Legislature(1999 - 2000)
03/16/2000 09:20 AM House FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
March 16, 2000
9:20 A.M.
TAPE HFC 00 - 69, Side 1.
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Mulder called the House Finance Committee meeting
to order at 9:20 A.M.
PRESENT
Co-Chair Mulder Representative Foster
Co-Chair Therriault Representative Grussendorf
Representative Austerman Representative G. Davis
Representative Bunde Representative Phillips
Representative J. Davies Representative Williams
Representative Moses was not present for the meeting.
ALSO PRESENT
Annalee McConnell, Director, Office of Management and
Budget, Office of the Governor; Kenneth Bischoff, Director,
Division of Administrative Services, Department of Public
Safety.
SUMMARY
SB 250 An Act making and amending capital, supplemental,
and other appropriations and reappropriations;
making a reappropriation under art. IX, sec. 17c,
Constitution of the State of Alaska, from the
constitutional budget reserve fund; making
appropriations to capitalize funds; ratifying
certain expenditures; and providing for an
effective date.
HCS CS SB 250 (FIN) was reported out of Committee
with individual recommendations.
SENATE BILL NO. 250
An Act making and amending capital, supplemental,
and other appropriations and reappropriations;
making a reappropriation under art. IX, sec. 17c,
Constitution of the State of Alaska, from the
constitutional budget reserve fund; making
appropriations to capitalize funds; ratifying
certain expenditures; and providing for an
effective date.
Vice Chair Bunde MOVED to adopt the work draft SB 260, #1-
GS2041\N, Utermohle, 3/15/00, as the version of the bill
before the Committee. There being NO OBJECTION, it was
adopted.
Co-Chair Mulder commented that the most notable changes from
the Senate version to the proposed draft was full funding
for Power Cost Equalization (PCE), pupil transportation, and
incorporation of some of the provisions which the Senate had
included.
Co-Chair Mulder provided a brief overview of the spreadsheet
and the proposed bill. [Copy on File].
Representative J. Davies pointed out that there had been
receipt authority contained in the original version of the
bill for the University which was not included in the
proposed draft. Co-Chair Mulder replied that the goal was
to try to create a bill that would not need to go to
Conference Committee. The intent was to include only time
sensitive issues. The Senate did not agree that the
University addition was a time sensitive issue.
Representative J. Davies asked if it would be included in
the regular supplemental. Co-Chair Mulder responded that he
did support that notion.
Vice Chair Bunde asked for further information on Item #12,
the Department of Public Safety, the grant to the Alaska
Mountain Safety Center for providing avalanche-warning
services in the amount of $125.4 thousand dollars.
KEN BISCHOFF, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATION SERVICES,
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, advised that this project has
gone through many changes based on an original project
recommendation submitted by the Alaska State Troopers. The
original full year program did not go forward. The
Department was asked to identify the amount of funding to
contract services for the balance of this fiscal year.
Based on that information, the Department identified $670
thousand dollars, of which approximately $124 thousand
dollars was on a prorated basis, and eliminating the one
time costs for equipment. It was a policy decision to
request only appropriate expenditures for this fiscal year.
Mr. Bischoff advised that eventually, there will be a
permanent avalanche program.
ANNALEE MCCONNELL, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGMENT AND BUDGET,
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, added that when the Administration
was first discussing the project with the Department,
deciding what the State should have in place was considered.
She pointed out that the Department was asked to pare down
this year's request. She alluded to a program which could
be permanently in place to address these concerns. The
Administration is exploring use of Federal Emergency
Management Assistance (FEMA) monies to help with mitigation.
Vice Chair Bunde asked what the money would be used for.
Mr. Bischoff replied that the money would be used for road
condition alerts and to create a mechanism to access high
use areas. The funds would not be used for snow removal.
Co-Chair Mulder asked the cost of putting Public Service
Announcements (PSA) out on the radio to alert people of
potential avalanches. Mr. Bischoff replied that the PSA
portion could be accomplished for about $15,000 dollars.
Ms. McConnell interjected that there needs to be an
assessment performed to identify specific risk areas and
target them.
Representative G. Davis asked if the Alaska Mountain Safety
Center was a non-profit group. Mr. Bischoff replied that it
is a non profit organization with a specialty in handling
these situations. They do have existing contracts to do
this work. Ms. McConnell added that this group is currently
doing the avalanche warning systems for industry and various
municipalities. Their role is to provide trainings and
classes.
Ms. McConnell acknowledged the concern of how to "get people
to think" with regard to avalanche warnings. She emphasized
that the Department can not take extra responsibility in
that area with their current resources.
Co-Chair Mulder asked how long the Department has been
dealing with this concern. Ms. McConnell replied that the
Governor had been discussing it since late fall. A task
group was organized to work with various organizations.
During the past couple months, the Department has been
working on it, however, it was not included in the budget as
it came to the Administration to late.
Representative G. Davis inquired where that language was
located in the bill. Co-Chair Mulder replied that it was
placed in the summary sheet listed as Section #12.
Representative Grussendorf asked how Section 7(b)-Department
of Law related to Section (8)-Legislative Council. Co-Chair
Mulder recommended that Representative Grussendorf offer an
amendment to delete Section 7(b) and Section 8.
