Legislature(2009 - 2010)CAPITOL 120

02/17/2010 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY


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01:07:37 PM Start
01:08:05 PM Select Committee on Legislative Ethics
01:49:35 PM Board of Governors of the Alaska Bar
01:57:09 PM Public Defender
02:18:31 PM Violent Crimes Compensation Board
02:25:02 PM HJR42
03:04:04 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Confirmation Hearings: TELECONFERENCED
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics;
Violent Crimes Compensation Board;
Quinlan Steiner, Public Defender; Board
of Governors of the Alaska Bar
+ HJR 42 CONST. AM: TRANSPORTATION FUND TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
               HOUSE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                       February 17, 2010                                                                                        
                           1:07 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Jay Ramras, Chair                                                                                                
Representative Carl Gatto                                                                                                       
Representative Bob Herron                                                                                                       
Representative Bob Lynn                                                                                                         
Representative Max Gruenberg                                                                                                    
Representative Lindsey Holmes                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Nancy Dahlstrom, Vice Chair                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Gary J. Turner - Soldotna                                                                                                  
     H. Conner Thomas - Nome                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Board of Governors of the Alaska Bar                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Donald McLean, D.D.S. - Wasilla                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Public Defender                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Quinlan Steiner - Anchorage                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Violent Crimes Compensation Board                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Nora G. Barlow - Anchorage                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 42                                                                                                   
Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska                                                                 
creating a transportation infrastructure fund.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD & HELD                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HJR 42                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: CONST. AM: TRANSPORTATION FUND                                                                                     
SPONSOR(S): TRANSPORTATION                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
02/05/10       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
02/05/10       (H)       TRA, JUD, FIN                                                                                          
02/09/10       (H)       TRA AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 17                                                                              
02/09/10       (H)       Moved Out of Committee                                                                                 
02/09/10       (H)       MINUTE(TRA)                                                                                            
02/10/10       (H)       TRA RPT 6DP 1NR                                                                                        
02/10/10       (H)       DP: JOHANSEN, MUNOZ, JOHNSON, T.WILSON,                                                                
                         PETERSEN, P.WILSON                                                                                     
02/10/10       (H)       NR: GRUENBERG                                                                                          
02/17/10       (H)       JUD AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 120                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
GARY J. TURNER, Appointee                                                                                                       
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics                                                                                          
Soldotna, Alaska                                                                                                                
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified as appointee to the Select                                                                     
Committee on Legislative Ethics.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
H. CONNER THOMAS, Appointee                                                                                                     
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics                                                                                          
Nome, Alaska                                                                                                                    
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified as appointee to the Select                                                                     
Committee on Legislative Ethics.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
DONALD McLEAN, D.D.S., Appointee                                                                                                
Board of Governors of the Alaska Bar                                                                                            
Wasilla, Alaska                                                                                                                 
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified as appointee to the Board of                                                                   
Governors of the Alaska Bar.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
QUINLAN STEINER, Appointee                                                                                                      
Public Defender                                                                                                                 
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:   Testified as  appointee to the  position of                                                             
Public Defender.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
NORA G. BARLOW, Appointee                                                                                                       
Violent Crimes Compensation Board (VCCB)                                                                                        
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT:    Testified  as appointee  to  the  Violent                                                             
Crimes Compensation Board (VCCB).                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY WILSON                                                                                                     
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  During discussion  of HJR 42, spoke as chair                                                             
of the House Transportation Standing Committee, sponsor.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
BECKY ROONEY, Staff                                                                                                             
Representative Peggy Wilson                                                                                                     
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  During discussion  of HJR 42, responded to a                                                             
question  on  behalf of  the  sponsor,  the House  Transportation                                                               
Standing  Committee,  which  is   chaired  by  Representative  P.                                                               
Wilson.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
FRANK  RICHARDS,   Deputy  Commissioner  of  Highways   &  Public                                                               
Facilities                                                                                                                      
Office of the Commissioner                                                                                                      
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF)                                                                       
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:   Responded  to a question  during discussion                                                             
of HJR 42.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
BRIAN KANE, Attorney                                                                                                            
Legislative Legal Counsel                                                                                                       
Legislative Legal and Research Services                                                                                         
Legislative Affairs Agency (LAA)                                                                                                
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION  STATEMENT:   As the  drafter, responded  to a  question                                                             
