Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
03/28/2024 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB337 | |
| HB133 | |
| HB168 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 337 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 133 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 168 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 28, 2024
8:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative CJ McCormick, Chair
Representative Kevin McCabe, Vice Chair
Representative Tom McKay
Representative Thomas Baker
Representative Rebecca Himschoot
Representative Donna Mears
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Justin Ruffridge
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 337
"An Act establishing 4-H Day."
- MOVED HB 337 OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 133
"An Act exempting municipal service area boards from the
requirements of the Open Meetings Act; and providing for an
effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 168
"An Act relating to alcohol; relating to local option elections;
relating to the statewide database of alcohol purchases;
relating to alcohol licenses, endorsements, and permits;
relating to municipal regulation and taxation of alcoholic
beverages; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 337
SHORT TITLE: ESTABLISHING 4-H DAY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MEARS
02/20/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/20/24 (H) CRA
03/28/24 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 133
SHORT TITLE: PUBLIC MEETINGS: EXEMPT MUNI SVC AREA BD
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SUMNER
03/27/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/27/23 (H) CRA, STA
04/27/23 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
04/27/23 (H) Heard & Held
04/27/23 (H) MINUTE(CRA)
03/28/24 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 168
SHORT TITLE: ALCOHOL SALES: LOCAL OPTION
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) FOSTER
04/24/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/24/23 (H) CRA, FIN
03/28/24 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
ARIEL SVETLIK, Staff
Representative Donna Mears
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the sectional analysis for HB
337, on behalf of Representative Mears, prime sponsor.
YAQUINA REPNOW, representing self
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony during the hearing
on HB 337.
ELLE GIFFORD, representing self
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony during the hearing
on HB 337.
REPRESENTATIVE JESSE SUMNER
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HB 133.
CLARK BICKFORD, Staff
Representative Jesse Sumner
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the sectional analysis for HB
133, on behalf of Representative Sumner, prime sponsor.
JILL PARSON, board member
Big Lake Road Services Area
Big Lake, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony during the hearing
on HB 133.
SANDRA MOLLER, Director
Division of Community and Regional Affairs
Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided brief comments during the meeting
on HB 133.
PAUL LABOLLE, Staff
Representative Neal Foster
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 168 on behalf of
Representative Foster, prime sponsor.
JOAN WILSON, Director
Alcohol and Marijuana Control Board
Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered comments during the hearing on HB
168.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:00:50 AM
CHAIR MCCORMICK called the House Community and Regional Affairs
Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
Representatives McKay, Baker, Himschoot, Mears, McCabe, and
McCormick were present at the call to order.
HB 337-ESTABLISHING 4-H DAY
8:01:41 AM
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 337, "An Act establishing 4-H Day."
8:02:13 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS, prime sponsor, presented HB 4. She read
from the following prepared remarks [original punctuation
provided]:
Honorable members of the committee, I am here before
you today to advocate for the formal recognition of 4-
H Day in the State of Alaska on the first Wednesday of
October.
As Representatives, we are all deeply invested in the
well-being and future of our communities, and as the
4-H motto states, "To make the best better". I believe
acknowledging and celebrating the invaluable
contributions of the 4-H program is an act that aligns
itself with these stated values.
Most of you are likely to be familiar with 4-H from
the Youth in Governance Program who visited the
Capitol last month, or from projects, produce, or
livestock being shown at the Alaska State Fair, but
did you know kids get to become members of local 4-H
clubs like Fairbanks's 40 Below Mooskateers and the
Sitka Spruce Tips?
For me, 4-H has been part of my life since I was
youngmaybe because my parents were dear friends with
our local county 4-H agent, Ted Blum. I think 4-H
helped prepare me for serving in the legislature,
because I started attending 4-H Prep meetings in
kindergarten.
Similar to my experience, since its first chapter in
Alaska, 4-H has been empowering young individuals
across our state, fostering leadership,
responsibility, and a commitment to service.
One of the first things 4-H'ers learn when they join a
club is the 4-H pledge:
I pledge my head to clearer thinking,
my heart to greater loyalty,
my hands to larger service,
and my health to better living, for my club, my
community, my country, and my world.
As you can see from this pledge, 4-H isn't just
limited to livestock.
