Legislature(2001 - 2002)

03/27/2001 01:51 PM House FIN

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
                   HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                      
                       March 27, 2001                                                                                           
                           1:51 PM                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
TAPE HFC 01 - 64, Side A                                                                                                        
TAPE HFC 01 - 64, Side B                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Williams called the House Finance Committee meeting                                                                    
to order at 1:51 P.M.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bill Williams, Co-Chair                                                                                          
Representative Con Bunde, Vice-Chair                                                                                            
Representative Eric Croft                                                                                                       
Representative John Davies                                                                                                      
Representative Richard Foster                                                                                                   
Representative John Harris                                                                                                      
Representative Bill Hudson                                                                                                      
Representative Ken Lancaster                                                                                                    
Representative Jim Whitaker                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Eldon Mulder                                                                                                     
Representative Carl Moses                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Kenneth  Bischoff,   Director,  Division  of  Administrative                                                                    
Services,  Department   of  Public   Safety;  Ann  Ringstad,                                                                    
Director  of  Statewide  Relations,  University  of  Alaska,                                                                    
Fairbanks;  Doug Wooliver,  Administrative  Attorney, Alaska                                                                    
Court System;  Steve Hildebrand,  Budget Analyst,  Office of                                                                    
Management and Budget.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Wendy Redman, Vice President, Statewide Programs, University                                                                    
of  Alaska,  Anchorage; Joe  Beedle,  University  of Alaska,                                                                    
Anchorage;  Steve Smith,  university  of  Alaska, Anchorage;                                                                    
Rhonda   McLeod,  Fiscal   Officer,  Alaska   Court  System,                                                                    
Anchorage.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
GENERAL SUBJECT(S):                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                 GOVERNOR'S CAPITAL BUDGET:                                                                                   
                    University of Alaska                                                                                        
                     Alaska Court System                                                                                        
                 Department of Public Safety                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The following overview was taken in log note format.  Tapes                                                                     
and handouts will be on file with the House Finance                                                                             
Committee through the 22nd Legislative Session, contact 465-                                                                    
2156. After the 22nd Legislative Session they will be                                                                           
available through the Legislative Library at 465-3808.                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
 LOG SPEAKER                DISCUSSION                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
      TAPE HFC 00 - 64                                                                                                        
      SIDE A                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
 000 Co-Chair Williams      Called the House Finance Committee                                                                  
                            meeting to order  to discuss HB 47, the                                                             
                            Governor's Capital Budget.  He requested                                                            
                            that the Committee discuss only the                                                                 
                            Governor's budget at this time.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                            UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA                                                                            
 261 WENDY REDMAN,          Introduced staff assisting her in the                                                               
     (TESTIFIED VIA        presentation of the capital budget                                                                   
      TELECONFERENCE),      requests for the University of Alaska.                                                            
      VICE PRESIDENT,                                                                                                           
      STATEWIDE PROGRAMS,                                                                                                       
      UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA                                                                                                      
 322 JOE BEEDLE,            Discussed the safety and highest priority                                                           
      (TESTIFIED VIA        renewal and replacement request in the                                                              
      TELECONFERENCE),      amount of $4 million dollars. He noted                                                              
      UNIVERSITY OF         that the number had been broken down to                                                             
      ALASKA, ANCHORAGE     various campuses.  This would conclude                                                              
                            all sprinkler programs in the housing for                                                           
                            students.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
 468 Mr. Beedle             Continued, the costs for UAS water/fire                                                             
                            system-code would be $1.259 of that full                                                            
                            request.  A housing sprinkler system                                                                
                            would amount to  $870 thousand dollars.                                                             
                            Student housing  safety upgrades in the                                                             
                            amount of $1.230 million dollars.  $200                                                             
                            thousand dollars  would be used for the                                                             
                            ventilation air  for fume hoods for the                                                             
                            arts building in Anchorage.  In the                                                                 
                            Anchorage district, there would be a B-                                                             
                            core fire suppression and air                                                                       
                            conditioning replacement in the amount of                                                           
                            $440 thousand dollars.                                                                            
 604 STEVE SMITH,           Spoke to the telecommunications equipment                                                           
      (TESTIFIED VIA        improvements request in the amount of                                                               
      TELECONFERENCE),      $1.875 million dollars.  He noted that                                                              
