uniform Rule 22(b)(2), that the committee enter into executive session. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ asked if the committee will return from executive session for the vote. CHAIRMAN PORTER pointed out that action cannot be taken in executive session. He asked if there was objection to the motion. There being no objection, the committee went into executive session. CHAIRMAN PORTER called the committee back to order at 4:15 p.m. Chairman Porter noted that all members of the committee were now present. Others present were Representatives Coghill, Sanders, and Ogan. Chairman Porter asked if Representatives Coghill, Sanders, and Ogan wanted to make a statement. Chairman Porter informed the three that the committee had discussed the organization of the House and their membership. REPRESENTATIVE OGAN stated that the three members (Coghill, Sanders, and himself) attempted to attend the executive session. However, they were not allowed to attend the executive session which he believed violated Uniform Rule 22. Representative Ogan said that he couldn't comment on anything because he was not allowed to attend the executive session. REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL commented that his interest was to find out what the committee would do. He noted that the committee's action would greatly affect what he would do in the legislature. REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT recognized that the work in the House Health, Education & Social Services Standing Committee (HES) is very important to Representative Coghill. He announced that the committee's proposal would retain a seat on HES for Representative Coghill, which he said was important. REPRESENTATIVE OGAN asked if there was a proposal that the members could review. CHAIRMAN PORTER explained that it was generally felt that each member should retain one committee assignment, if the member so desired. He specified that Representative Ogan would retain his seat on the House State Affairs Standing Committee, Representative Coghill would retain his seat on HES, Representative Sanders would retain his seat on the House Transportation Standing Committee, and Representative Kohring would retain his seat on the House Labor & Commerce Standing Committee. REPRESENTATIVE OGAN objected to the proposal. He inquired as to why his positions on the House Resources Standing Committee and the House Special Committee on Oil & Gas were taken away. Representative Ogan understood losing the chairmanship of the House Resources Standing Committee, but inquired as to why he lost his position on the House Special Committee on Oil & Gas. CHAIRMAN PORTER reiterated that the committee decided upon the recommendation for those resigning to retain one committee assignment. Those who resigned are not members of the Minority or the Majority. Chairman Porter pointed out that he was told that previous members in this situation held no committee assignments. REPRESENTATIVE OGAN stated that, in spite of leaving the Majority, he fully expected to lose his co-chairmanship on the House Resources Standing Committee. He informed the committee that he has served on both the House Resources Standing Committee and the House Special Committee on Oil & Gas for five years. Therefore, he requested that he be removed from the House State Affairs Standing Committee and placed on the House Special Committee on Oil & Gas. He commented that, regardless of anyone's opinion, the body would lose his valuable experience. CHAIRMAN PORTER noted Representative Ogan's request. He then announced that he would entertain a motion. REPRESENTATIVE MULDER moved that the committee adopt the House Committee on Committees report regarding the recommended changes to the committee structure. THERE BEING NO OBJECTIONS, THE MOTION WAS ACCEPTED. CHAIRMAN PORTER informed everyone that the notion of having an executive session without the members who had resigned was debated. Although this was an exceptional situation, there were precedents for it. He referred to a situation during his time on the Ethics Committee during which the character and reputation of individual legislators was discussed by another standing committee. The legislators that were discussed were excluded from the meeting. Therefore, he ruled as such today. REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY understood that the committee's recommendation is not really official until ratified [by the House as a whole]. CHAIRMAN PORTER replied that was correct. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at an unspecified time.
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