during discussion of HJR 42.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHIE WASSERMAN, Executive Director                                                                                            
Alaska Municipal League (AML)                                                                                                   
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION  STATEMENT:    Testified  in  support  of  HJR  42,  and                                                             
responded to questions.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:07:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JAY  RAMRAS called the  House Judiciary  Standing Committee                                                             
meeting to  order at 1:07  p.m.  Representatives  Ramras, Herron,                                                               
Gatto, Gruenberg, and  Holmes were present at the  call to order.                                                               
Representative  Lynn  arrived as  the  meeting  was in  progress.                                                               
Representative Dahlstrom was excused.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)                                                                                                        
                    CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
^Select Committee on Legislative Ethics                                                                                         
             Select Committee on Legislative Ethics                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
1:08:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR RAMRAS  announced that the  committee would  first consider                                                               
the reappointment  of Gary J.  Turner to the Select  Committee on                                                               
Legislative Ethics.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:08:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GARY  J.  TURNER,  Appointee,  Select  Committee  on  Legislative                                                               
Ethics,  relayed that  he's just  completed his  first three-year                                                               
term on the  Select Committee on Legislative  Ethics, has enjoyed                                                               
it, and  looks forward to serving  another term.  In  response to                                                               
questions,  he noted  that the  Select  Committee on  Legislative                                                               
Ethics  does a  lot  of  work -  issuing  opinions and  providing                                                               
informal advice in  compliance with confidentiality requirements;                                                               
that some issues  are not so easily resolved;  that although some                                                               
of the  ethics rules that  legislators must  abide by might  be a                                                               
bit  onerous  for  legislators,  those rules  are  based  on  the                                                               
statutes that  legislators themselves  have passed; and  that the                                                               
Select  Committee  on  Legislative  Ethics  would  abide  by  any                                                               
changes the legislature makes to those statutes.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES,  remarking that she'd once  served briefly                                                               
on  the  Select  Committee  on Legislative  Ethics,  thanked  Mr.                                                               
Turner  for  his willingness  to  serve.   Noting  that  informal                                                               
advice provided by the Select  Committee on Legislative Ethics is                                                               
not binding, she asked Mr. Turner to comment on that issue.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  TURNER surmised  that in  order to  make all  advice legally                                                               
binding and timely, it would require  an increase in staff - both                                                               
administrative staff  and attorneys.   In  response to  a further                                                               
question, he  indicated that  in a  situation wherein  the Select                                                               
Committee  on  Legislative  Ethics   issues  formal  advice  that                                                               
conflicts  with   previously-provided  informal  advice   that  a                                                               
legislator  was following,  the Select  Committee on  Legislative                                                               
Ethics would take that into  account, depending on the situation,                                                               
should the legislator's actions later be called into question.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLMES  asked  Mr.  Turner  whether  he  has  any                                                               
suggestions for  statutory changes  that the Select  Committee on                                                               
Legislative Ethics would like to see.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. TURNER said  that there is a proposed change  to the statutes                                                               
regarding definitions  that might still  need further work  - for                                                               
example, he has  some suggestions for the  proposed definition of                                                               
what constitutes a constituent -  and that the statute addressing                                                               
[State-paid  travel  and  collateral campaign  activities]  could                                                               
also use some more work by the legislature.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:17:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  RAMRAS,  on  the  latter point,  opined  that  the  Select                                                               
Committee  on Legislative  Ethics  is ignoring  or  at least  not                                                               
grasping the  fact that the statute  regarding [State-paid travel                                                               
and collateral campaign activities]  that suits a legislator from                                                               
urban Alaska  does not have the  same impact on or  meaning for a                                                               
legislator  from  rural Alaska  and  instead  actually creates  a                                                               
considerable hardship  for the rural  legislator.   He questioned                                                               
why the  Select Committee on Legislative  Ethics couldn't provide                                                               
a more equitable  opinion about such travel  and activities until                                                               
the legislature has had an opportunity to change that statute.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  TURNER  pointed  out that  Legislative  Legal  and  Research                                                               
Services had  interpreted that statute, and  the Select Committee                                                               
on Legislative  Ethics, in  issuing opinions  on the  matter, was                                                               
simply following that interpretation.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HERRON  opined  that   the  Select  Committee  on                                                               
Legislative  Ethics  should  also  consider the  spirit  of  that                                                               
statute and  use common sense  when providing an opinion  [on the                                                               
issue of State-paid travel and collateral campaign activities].                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GATTO,  noting  that  Mr.  Turner  works  as  the                                                               
director at  the Kenai  Peninsula College  and Mr.  Turner's wife                                                               
works as  an administrative clerk  in the Capital  Project Office                                                               
of  the   Kenai  Peninsula   Borough,  questioned   whether  that                                                               
constitutes a conflict of interest.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. TURNER said it does not  because he has no influence over the                                                               
college's capital  projects, which, in  any case, fall  under the                                                               
purview of the  University of Alaska Anchorage  (UAA) rather than                                                               