      UNIVERSITY OF         this would be a phased project and the                                                              
      ALASKA, ANCHORAGE     needs were evaluated using the criteria                                                             
                            from the Impact on Daily Business                                                                   
                            functions.  The funding would provide for                                                           
                            on-line registration.   He spoke to the                                                           
                            technology integration system for the                                                               
                            University.  It would deliver academic                                                              
                            programs throughout the State by                                                                    
                            leveraging the University's ability to                                                              
                            take the best programs from every MAU and                                                           
                            deliver those when and where needed                                                                 
                            across the State.                                                                                 
812 Mr. Beedle              Discussed the University of Alaska -                                                                
                            Small Business Development Center.  The                                                             
                            request is in the amount of $450 thousand                                                           
                            dollars and the project would be an on                                                              
                            going. The program encourage the BUY                                                                
                            ALASKA program which encourages in-state                                                            
                            purchases of goods and services through a                                                           
                            multi media public awareness campaign and                                                           
                            by assisting Alaska businesses,                                                                     
                            government entities and consumers in                                                                
                            finding competitive, local sources for                                                              
                            goods and services previously purchased                                                             
                            outside of Alaska.                                                                                
923 Mr. Beedle              Spoke to the air traffic control                                                                    
                            stimulator request in the amount of $2.5                                                            
                            million dollars.  The request is needed                                                             
                            to address the FY02 BOR goal of meeting                                                             
                            Alaska's employment needs.                                                                        
955 Mr. Beedle              Addressed the Arctic Region supercomputer                                                           
                            purchase request in the amount of $30                                                               
                            million dollars federal receipts. Noted                                                             
                            that this was a high priority item                                                                  
                            necessary to meet the BOR goal of                                                                   
                            preparing for Alaska's economic success.                                                          
992 Mr. Beedle              Commented that there would be a letter                                                              
                            forthcoming from the President of                                                                   
                            University outlining these priority                                                                 
                            needs.                                                                                            
1039 Representative         Asked what the acronym ACPE meant.                                                                
      Hudson                                                                                                                    
1058 Mr. Beedle             Noted that the University had not yet                                                               
                            been directed about using those receipts.                                                           
                            He understood that "other funds" would be                                                           
                            received from the Alaska Postsecondary.                                                           
1112 Representative         Spoke to that concern.                                                                            
      Davies                                                                                                                    
1136 Representative         Asked why the University Museum expansion                                                           
      Whitaker              had not been included on the list.                                                                
1155 Co-Chair Williams      Advised that this list was that put forth                                                           
                            by the Governor's budget.                                                                         
1178 Ms. Redman             Did not know why it had not been                                                                    
                            included.  She pointed out that was a top                                                           
                            priority of the University and that it                                                              
                            would be 50% funded by private funds.                                                             
1214 Representative         Inquired if the University would be                                                               
      Whitaker              willing to support an amendment for that                                                            
                            concern.                                                                                          
 1229 Ms. Redman            Replied, absolutely.                                                                              
 1241 Vice-Chair Bunde      Asked how much general fund money would                                                             
                            the University be requesting in this                                                                
                           fiscal year.                                                                                       
 1261 Ms. Redman            Following discussion, Ms. Redman replied                                                            
                            it would be around $27 million dollars.                                                           
 1278 Co-Chair Williams     Asked the amount of APCE dollars                                                                    
                            allocated.                                                                                        
 1300 STEVE HILDEBRAND,     Offered to check that information out and                                                           
      BUDGET ANALYST,       provide it to the Committee.                                                                      
      OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT                                                                                                      
      AND BUDGET                                                                                                                
 1335 Representative        Noted that there was no appropriation in                                                            
      Davies                this year's budget that relies on the                                                               
                            postsecondary money.                                                                              
