Legislature(2003 - 2004)
05/04/2004 07:48 PM House FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
May 04, 2004
7:48 P.M.
TAPE HFC 04 - 105, Side A
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Williams called the House Finance Committee meeting
to order at 7:48 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative John Harris, Co-Chair
Representative Bill Williams, Co-Chair
Representative Kevin Meyer, Vice-Chair
Representative Mike Chenault
Representative Eric Croft
Representative Hugh Fate
Representative Richard Foster
Representative Mike Hawker
Representative Reggie Joule
Representative Carl Moses
Representative Bill Stoltze
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
ALSO PRESENT
Pete Ecklund, House Committee Staff, Representative Bill
Williams; James Armstrong, Staff, Representative Bill
Williams; John MacKinnon, Deputy Director, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities; Diane Barrans,
Executive Director, Postsecondary Education Commission,
Department of Education
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
None
SUMMARY
HB 561 An Act providing for and relating to the issuance
of general obligation bonds in a principal amount
of not more than $1,000,000 for the purpose of
paying the cost of state transportation projects;
and providing for an effective date.
CS HB 561 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with
a "do pass" recommendation and with a new fiscal
note by the Department of Revenue.
CSSB 337(L&C)
An Act relating to the powers of the Alaska Energy
Authority to make grants and loans, to enter into
contracts, and to improve, equip, operate, and
maintain bulk fuel, waste energy, energy
conservation, energy efficiency, and alternative
energy facilities and equipment; relating to the
bulk fuel revolving loan fund; relating to the
Alaska Energy Authority's liability for the
provision of technical assistance to rural
utilities; relating to the Alaska Energy
Authority's investment of the power development
fund; repealing the electrical service extension
fund; and providing for an effective date.
HCS CS SB 337 (FIN) was reported out of Committee
with a "no recommendation" and with zero note #1
by the Department of Revenue and zero note #2 by
the Department of Community & Economic
Development.
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 337(L&C)
An Act relating to the powers of the Alaska Energy
Authority to make grants and loans, to enter into
contracts, and to improve, equip, operate, and maintain
bulk fuel, waste energy, energy conservation, energy
efficiency, and alternative energy facilities and
equipment; relating to the bulk fuel revolving loan
fund; relating to the Alaska Energy Authority's
liability for the provision of technical assistance to
rural utilities; relating to the Alaska Energy
Authority's investment of the power development fund;
repealing the electrical service extension fund; and
providing for an effective date.
Representative Foster MOVED to RESCIND previous Committee
action taken on passing HCS SB 337 (FIN) out of Committee.
There being NO OBJECTION, action was rescinded.
Co-Chair Williams observed that the previous passed
amendment had not addressed all the necessary concerns.
PETE ECKLUND, HOUSE COMMITTEE STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE BILL
WILLIAMS, reiterated that Amendment #1, previously passed by
Committee had been incomplete. There are two sections in
law, which the amendment could not officially sustain. He
pointed out that Amendment #2, #23-GS2076\D.4, Craver,
5/4/04, would provide the proper extension needed for the
ethanol tax credit. (Copy on File).
Co-Chair Williams MOVED to ADOPT Amendment #2.
Representative Hawker OBJECTED asking if Amendment #2 would
be in addition to Amendment #1. Mr. Ecklund clarified that
Amendment #2 would be included with the Committee's previous
taken action. Representative Hawker WITHDREW his OBJECTION.
There being NO further OBJECTION, Amendment #2 was adopted.
Representative Foster MOVED to report HCS CS SB 337 (FIN)
out of Committee with individual recommendations and with
the accompanying fiscal notes. He asked that the previous
signed committee report be the one attached with the bill.
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
HCS CS SB 337 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with a "no
recommendation" and with zero note #1 by the Department of
Revenue and zero note #2 by the Department of Community &
Economic Development.
HOUSE BILL NO. 561
An Act providing for and relating to the issuance of
general obligation bonds in a principal amount of not
more than $1,000,000 for the purpose of paying the cost
of state transportation projects; and providing for an
effective date.
Vice-Chair Meyer MOVED to RESCIND previous action taken in
passing CS HB 561 (FIN) out of Committee. There being NO
OBJECTION, action was rescinded.
Vice-Chair Meyer MOVED to RESCIND previous action taken by
the Committee in adopting Amendment #1. There being NO
OBJECTION, the action was rescinded.
Co-Chair Williams MOVED to ADOPT the Revised Amendment #1.
(Copy on File).
JAMES ARMSTRONG, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE BILL WILLIAMS,
explained the new Amendment #1, which would add, change and
delete previous projects, changing the total request to
$93,280 million dollars. He highlighted the changes:
· Anchorage - Jewel Lake Road & Strawberry Road
Signalization inclusion $1,100,000
· Skagway - Harbor Deferred Maintenance
deletion $1,300,000
· Donlin Creek - Crooked Creek/Donlin Creek Access
Road inclusion $2,000,000
· Changed Statewide Harbor Deferred Maintenance
Change from $3,5000,000 to $4,800,000
Vice-Chair Meyer noted that the distribution list appeared
"out of balance".
Representative Croft believed that there would be
significant balance achieved in consolidation with the
education bond package proposed, and includes the
University. He pointed out that the projects proposed were
addressing critical needs in Anchorage. He reiterated that
it is important to look at the whole package when
determining the balance.
Representative Chenault commented that there is a federal
earmark match for the State Highway System in the amount of
$15 million dollars to match the $280 million dollars of
federal projects. Mr. Armstrong responded that the
distribution percentage was removing the $15 million dollars
from the top and applying the percentages used in HB 525
from the FY03 budget. Using that calculation, Anchorage
will receive the same amount it did through HB 525.
Co-Chair Williams questioned the Department's rational for
changing the numbers in the State highway system projects.
JOHN MACKINNON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES, explained that the
Department does not know what the projects will be and there
has been no federal authorization to date. There is a
policy in the Department that the State makes a match on
State owned projects and on the non-State owned projects,
the communities are encouraged to make the match. The
additional language clarifies that the earmarks would be
State owned projects. The Department requested the
language.
Representative Croft observed that by removing the $15
million dollars, Anchorage has approximately 33% of the
designated projects.
There being NO OBJECTION, the revised Amendment #1 was
adopted.
Vice Chair Meyer asked if the goal in making the
determinations was to keep the amount under $100 million
dollars. Co-Chair Williams responded that it was his intent
to keep all numbers as low as possible.
Representative Foster MOVED to report CSHB 561 (FIN) out of
Committee with individual recommendations and with the
accompanying fiscal note and the previous adopted committee
report. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
CS HB 561 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with a "do
pass" recommendation and with a new fiscal note by the
Department of Revenue.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:03 P.M.
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