the Kenai Peninsula Borough.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO disagreed, and opined  that there is a clear                                                               
conflict of  interest in this  instance.  He then  suggested that                                                               
[on  the  issue  of  State-paid travel  and  collateral  campaign                                                               
activities],  for certain  legislators, the  Select Committee  on                                                               
Legislative  Ethics  should  simply disregard  what  the  statute                                                               
says.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:31:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  RAMRAS  encouraged  the Select  Committee  on  Legislative                                                               
Ethics to get  a second opinion on the  statue addressing [State-                                                               
paid travel  and collateral campaign  activities] and  also allow                                                               
the legislature  adequate time to  fix that statute -  perhaps by                                                               
modeling it  after a similar statute  addressing executive branch                                                               
employees  - to  address the  disparity between  rural and  urban                                                               
legislators.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  TURNER agreed  to consider  Chair Ramras's  suggestion.   He                                                               
pointed out,  though, that  some have  argued that  changing that                                                               
statute to allow  legislators to get reimbursed  for traveling on                                                               
State  business while  also  attending  campaign functions  would                                                               
give incumbents a monetary advantage over non-incumbents.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR RAMRAS acknowledged that point.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:36:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  RAMRAS announced  that the  committee would  next consider                                                               
the reappointment of H. Conner  Thomas to the Select Committee on                                                               
Legislative Ethics.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:37:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
H.  CONNER THOMAS,  Appointee,  Select  Committee on  Legislative                                                               
Ethics,  said  he's  enjoyed  his  time  serving  on  the  Select                                                               
Committee  on Legislative  Ethics;  would like  to serve  another                                                               
term; believes it provides a  good public service; and noted that                                                               
since he first began serving in  1999, there has been an increase                                                               
in the number  of requests for committee input and  activity.  In                                                               
response to  a question, he said  that it is often  the case that                                                               
the answer to  a particular question is unclear,  that this tends                                                               
to generate  a lot of debate  among the members, and  that it can                                                               
take a lengthy amount  of time to get to the  end of the process.                                                               
On  the  issue  of  applying   common  sense  when  ruling  on  a                                                               
particular situation, he pointed out  that the problem with doing                                                               
that is  that people's  idea of what  would constitute  a common-                                                               
sense ruling  differs, and so that's  why - at least  with regard                                                               
to  the  issue  of  [State-paid travel  and  collateral  campaign                                                               
activities]  -  the  committee  has  simply  followed  the  legal                                                               
opinion  its already  received.   He said  he believes  that when                                                               
making  a decision,  the Select  Committee on  Legislative Ethics                                                               
does  consider the  impact  the decision  could  have on  various                                                               
legislators; however,  that shouldn't  always be what  drives the                                                               
committee when making a particular ruling.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  THOMAS, in  response to  a  question, said  his intent  when                                                               
considering an  issue is to  do the  right thing within  the law,                                                               
and if using common sense results  in a ruling that goes contrary                                                               
to  the law,  that won't  meet the  statutory obligations  of the                                                               
Select Committee on  Legislative Ethics.  In  response to another                                                               
question, he  explained that the Select  Committee on Legislative                                                               
Ethics does  consider the  public's perception  but it  isn't the                                                               
driving force when making decisions.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO opined that  following the statute regarding                                                               
[State-paid  travel and  collateral campaign  activities] results                                                               
in unreasonable  rulings, regardless  that it is  the legislature                                                               
itself  that made  that law.   He  questioned whether  the Select                                                               
Committee  on Legislative  Ethics  couldn't  instead simply  rule                                                               
that  in   a  particular  set  of   circumstances,  a  particular                                                               
legislator wouldn't have to follow the law.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:44:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  THOMAS  offered his  belief  that  the Select  Committee  on                                                               
Legislative Ethics is  obligated to do what the law  says, and if                                                               
there is a legal opinion  regarding a particular statute, he said                                                               
he doesn't  see how the  committee could  do other than  make its                                                               
rulings   in   compliance   with  that   opinion   and   statute.                                                               
Furthermore, if  the Select Committee on  Legislative Ethics were                                                               
to instead apply  an interpretation of the  statute pertaining to                                                               
[State-paid travel  and collateral campaign  activities] contrary                                                               
to the  aforementioned legal opinion,  it could result  in Select                                                               
Committee on Legislative  Ethics then being asked to  do the same                                                               
in  all  other  situations  regarding  all  other  statutes  that                                                               
legislators must  follow.   In response  to further  comments and                                                               
questions,  he said  that the  aforementioned  legal opinion  has                                                               
clarified  the  statute  pertaining  to  [State-paid  travel  and                                                               
collateral campaign  activities], and so the  Select Committee on                                                               
Legislative  Ethics didn't  feel  that it  had  the authority  to                                                               
stray off into a different interpretation.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
^Board of Governors of the Alaska Bar                                                                                           
              Board of Governors of the Alaska Bar                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
1:49:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  RAMRAS announced  that the  committee would  next consider                                                               
the  reappointment of  Donald  McLean, D.D.S.,  to  the Board  of                                                               