 1374 Ms. Redman            Advised that the House Finance Committee                                                            
                            had added $2 million ACPE dollars.                                                                
 1403 Representative Croft  Pointed out that the budget had about $6                                                            
                            million dollars that was non-federal                                                                
                            money.  He stated that it would be both                                                             
                            capital and operating budget dollars.                                                             
 1455 Representative        Spoke to other items that the University                                                            
      Davies                had requested which were not included in                                                            
                            the Governor's budget.  He asked that                                                               
                            those be highlighted.                                                                             
 1500 Mr. Beedle            Distributed a document prepared by the                                                              
                            President of the University highlighting                                                            
                            project summaries.                                                                                  
                            * Attracting and Retaining AK Students                                                            
                              Community Campus Improvements                                                                     
                              Classroom and Lab improvements                                                                    
                              Student Satisfaction                                                                              
                            * Meeting Alaska's Employment Needs                                                               
                              Career & Technical Training                                                                       
                              Teacher Education                                                                                 
                            * Preparing for Alaska's Economic Success                                                         
                              Building for Economic Development                                                                 
                              Planning through Partnerships                                                                     
                            He noted that the highest priorities                                                                
                            would amount to $120.258 million dollars.                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                            ALASKA COURT SYSTEM                                                                             
 1657 DOUG WOOLIVER,        Addressed the automated case management                                                             
      ADMINISTRATIVE        system, Phase 2, request in the amount of                                                           
      ATTORNEY, ALASKA      $1.75 million dollars.  He noted that the                                                           
      COURT SYSTEM          current system is seriously inadequate.                                                           
 1775 Mr. Wooliver          Discussed the capital replacement                                                                   
                            equipment request in the amount of $745                                                             
                            thousand general fund dollars.  He noted                                                            
                            that the funding would be used for                                                                  
                            statewide replacement of court system                                                             
                            technology and communications resources.                                                          
1808 Mr. Wooliver           Spoke to the Court security projects                                                                
                            request in the amount of $500 thousand                                                              
                            general fund dollars.  He noted the                                                                 
                            estimates prepared for all the superior                                                             
                            courts and selected district court                                                                  
                            requests.                                                                                         
1885 Co-Chair Williams      Questioned if there had been problems                                                               
                            occurring in that area.                                                                           
1896 Mr. Wooliver           Replied that there have been problems,                                                              
                            particularly in Kenai, and that the court                                                           
                            clerks had been hassled.                                                                          
1920 Mr. Wooliver           Spoke to the request for deferred                                                                   
                            maintenance costs in the amount of $1                                                               
                            million general fund dollars for the                                                                
                            district court house and repairs to                                                                 
                            building components that have not been                                                              
                            sufficiently maintained and now threaten                                                            
                            longevity of the buildings.                                                                       
1950 Mr. Wooliver           Discussed the rural court technology                                                                
                            upgrades for digital recording equipment                                                            
                            request in the amount of $420 thousand                                                              
                            general fund dollars.  He claimed that                                                              
                            funding the component would provide a                                                               
                            tremendous long-term savings.  He noted                                                             
                            that this would be the final phase of the                                                           
                            four-phase multi-year project to replace                                                            
                            courtroom audio recording and electronic                                                            
                            sound systems statewide.                                                                          
2021 Mr. Wooliver           Spoke to the statewide remodeling costs                                                             
                            request in the amount of $500 thousand                                                              
                            general fund dollars for renovation                                                                 
                            projects to increase staff efficiency and                                                           
                            accommodate improved means of conducting                                                            
                            court business, particularly                                                                        
                            accommodation of improved technology.                                                             
2031 Representative         Asked about the deferred maintenance                                                                
      Davies                projects.  He inquired how much damage                                                              
                            has been caused because the deferred                                                                