Through its hands-on experiential learning
opportunities, 4-H equips our youth with essential
life skills, preparing them to thrive in an ever-
changing world. At the heart of 4-H lies its
commitment to nurturing the next generation of
leaders. By engaging in projects spanning agriculture,
food security, STEM, health, civic engagement,
agricultural skills, fisheries, applied arts, and
beyond, participants develop critical thinking,
problem-solving, and communication skills essential
for success in any endeavor they pursue. I bet the
Seward Sea Otters and the North Pole Ptarmigans are
learning a variety of different skills that can only
be found in their home communities.
Moreover, 4-H instills it's members a sense of civic
duty and responsibility, shaping them into active and
engaged citizens dedicated to making positive
contributions to society. We all saw this firsthand
last month during the Youth in Governance Capitol
visit!
Beyond its educational merits, 4-H serves as a
catalyst for community development and resilience. How
could you not care about your community if you were a
proud member of the Knick River Riders or the Funny
River Lynx? By promoting collaboration and
cooperation, 4-H strengthens the fabric of our
communities, creating spaces where individuals can
come together to address local challenges and effect
meaningful change. In a state as large and diverse as
Alaska, this takes shape in so many different ways.
Our unique communities have many different cultural
and regional skills to share with our youth.
Furthermore, 4-H plays a pivotal role in cultivating a
deep appreciation for our state's unique agricultural
heritage and natural resources. I've been working on
food security with the Food Strategy Task Force, and I
can say that the skills and connection to local
knowledge kids are gaining in 4-H for their local and
regional food practices are essential. Clubs like the
Mat-Su's Grow 'em and Show 'em and the Big Lake Back
Yard are doing an amazing job growing this local
connection to the food we put on our tables every day.
There's an early food connection for me, too. My mom
was a 4-H leader of a club called Sewing Scissors, and
one of the skills I developed when I was in 4-H is
baking I recall willing my dough to rise in the back
of the family station wagon during our county 4-H
Fair. Thank you, Mom.
I actually baked this morning, and there is bread in
my office for after this committee meeting. 4-H skills
stick with you.
By connecting young people with the land and teaching
them the importance of sustainable practices, 4-H
fosters stewardship and environmental consciousness,
ensuring the preservation of Alaska's rich natural
heritage and regional knowledge and expertise for
generations to come.
In recognizing 4-H Day, we honor the volunteers,
educators, and supporters who make the program
possible. Recognizing 4-H's impact sends a strong
message of support and encouragement to our state's
promising young individuals and underscores our
commitment to youth and community investment.
In conclusion, I urge you to join me in championing
the passage of this legislation to establish 4-H Day
in our state. Together, let us celebrate the
transformative power of 4-H and commit ourselves to
ensuring that every young person has the opportunity
to thrive and succeed.
Thank you.
8:07:41 AM
ARIEL SVETLIK, Staff, Representative Donna Mears, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Mears, prime sponsor of
HB 337, presented the sectional analysis [included in the
committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Sec. 1. Amends AS 44.12 by adding a new section,
44.12.106, establishing the first Wednesday of October
each year as 4-H Day.
8:08:22 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
8:09:05 AM
CHAIR MCCORMICK opened invited testimony.
8:09:17 AM
YAQUINA REPNOW, representing self, gave invited testimony during
the hearing on HB 337. She shared her personal experience
participating in 4-H for the past four years, crediting it for
improving her leadership, teamwork, and public speaking. She
said 4-H boosts kids' confidence, gets them out of their comfort
zones, and helps them be more successful. She concluded that a
statewide 4-H Day would help promote 4-H and get more kids
involved in the program.
8:10:50 AM
ELLE GIFFORD, representing self, gave invited testimony during
the hearing on HB 337. She shared her personal experience
participating in 4-H, adding that the bill would unite "4-H'ers"
and spread awareness about the program. She stated that 4-H has
connected her to her community and taught her how to give back.
8:13:03 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to report HB 337 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, HB 337 was reported from the
House Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.
8:13:27 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:13 a.m. to 8:16 a.m.
HB 133-PUBLIC MEETINGS: EXEMPT MUNI SVC AREA BD
8:16:22 AM
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 133, "An Act exempting municipal service area
boards from the requirements of the Open Meetings Act; and
providing for an effective date."