Governors of the Alaska Bar.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:49:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DONALD  McLEAN,  D.D.S., Appointee,  Board  of  Governors of  the                                                               
Alaska Bar,  relayed that he's  enjoyed serving on the  board for                                                               
the last three years, and is  seeking to be confirmed for another                                                               
three-year term.   In response to questions, he then  spoke a bit                                                               
about the Executive Juris Doctorate he is currently pursuing.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLMES thanked  Dr. McLean  for his  service, and                                                               
asked  him to  offer his  thoughts  regarding his  first term  of                                                               
service.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
DR.  McLEAN  said  he  finds the  deliberation  by  the  attorney                                                               
members of  the board to  be very interesting and  enjoyable, and                                                               
remarked  that   although  it's   extremely  important   to  hold                                                               
attorneys accountable,  the most difficult issues  the board must                                                               
face are  those related to  disciplinary actions  against members                                                               
of the Alaska Bar.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
^Public Defender                                                                                                                
                        Public Defender                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
1:57:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  RAMRAS announced  that the  committee would  next consider                                                               
the reappointment  of Quinlan Steiner  to the position  of Public                                                               
Defender.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:57:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
QUINLAN STEINER,  Appointee, Public Defender, explained  that the                                                               
Public Defender  Agency (PDA) was  created by the  legislature in                                                               
1969  to provide  constitutionally mandated  defense services  to                                                               
indigent clients  in criminal cases, juvenile  delinquency cases,                                                               
child in  need of  aid (CINA)  cases, and  involuntary commitment                                                               
proceedings.   The PDA  provides core services  to its  clients -                                                               
communicating  legal rights  and legal  process, and  the charges                                                               
and evidence  that have been presented;  investigates allegations                                                               
and viable  case strategies; and  represents clients  whose cases                                                               
lead  to  court  proceedings.   Attorneys  working  for  the  PDA                                                               
represent  clients before  the Alaska  Supreme Court,  the Alaska                                                               
Court  of Appeals,  the  Alaska Superior  Court,  and the  Alaska                                                               
District Court.  The PDA  receives all of its [case] appointments                                                               
via  the Alaska  Court System  (ACS), and  handles all  the cases                                                               
[appointed to it]  except those that present a  legal conflict of                                                               
interest for the  PDA.  The PDA has offices  in 13 communities, 4                                                               
of which  are "on  the road  system" with  the rest  being "rural                                                               
offices";  has   three  separate  internal  divisions   -  civil,                                                               
criminal, and appellate; and  employs approximately 100 attorneys                                                               
and 70 staff.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. STEINER  then recounted  that he started  out as  a volunteer                                                               
investigator with the  PDA prior to attending  law school; served                                                               
as  legal extern  while attending  law  school; began  employment                                                               
with the  PDA upon graduating from  law school in 1998  - working                                                               
primarily  as an  appellate lawyer  but he  also tried  civil and                                                               
criminal cases;  and has  served in his  position as  director of                                                               
the PDA for approximately four  years.  This appointment would be                                                               
his second.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  STEINER indicated  that since  his initial  appointment, the                                                               
PDA has expanded  its training and recruitment  programs; and was                                                               
restructured  in an  effort to  strengthen  its case  management,                                                               
attorney   performance,   and   cost  management   and   resource                                                               
allocation, and  is now  made up  of regional  supervision units.                                                               
The  goal  of  these  changes  was to  better  absorb  the  PDA's                                                               
continuous and dramatic caseload increases,  and the PDA has been                                                               
successful  in these  efforts.   Additionally,  the  PDA will  be                                                               
producing  performance-measure results  to better  track resource                                                               
deployment.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:05:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG, noting  that  the  public defender  is                                                               
responsible  for testifying  before the  legislature on  proposed                                                               
legislation and  budget proposals, asked  Mr. Steiner how  he has                                                               
implemented  that  responsibility,  how  much  testimony  he  has                                                               
provided, who  presents the PDA's  budget, "how that  works," and                                                               
whether  he has  testified with  respect to  criminal law  before                                                               
this committee and other committees.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. STEINER  said his  practice has been  to review  all proposed                                                               
criminal legislation that could have  a significant impact on the                                                               
PDA; attend the  hearings on such legislation in  order to answer                                                               
questions - though  on occasion he has assigned  that latter duty                                                               
to  a deputy  director or  appellate  attorney if  he himself  is                                                               
unable to  attend; and  provide all the  testimony for  the PDA's                                                               
budget.   His work with  regard to criminal legislation  has been                                                               
challenging,  he noted,  because  the  legislative session  moves                                                               
pretty  quickly,  and  so  he   has  been  attempting  to  expand                                                               
participation  in  the review  of  and  preparation of  testimony                                                               
regarding such  legislation.   He added, "It's  my view  that ...                                                               
we're in  a good position  to discuss the impacts  of legislation                                                               
on the  agency, agency's [indisc.],  and ... criminal  justice in                                                               
general."                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:07:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG asked  Mr.  Steiner whether  he has  to                                                               