                            maintenance concerns had not been                                                                   
                            addressed in previous years.                                                                      
2082 Mr. Wooliver           Commented that he would gather that                                                                 
                            information for the Committee.                                                                    
2090 Representative         Stressed that these deferred maintenance                                                            
    Davies                concerns are the consequences of not                                                                  
                            addressing the deferred maintenance                                                                 
                            problems throughout the years.  He added                                                            
                            that the buildings would continue to                                                                
                            deteriorate without further funding.                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                            TAPE HFC 01 - 64, Side B                                                                        
000 Mr. Wooliver            Discussed the court building code and                                                               
                            energy upgrade request in the amount of                                                           
                            $400 thousand general fund dollars.  He                                                             
                            noted that the funding would be used to                                                             
                            redesign of courtroom bench                                                                         
                            configurations to provide adequate space                                                            
                            for clerks, witnesses and judges to                                                                 
                            comply with the ADA.                                                                              
 123 Mr. Wooliver           Spoke to the one time request for the Law                                                           
                            Library catalog software for web access.                                                            
                            The request would be in the amount of $60                                                           
                            thousand general fund dollars.  The                                                                 
                            project is for the purchase of software                                                             
                            to allow users access to the law                                                                    
                            library's electronic catalog of available                                                           
                            legal resources.                                                                                  
 175 Vice-Chair Bunde       Noted that since this would be available                                                            
                            to the public, if consideration had been                                                            
                            given to using user fees.                                                                         
 209 Representative         Asked if the law library request would                                                              
      Lancaster             require more personnel to put the info on                                                           
                            the web.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
 228 Mr. Wooliver           Replied that it would not, and that there                                                           
                            is currently an employee working who                                                                
                            could do that in put work.                                                                        
 250 Representative         Asked about the ADA requirements and                                                                
      Hudson                money, which would be receive able from                                                             
                            the federal government for those related                                                            
                            tasks.                                                                                            
 290 Mr. Wooliver           Noted that there was someone on line that                                                           
                            could answer that question.                                                                       
 209 RHONDA MCLEOD,         Offered to research that information and                                                            
      (TESTIFIED VIA        provide it to Committee members.                                                                  
      TELECONFERENCE),                                                                                                          
      ALASKA COURT SYSTEM                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                            DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY                                                                     
 348 KENNETH BISCHOFF,      Discussed the aircraft and vessel repair                                                            
      DIRECTOR, DIVISION    and maintenance request.  The funds would                                                           
      OF ADMINISTRATIVE     be used for the annual repair and                                                                   
      SERVICES, DEPARTMENT maintenance requirement of the Division's                                                            
      OF TRANSPORTATION     aircraft and vessel fleet.  The requested                                                           
                            amount would be $1.2 million general fund                                                           
                            dollars.                                                                                          
 389 Mr. Bischoff           Spoke to the trooper law enforcement                                                                
                            equipment request for the use of State                                                              
                            Trooper personnel throughout the State.                                                             
                            The requested amount would be $350                                                                  
                            thousand general fund dollars.                                                                    
 409 Mr. Bischoff           Discussed the fish and wildlife statewide                                                           
                            law enforcement equipment request.  He                                                              
                            noted that the request would provide for                                                            
                            replacement of FWP statewide law                                                                    
                            enforcement equipment required for the                                                            
                            day-to-day enforcement activity of the                                                              
                            division.  The requested amount would be                                                            
                            $250 thousand general fund dollars.                                                               
428 Mr. Bischoff            Addressed the Fairbanks Public Safety                                                               
                            Building roof replacement request in the                                                            
                            amount of $770.1 thousand general fund                                                              
                            dollars.  He noted that the request would                                                           
                            replace the deteriorating roof on the                                                               
                            Public Safety Building.                                                                           
556 Mr. Bischoff            Discussed the Soldotna Public Safety                                                                
                            building roof repair in the amount of                                                               