Representative Grussendorf MOVED to DELETE Section 8 from
the bill. Vice Chair Bunde OBJECTED for the purpose of
discussion.
Co-Chair Mulder explained that the issue was for funding
statehood defense. There are a variety of concerns in that
category. Legislative Council desired that they have
necessary funding in order to pursue legal support from the
Department of Law.
Representative Austerman suggested that the language should
be written more specifically to warrant his support. He
asked where that funding would be spent.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: J. Davies, G. Davis, Foster, Grussendorf,
Phillips, Williams, Austerman, Therriault,
Mulder
OPPOSED: Bunde
Representative Moses was not present for the vote.
The MOTION PASSED (9-1).
Representative Grussendorf MOVED to REDUCE Section 7(b) by
$100 thousand dollars. Representative Williams OBJECTED for
the purpose of discussion. Representative Grussendorf
explained that action would balance Section 7(b) and Section
8.
Representative Phillips recommended deleting the entire
Section 7(b). Representative J. Davies asked why it had
been included in the "fast track" supplemental. Co-Chair
Mulder replied that there are a number of issues involving
the State's rights litigation that are currently underway.
In discussions with the Administration, the intent was to
guarantee that the Department would have adequate resources
to address whatever comes up.
Representative Phillips pointed out that when the
Subcommittee went through the Department of Law's budget,
there was not a request for additional funds for the State
rights cases.
Representative Phillips MOVED to AMEND the amendment by
deleting the entire amount of $500 thousand dollars.
Representative Grussendorf OBJECTED. He commented that he
was trying to appease the Senate side for the statehood
defense. Co-Chair Mulder noted that Senator Parnell had
indicated that he felt a "little burned" on the issue and
that he would support that delete.
Representative Grussendorf WITHDREW his OBJECTION to
deleting "$500 thousand dollars" from Section 7(b). There
being NO further OBJECTION, that amount in Subsection 7(b)
was deleted from the bill. There being NO OBJECTION to the
amended amendment, it was adopted.
Representative Phillips referenced Page 6, Line 8, pointing
out that she did not remember that section being included in
the House bill. Co-Chair Mulder explained that section was
a reappropriation.
Vice Chair Bunde voiced his concern with the mountain safety
line. He recommended that it be changed to reflect the $100
thousand dollar deletion. Co-Chair Mulder noted that he had
an amendment which would appropriate $15 thousand dollars to
that component for PSA's.
Co-Chair Mulder MOVED to ADOPT #1. [Copy on File].
Representative J. Davies OBJECTED for the purpose of
discussion.
Representative J. Davies asked if the amount of money
proposed in the amendment would be adequate. Mr. Bischoff
replied that the presumption was open and that the funds
will be contracted.
Representative J. Davies inquired which areas of the State
would be affected and if the Alaska Mountain Safety Center
was prepared to accommodate that information. Co-Chair
Mulder questioned with the reduced amount, should the
language include the Alaska Mountain Safety Center or should
that reference be deleted. Mr. Bischoff recommended that
portion be left open to the Department's discretion.
Representative Phillips noted that the amendment was drafted
to version "K" of the bill and that the Committee was
speaking to drafted version "N". Co-Chair Mulder responded
that there would be a new Section #12, which would follow
Line 24. Co-Chair Mulder offered an amendment to the
amendment, Line 4, delete "#17" and insert "following Line
24"; Lines 7-8, deleting the language "for payment as a
grant under AS 37.05.316 to the Alaska Mountain Safety
Center". Representative J. Davies OBJECTED.
Representative J. Davies asked if the information which the
Department would be using, would be available without
inclusion of that language. Mr. Bischoff advised that all
resources that the State Troopers currently use would be
tapped to provide essential information. Representative J.
Davies understood that the original proposal would require
additional work to mark the harzard places in the high-risk
areas. He commented that there should be an additional sum
to cover the costs of data for the PSA's. Co-Chair Mulder
suggested that another amendment would address that concern.
Representative J. Davies WITHDREW his OBJECTION. Vice Chair
Bunde commented that this would be a "feel good" gesture,
which he doubted would be effective. He asserted that
people would continue to put themselves into danger
regardless of the PSA's. There being NO further OBJECTION,
the amendment to the amendment was adopted.
Representative J. Davies questioned if there needed to be an
additional amount above the PSA amount passed on for the
Mountain Safety Center to consolidate that information. Ms.
McConnell replied that Commissioner Otte had indicated that
there needs to be additional postings. She stated that the
Department could use any additional support.
Representative J. Davies MOVED to change the amount from
$15,000 dollars to $30,000 dollars with the intent that the
additional $15,000 dollars would be used to contract with
the Alaska Mountain Safety Center to provide additional
information. There being NO OBJECTION, it was adopted.
Representative Phillips MOVED to report HCS CS 205 (FIN) out
of Committee with individual recommendations.
Representative J. Davies OBJECTED for the purpose of a
comment. He voiced his appreciation that the supplemental
was moved expedientially. Representative J. Davies WITHDREW
his OBJECTION, and the bill moved from Committee.
HCS CS SB 250 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with
"individual recommendations".
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 A.M.
H.F.C. 6 3/16/00 a.m.
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