clear his budget with a department head or anybody else.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. STEINER  said the  PDA's budget requests  go directly  to the                                                               
Department of Administration (DOA), which  then passes them on to                                                               
the governor's  office.   He added that  he has  frequent contact                                                               
with the  DOA's commissioner's office, the  commissioner, and the                                                               
commissioner's staff  with regard to the  deployment of resources                                                               
and resource requests.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  asked Mr.  Steiner whether the  PDA has                                                               
to clear it's  testimony on substantive legislation  with, or get                                                               
permission from, a department head or anyone else.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR. STEINER said no.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  asked Mr.  Steiner how many  bills he's                                                               
testified  on  before  the  House  Judiciary  Standing  Committee                                                               
during this Twenty-Sixth Alaska State Legislature.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR. STEINER said he does not  have that statistic, but added that                                                               
he's typically  available via teleconference to  answer questions                                                               
"on  all the  big  pieces  of legislation."    In  response to  a                                                               
question, he offered his understanding  that when he participates                                                               
in  meetings  via  teleconference,  that   his  name  is  on  the                                                               
teleconference  witness list  the Legislative  Information Office                                                               
(LIO)  provides the  chair,  and  that it  indicates  that he  is                                                               
available for questions.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG  noted  that  he's not  seen  or  heard                                                               
testimony from  either Mr. Steiner  or his staff very  much, very                                                               
often, [during  the hearings],  and said  he is  concerned [about                                                               
this lack]  because the  committee hears a  lot of  testimony and                                                               
proposed  legislation  from  "the prosecution."    He  questioned                                                               
whether  the PDA  has proposed  any legislation  during the  last                                                               
several legislatures.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. STEINER said  he, personally, has not  submitted any criminal                                                               
legislation  to  the legislature.    He  added, "There  are  many                                                               
instances where we're  available on line and have  not been asked                                                               
questions, and  I don't know --  ... I know it's  harder that I'm                                                               
on the phone  that I'm not immediately apparent, but  I am there,                                                               
consistently,  on the  major pieces  of legislation  - myself  or                                                               
someone from our staff, available."                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  asked Mr.  Steiner whether  he believes                                                               
there  are any  pieces of  substantive legislation  that the  PDA                                                               
feels the  legislature should consider  "from a defense  point of                                                               
view."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:12:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. STEINER  said it has been  his position that the  role of the                                                               
PDA  is to  not  take  ultimate policy  positions  but rather  to                                                               
simply inform  on the impacts  of proposed legislation,  and that                                                               
if there  were some procedural  problem that needed to  be fixed,                                                               
that there wouldn't be some proposal coming from the PDA.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG pointed  out that that has  not been the                                                               
policy of "the  prosecution," and asked Mr. Steiner  why he feels                                                               
that "the defense"  should not take policy  positions even though                                                               
"the prosecution" does.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR.  STEINER  said  he  feels  primarily  that  taking  a  policy                                                               
position requires making a value  judgment about what's right and                                                               
wrong  for society,  whereas, in  contrast, he  thinks the  PDA's                                                               
mission is  limited to representing  clients who've  been charged                                                               
with  criminal  conduct.   Making  value  judgments about  what's                                                               
right or wrong in terms of  what should be criminal conduct, what                                                               
should not  be criminal conduct,  or what the penalties  for such                                                               
conduct should  be instead  lies with  the legislature  and other                                                               
elected officials.  The independent  role of the public defender,                                                               
he  opined,  requires that  he  neither  support nor  oppose  any                                                               
particular substantive  piece of  legislation, or  take direction                                                               
from  anyone to  do  so; he  has therefore  taken  a position  to                                                               
simply not support or oppose  legislation, but is happy to answer                                                               
questions regarding  his interpretation of "the  statutes and its                                                               
impacts."                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG observed that  that was not the position                                                               
taken  by Mr.  Steiner's  predecessors, who  had regularly  taken                                                               
policy positions with "a defense" point  of view.  "This is a new                                                               
position, a philosophical position,  from yourself; this does not                                                               
follow the agency's previous history," he remarked.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  STEINER  concurred  that his  predecessor  did  take  policy                                                               
positions on substantive criminal legislation.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLMES said  that  as a  lawmaker,  she finds  it                                                               
difficult to have the Department  of Law (DOL) - representing the                                                               
prosecuting side -  not only introduce legislation  but take firm                                                               
stands on  it, but to  not then also have  either the PDA  or the                                                               
Office of Public  Advocacy (OPA) presenting equal  testimony as a                                                               
counterbalance.   Legislators  are  being presented  with a  very                                                               
one-sided   advocacy   on   legislation,   and   it's   a   great                                                               
disadvantage,  she remarked,  to not  have the  benefit of  being                                                               
presented with a balanced advocacy.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:16:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG said  he is  quite concerned  about Mr.                                                               
Steiner's  answers.   He asked  Mr. Steiner  whether, in  view of                                                               
legislators'  comments,  he  would   be  willing  to  change  his                                                               