                            $155.1 thousand general fund dollars.                                                             
592 Mr. Bischoff            Discussed the Crime Lab Improvement                                                                 
                            Program request in the amount of total                                                              
                            $1.459 million dollars.  The State match                                                            
                            amount would be $209.6 thousand general                                                             
                            fund dollars.  He noted that there are                                                              
                            several components to the project.                                                                
690 Mr. Bischoff            Spoke to the fish and wildlife                                                                      
                            enforcement vessels replacement request                                                             
                            in the amount of $400 thousand general                                                              
                            fund dollars.  He noted that the money                                                              
                            would be used to replace 6 law                                                                      
                            enforcement patrol vessels statewide.                                                             
832 Representative          Asked if speed was an essential element                                                             
      Hudson                in the boating operations.                                                                        
862 Mr. Bischoff            Replied that it depends on the mission.                                                           
915 Representative          Asked if when the vessels were being                                                                
    Hudson                replaced, did the Department look at                                                                  
                            options outside the State of Alaska.                                                              
944 Mr. Bischoff            Replied that they do.                                                                             
967  Mr. Bischoff           Discussed the grants to the Domestic                                                                
                            Violence shelters in the amount of $200                                                             
                            thousand general fund dollars which would                                                           
                            provide about 40% of the amount required                                                            
                            to met the highest priority health and                                                              
                            safety needs as determined through a                                                                
                            comprehensive needs' assessment by the                                                              
                            programs.                                                                                         
990 Mr. Bischoff            Spoke to the Alaska Law enforcement photo                                                           
                            network request in the amount of $1.3                                                               
                            million dollars.  He stated that the                                                                
                            enforcement requires critical identifiers                                                           
                            with fingerprints, photographs and DNA to                                                           
                            conduct the daily work.  The project                                                                
                            would provide direct access to Alaska                                                               
                            booking, driver and ID photographic                                                                 
                            information by law enforcement agencies                                                             
                            throughout the State.                                                                             
1017 Mr. Bischoff           Discussed the rural law enforcement                                                                 
                            support request in the amount of $1.8                                                               
                            million federal dollars.  The Department                                                          
                            of Justice will be awarding the                                                                     
                            Department of Public Safety $1.8 million                                                            
                            dollars to train  Village Police Officers,                                                          
                            Village Public  Safety Officers and Tribal                                                          
                            Police Officers  to increase their ability                                                          
                            to deal with crisis situations and to                                                               
                            purchase equipment for better responses                                                             
                            to emergencies.                                                                                   
 1033 Mr. Bischoff          Addressed the technology, policing and                                                              
                            enforcement initiatives grants to                                                                   
                            municipalities in the amount of $2.2                                                                
                            million federal dollars.  The federal                                                               
                            grants will be pass-through grants                                                                  
                            through the Department of Public Safety                                                             
                            to local municipalities for various                                                                 
                            public safety projects.                                                                           
 1060 Mr. Bischoff          Mentioned the King Salmon Fishing                                                                   
                            repairs, which is an added request, and                                                             
                            is not included in member's packets.                                                              
 1090 Mr. Bischoff          Added that in the Department is                                                                     
                            requesting the authority to sell aircraft                                                           
                            in order to use those funds to buy future                                                           
                            aircraft that would be more appropriate                                                             
                            for the Department's use.                                                                         
 1112 Representative Croft  Questioned how that would happen.                                                                 
 1117 Mr. Bischoff          Did not know exactly how it would work                                                              
                            but offered to look into it.  He                                                                    
                            reiterated that it would include aircraft                                                           
                            that is no longer suitable for the                                                                  
                            Department's missions.                                                                            
 1145 Co-Chair Williams     ADJOURNMENT                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                            The meeting was adjourned at 2:55 P.M.                                                            
                                                                                                                                

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