8:16:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JESSE SUMNER, Alaska State Legislature, prime
sponsor, presented HB 133. He paraphrased the sponsor statement
[included in the committee packet], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
House Bill 133 would give specific exemptions to local
municipalities on the Open Meetings Act.
Currently, the Open Meetings Act (OMA) doesn't allow
for Board Supervisors on the Road, Safety and
Assessment (RSA) board to ride in the same vehicle,
because of the quorum statute in OMA. For example, in
the Mat-Su Borough, RSA is an advisory only position
appointed by the Mayor. These positions are strictly
voluntary; with no power to contract or spend any of
the Borough's money.
Not only would this change incentivize local board
members; which has been a problem filling, but in the
Mat-Su Valley, it is critical to get all the
Supervisors together and brainstorm on how best to
solve Borough issues, without the cloud of the OMA.
Currently, in practice, if a board member found out
something wrong with a road, he or she does not have
the ability to call others on the board to come look
at said problem and discuss solutions on solving the
issue, because of the Open Meetings Act. This is a big
problem for local municipalities with an easy solution
set forth in this bill.
Please join us in supporting HB 133.
8:18:29 AM
CLARK BICKFORD, Staff, Representative Jesse Sumner, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Sumner, prime sponsor
of HB 133, presented the sectional analysis [included in the
committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Section I:
Just a small grammatical amendment AS 44.62.310(d)(5)
from UPON to ON.
And
Removes a portion of AS 44.62.310(d)(8) to ultimately
read "meetings of municipal service area boards
established under AS 29.35.450 29.35.490." This is
the heart of the Bill that will give the power back to
local municipalities to function reasonable in
deciding on how best to problem-solve and not be in
violation of the Open Meetings Act.
Section II:
If passed, this would take effect immediately under AS
01.10.070©.
CHAIR MCCORMICK opened invited testimony.
8:19:49 AM
JILL PARSON, board member, Big Lake Road Services Area (RSA),
gave invited testimony during the hearing on HB 133. She
informed the committee that she was a member of the Big Lake RSA
board of supervisors, adding that the Open Meetings Act (OMA)
greatly hindered the board's ability to observe road issues in a
timely manner and research possible solutions. Ideally, she
explained that the board would like to be able to ride together
in one van with the borough road maintenance superintendent to
view and discuss road problems as a group. This way, options
and research could be conducted more efficiently while learning
from other board members in preparation for the quarterly
meetings. However, subject to the OMA, supervisors must drive
in three separate cars so that no one car has a board majority
during a "ride around," which is far more time consuming. She
said RSA supervisors welcomed more efficient ways to handle
their responsibilities and preparation for regularly scheduled
meetings.
CHAIR MCCORMICK sought questions from committee members.
8:23:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS asked whether the bill would be limited to
these types of boards.
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER answered yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS asked whether the bill would impact boards
all across the state or only those in Matanuska-Susitna ("Mat-
Su").
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER said the bill would apply to municipal
service area boards established under AS 29.35.450 AS
29.35.490. He added that a forthcoming amendment would make the
exemption even more narrowly tailored.
8:24:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT sought to confirm that the bill would
remove the language "when meeting solely to act on matters that
are administrative or managerial in nature."
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER confirmed. He noted that rather than
removing the language in question, a forthcoming amendment would
add one more exception for fact finding missions.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT said she supported the bill's intent,
but wanted to make sure that it was being done properly.
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER stated that the Mat-Su borough was
particularly cautious about violating the OMA, as it was the
only municipality with a standing injunction for OMA violations.
8:26:36 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT sought to verify that the OMA was a
state law, so exemptions could not be made without changing
state statute.
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER answered yes, any exemption would need to
be made through statute.
8:27:25 AM
REPRESENATIVE BAKER shared his understanding that under the OMA,
a meeting can be held as long as 24 hours' notice is given. He
asked, "Is there a specific reason for this kind of board, why
they had to go a month out because of the cancelled meeting ...
'meeting for the record.'"
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER shared his understanding that it required
at least two weeks to notice a meeting because of the timing
requirements for publication.
8:29:05 AM
SANDRA MOLLER, Director, Division of Community and Regional
Affairs, Department of Commerce, Community & Economic
Development (DCCED), stated that there was strong interest in
maintaining the OMA and looked forward to hearing amendments.