position and become more vocal  in his testimony on, and advocacy                                                               
of,  legislative  issues that  come  before  the House  Judiciary                                                               
Standing  Committee.    Representative  Gruenberg  added,  "I  am                                                               
sufficiently  concerned that  this will  affect my  vote on  your                                                               
confirmation."                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR RAMRAS expressed satisfaction with Mr. Steiner's conduct.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  STEINER  said  he  is  not likely  to  change  his  position                                                               
regarding  supporting or  opposing  substantive legislation,  and                                                               
welcomes  any  inquiries  about his  interpretation  of  proposed                                                               
legislation.  In  conclusion, he said, "I  do, personally, review                                                               
the legislation  to see  how it  will be  implemented and  how it                                                               
will be interpreted,  ... and invite any questions,  at any time,                                                               
either on  the record or  off, about  my view ...  of legislation                                                               
and  its impacts  on  the agency,  agency's  budget, the  justice                                                               
system, or clients in general."                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
^Violent Crimes Compensation Board                                                                                              
               Violent Crimes Compensation Board                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
2:18:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  RAMRAS announced  that the  committee would  next consider                                                               
the  appointment  of  Nora  G.   Barlow  to  the  Violent  Crimes                                                               
Compensation Board (VCCB).                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:18:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
NORA  G. BARLOW,  Appointee,  Violent  Crimes Compensation  Board                                                               
(VCCB), relayed  that she has  been an attorney since  1991; that                                                               
she is  seeking appointment to  her first three-year term  on the                                                               
VCCB; and that  one of the things she found  very appealing about                                                               
the  prospect of  serving on  the  VCCB was  the subject  matter,                                                               
because  she felt  that some  of her  most important  work as  an                                                               
attorney  involved working  in California  addressing CINA  cases                                                               
and conservatorship cases for those  with grave disabilities, and                                                               
one  of  the several  positions  she'd  held since  returning  to                                                               
Alaska was  that of assistant  attorney general in the  Office of                                                               
Special  Prosecutions   &  Appeals  addressing   cases  involving                                                               
victims of  sexual assault  and sexual abuse  of a  minor crimes.                                                               
She said she  feels that she has a lot  of expertise [with regard                                                               
to helping victims],  that she was looking for an  area of public                                                               
service  in which  to participate,  and  has been  told that  her                                                               
experience  dovetails nicely  with  the work  being  done by  the                                                               
VCCB.   In conclusion, she  said she feels  that she would  be an                                                               
appropriate choice [for the VCCB's attorney position].                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR RAMRAS surmised that Ms. Barlow  would be well suited for a                                                               
position on the VCCB.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:22:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES  disclosed that  she is  a neighbor  of Ms.                                                               
Barlow's, and that  they have similar elements  on their resumes.                                                               
Representative Holmes  concluded by  thanking Ms. Barlow  for her                                                               
willingness  to  serve,  and  noting   that  Ms.  Barlow  has  an                                                               
excellent  reputation and  so she  thinks Ms.  Barlow would  do a                                                               
great job.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG disclosed  that  he  knows Ms.  Barlow,                                                               
expressed favor with  her appointment, and noted  that Ms. Barlow                                                               
would be replacing LeRoy J. Barker, Esq.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR RAMRAS [although no formal  motion was made] indicated that                                                               
the  nominations of  all the  aforementioned appointees  would be                                                               
advanced from committee.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:24:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG noted that  although he would be signing                                                               
the  advancement forms,  he would  be reserving  his vote  on Mr.                                                               
Steiner.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
            HJR 42 - CONST. AM: TRANSPORTATION FUND                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:25:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR RAMRAS announced that the  final order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE  JOINT  RESOLUTION  NO. 42,  Proposing  amendments  to  the                                                               
Constitution  of the  State of  Alaska creating  a transportation                                                               
infrastructure fund.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:25:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HERRON  moved  to adopt  the  proposed  committee                                                               
substitute (CS)  for HJR 42, Version  26-LS1411/S, Kane, 2/17/10,                                                               
as  the work  draft.   There being  no objection,  Version S  was                                                               
before the committee.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:26:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY  WILSON, Alaska State  Legislature, speaking                                                               
as  chair   of  the  House  Transportation   Standing  Committee,                                                               
sponsor, explained that passage of  HJR 42 would place before the                                                               
voters a proposed change to Article  IX, Section 7, of the Alaska                                                               
State Constitution  in order  to allow for  a dedicated  fund for                                                               
capital transportation projects.  She  noted that for fiscal year                                                               
2010 (FY 10), 87 percent  of Alaska's transportation budget comes                                                               
from  the  federal  government,  and  that  the  current  federal                                                               
reauthorization bill has expired and  is only being extended on a                                                               
month-to-month  basis  until  new   federal  legislation  can  be                                                               
passed.   She relayed  that she's heard,  however, that  that new                                                               
federal reauthorization bill  is going to be  very unfavorable to                                                               
those with small  populations - like Alaska -  because it's going                                                               
to emphasize mass transit and green transportation.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  P.  WILSON  remarked that  with  federal  funding                                                               
diminishing,   Alaska  is   going  to   have  to   shoulder  more                                                               
responsibility for  its transportation infrastructure.   Although                                                               
passage  of  HJR  42's  proposed   change  to  the  Alaska  State                                                               
Constitution  might impact  the  Department  of Transportation  &                                                               
Public  Facilities (DOT&PF),  the proposed  change is  more about                                                               
meeting   all   of   Alaska's   growing   transportation   needs.                                                               
Transportation  investment  creates  a  competitive  environment,                                                               
attracting additional  economic development.  She  noted that the                                                               
House  Transportation  Standing   Committee  has  researched  the                                                               
issues surrounding Alaska's  transportation needs and challenges,                                                               
and has  received input from  interested parties from  across the                                                               
state  as well  as information  from the  National Conference  of                                                               
State Legislatures  (NCSL) regarding what other  states are doing                                                               
to  address  their  transportation  infrastructure  budget  gaps.                                                               
Furthermore,  a  House  Finance   Committee  member's  staff  has                                                               
compiled a list  of the many different  funding options available                                                               
to address  the fiscal shortfalls  resulting from  Alaska's long-                                                               
range transportation plan.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:28:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON  explained that HJR 42  is a culmination                                                               
of all  that research and  input, and, if its  proposed dedicated                                                               
fund is added to the Alaska  State Constitution by the voters, it                                                               
would  allow Alaska  more opportunity  to take  advantage of  the                                                               
cost-  and  time-savings  of  State-funded  projects  while  also                                                               
addressing  the  state's  growing   transportation  needs.    The                                                               
proposed  dedicated  fund  would  allow  Alaska's  transportation                                                               
projects  to be  completed much  faster because,  as State-funded                                                               
projects, they  wouldn't have to  follow lengthy,  expensive, and                                                               
time-consuming federal procedures;  such projects would, however,                                                               
still have to comply with  federal construction standards.  House                                                               
Joint  Resolution  42's  proposed constitutional  change  is  not                                                               
intended  to diminish  the State's  partnership with  the federal                                                               
government;  instead,  it  is intended  to  provide  a  dedicated                                                               
revenue stream  that will allow  more transportation  projects to                                                               
be completed faster and at less cost.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  P. WILSON  said  that  the resolution's  proposed                                                               
transportation  infrastructure  fund  would  grow  as  investment                                                               
returns compound.   The  goal is  to seed  the endowment  with $1                                                               
billion, and it is anticipated that  it will then grow by another                                                               
$65 million  the first year  as the result of  investment returns                                                               
and  motor fuel  tax and  registration  fees, and  by another  $5                                                               
million  to $6  million each  year  thereafter.   She noted  that                                                               
members'  packets  contain  graphs  created  by  the  Legislative                                                               
Finance  Division  illustrating  the  proposed  dedicated  fund's                                                               
balance   and   the  amounts   that   would   be  available   for                                                               
appropriations from it each year - from FY 11 through FY 30.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE P.  WILSON offered  her understanding that  in one                                                               
of  his speeches,  former Governor  Hickel indicated  support for                                                               
the  Alaska State  Constitution being  changed to  provide for  a                                                               
dedicated transportation  fund.   She remarked that  Alaska needs                                                               
to take  action now; that the  future of the economic  and social                                                               
wellbeing  of  Alaska's citizens  is  critically  dependant on  a                                                               
reliable  transportation  system;  and  that  HJR  42's  proposed                                                               
change  to   the  Alaska  State  Constitution,   allowing  for  a                                                               
dedicated transportation  fund, is needed to  create and maintain                                                               
a reliable transportation system for  Alaska.  She then explained                                                               
that under Version S,  the proposed transportation infrastructure                                                               
fund would  begin receiving revenue  from the motor fuel  tax and                                                               
registration fees after of July 1,  2011 - the beginning of FY 12                                                               
-  and appropriations  from that  fund would  be limited  to only                                                               
those capital projects for  transportation and related facilities                                                               
that are  designated by law -  in other words, those  approved by                                                               
the legislature.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:34:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG,  in  response to  comments,  mentioned                                                               
that  although  he  won't  hold the  resolution  up,  he  doesn't                                                               
support it for constitutional reasons,  and pointed out that it's                                                               
difficult  to  address  the  resolution's  constitutional  issues                                                               
separate  from  its  fiscal issues  because  the  prohibition  on                                                               
dedicated funds outlined in Article  IX, Section 7, of the Alaska                                                               
State  Constitution  is  based  on the  fiscal  policy  that  the                                                               
framers imbedded in the Alaska  State Constitution.  His feeling,                                                               
he relayed,  is summarized  in a handout  he's provided  from the                                                               
publication,  Alaska's Constitution;  A  Citizen's  Guide, as  it                                                             
pertained to Article IX, Section 7.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HERRON asked  whether  HJR 42  would prevent  the                                                               
governor from suspending Alaska's motor fuel tax.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE P.  WILSON offered her  belief that it  would not;                                                               
instead, the proposed dedicated  transportation fund would simply                                                               
grow more slowly when it wasn't receiving revenue from that tax.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLMES said  she doesn't  see any  constitutional                                                               
problems  with   HJR  42,  expressed   favor  with   Version  S's                                                               
stipulation that appropriations from  the proposed dedicated fund                                                               