8:29:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked for examples of other municipal
service area boards.
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER stated that fire service area boards are
the most common.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked whether the bill would apply to
all service area boards.
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER answered yes.
8:30:44 AM
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that HB 133 would be held over.
HB 168-ALCOHOL SALES: LOCAL OPTION
8:31:09 AM
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 168, "An Act relating to alcohol; relating to
local option elections; relating to the statewide database of
alcohol purchases; relating to alcohol licenses, endorsements,
and permits; relating to municipal regulation and taxation of
alcoholic beverages; and providing for an effective date."
8:31:26 AM
PAUL LABOLLE, Staff, Representative Neal Foster, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Foster, prime sponsor,
presented HB 168. He paraphrased the sponsor statement
[included in the committee packet], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
House Bill 168 adds a new local option regarding the
sale of alcohol. Currently, communities that want to
operate an alcohol beverage store must operate all
alcohol sales venues (for example, bars and
restaurants that sell alcohol). House Bill 168 allows
communities to operate an alcohol beverage store while
leaving establishments like bars and restaurants in
private hands.
8:33:13 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT questioned the genesis of the bill.
MR. LABOLLE stated that the bill was brought to [Representative
Foster] by a constituent who had noticed a problem with vagrancy
in his/her town, which was generated by people frequenting
liquor stores. The constituent believed that the municipality
could do a better job at controlling the sale of alcohol but did
not want to infringe on the licensed restaurant and bar owners
in the private sector.
8:34:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS asked how local communities were responding
to the bill.
MR. LABOLLE said one city council that he spoke with was
interested in the idea but not pushing for it.
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS highlighted the importance of gathering
feedback from the communities that would be impacted.
MR. LABOLLE replied that he viewed the bill as the beginning of
the conversation.
8:35:13 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked whether the bill would undercut
the decisions of the local community.
MR. LABOLLE clarified that the bill would add not modify - a
local option.
CHAIR MCCORMICK invited Ms. Wilson to speak to the bill.
8:36:39 AM
JOAN WILSON, Director, Alcohol and Marijuana Control Board,
Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development
(DCCED), conveyed that community of Nome, which allowed for
private ownership of alcoholic beverage licenses, was having
trouble with public intoxication. She explained that private
owners of the local package stores worked with city council to
draft a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that restricted the
sale and volume of alcohol. She reported that as a result of
the MOU, the problem had greatly dissipated. With regard to the
bill, she expressed concern that the two [package stores in
Nome] would lose their licenses should it pass. Nonetheless,
she stated that neither the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Board
("the board") nor the governor had a position on HB 168, except
her own concern for capitalism. She added that there is a
strong interest in allowing the people in local communities to
choose what's right for them. She reported that the board took
the issue in Nome very seriously and considered denying the
renewal of both package stores, which spawned the importance of
the MOU. She added that the board, the city council, and the
package store worked well together.
8:40:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked how many communities would be
impacted by the bill.
MS. WILSON said any community could participate. She shared her
belief that larger hub cities, such as Bethel, Kotzebue, and
Nome would be the most interested in the proposal.
8:42:18 AM
REPRESENATIVE BAKER added additional context about his hometown
of Kotzebue. He recalled that in 2010 or 2011, the city went
from being a damp community to a wet community with a municipal
owned and operated package store and the ambition to open a bar
and grill as a local option, which was a difficult task for the
municipality.
8:43:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE pointed out that last time [the
legislature] tried to amend Title 4 it took nine years with
Senator Micciche's Senate Bill 9.
8:44:25 AM
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that HB 168 would be held over.
8:44:54 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting was
adjourned at 8:44 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB0133A.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 133 |
| HB 337 Supporting Document 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
| HB 133 Sectional Analysis 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 133 |
| HB 133 Sponsor Statement 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 133 |
| HB0337A.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
| HB 337 Sectional Analysis Version A 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
| HB 337 Sponsor Statement Version A 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
| HB 337 Supporting Document 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
| HB 168 version B 3.26.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 168 |
| HB168 Sponsor Statement Version B 3.26.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 168 |
| HB168 Sectional Analysis Version B 3.26.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 168 |
| HB 133 Amendment A.2 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 133 |