could  only  be  for  capital  projects  for  transportation  and                                                               
related  facilities that  are designated  by law,  but questioned                                                               
whether the  legislature could appropriate  monies from  the fund                                                               
for  transportation  infrastructure maintenance  and  operational                                                               
costs.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  P.  WILSON indicated  that  the  language of  the                                                               
proposed  constitutional change  might be  broad enough  to allow                                                               
for  that, though  not  for  the normal  operating  costs of  the                                                               
DOT&PF.   In  response to  another question,  she indicated  that                                                               
several organizations  have expressed favor  with HJR 42  and its                                                               
proposed  dedicated  transportation   infrastructure  fund.    In                                                               
response   to   other   questions,   she   explained   that   any                                                               
appropriations from the proposed  dedicated fund would be limited                                                               
to State-funded transportation projects.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:43:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BECKY ROONEY,  Staff, Representative  Peggy Wilson,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, in response to questions  and comments, explained on                                                               
behalf  of   the  sponsor,  the  House   Transportation  Standing                                                               
Committee,  which is  chaired by  Representative P.  Wilson, that                                                               
HJR 42 doesn't  address any of the other  suggestions outlined in                                                               
the handout  titled "Alaska  Transportation Finance  Study; Final                                                               
Report", and would not be instituting any new taxes.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   P.    WILSON   again   relayed    that   several                                                               
organizations have expressed  favor with HJR 42  and its proposed                                                               
dedicated transportation  infrastructure fund, and  surmised that                                                               
it's because they know that  Alaska's economic development cannot                                                               
happen without an adequate transportation infrastructure.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HERRON questioned  whether  anyone has  expressed                                                               
opposition to HJR 42.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  P.  WILSON  said  no.   In  response  to  another                                                               
question, she acknowledged  that because the language  on page 2,                                                               
lines 3-5,  says, "Each year,  the legislature may  appropriate a                                                               
percentage  of   the  average  market   value  of  the   fund  as                                                               
established by  law for capital  projects for  transportation and                                                               
related  facilities  that  are  designated  by  law",  that  that                                                               
percentage, once  it's established in  statute, could be  as high                                                               
as 50  percent.   However, she pointed  out, language  in another                                                               
piece of  legislation pertaining to this  proposed constitutional                                                               
dedicated fund  currently stipulates that  it would be  6 percent                                                               
of a five-year average.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG surmised,  then,  that the  legislature                                                               
could pass  legislation in  the future allowing  it to  empty out                                                               
this proposed dedicated fund if it felt it needed to.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   P.   WILSON   acknowledged  that   that   is   a                                                               
possibility.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   GRUENBERG   -   with    regard   to   the   term                                                               
"transportation infrastructure  fund" - questioned  whether under                                                               
the proposed  constitutional change, some  of the monies  in that                                                               
fund  could be  appropriated to  "a specialized  type of  revenue                                                               
sharing that's used only for municipal roads."                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  P.  WILSON  acknowledged  that that,  too,  is  a                                                               
possibility.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:50:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
FRANK  RICHARDS,   Deputy  Commissioner  of  Highways   &  Public                                                               
Facilities,   Office   of   the   Commissioner,   Department   of                                                               
Transportation  & Public  Facilities (DOT&PF),  in response  to a                                                               
question, indicated that the DOT&PF has no position on HJR 42.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG questioned  whether  HJR 42's  proposed                                                               
change to the  Alaska State Constitution really  does provide for                                                               
a true dedicated fund.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:53:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRIAN  KANE,  Attorney,  Legislative Legal  Counsel,  Legislative                                                               
Legal and  Research Services,  Legislative Affairs  Agency (LAA),                                                               
speaking  as  the drafter,  offered  that  it  does in  that  the                                                               
proposed constitutional  change provides  that all of  the monies                                                               
from  the fees  listed therein  and  the State's  motor fuel  tax                                                               
would  go into  the proposed  transportation infrastructure  fund                                                               
and could then only be spent on a limited number of projects.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  P. WILSON  added  that the  funds  that could  be                                                               
appropriated under HJR 42 in any given year would be limited.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:55:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHIE  WASSERMAN, Executive  Director,  Alaska Municipal  League                                                               
(AML),  noted  that  the aforementioned  handout  titled  "Alaska                                                               
Transportation Finance Study; Final  Report" was prepared for the                                                               
AML and illustrates  that among other things, the  State needs to                                                               
identify some way to fill the  financial gap that will be left as                                                               
a result  of the  anticipated decrease in  federal funding.   She                                                               
indicated  that  the  AML  would  be happy  to  support  HJR  42,                                                               
surmising that  other interested organizations would  be as well.                                                               
In conclusion,  she relayed that  the AML  is in full  support of                                                               
HJR 42.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO  surmised that the monies  from the proposed                                                               
dedicated fund could be appropriated for Alaska's railroads.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG, referring  to the  sponsor's statement                                                               
that the  goal is  to seed  the proposed  dedicated fund  with $1                                                               
billion and add Alaska's motor  fuel tax and registration fees to                                                               
it, questioned  whether taking  that much in  GF funding  off the                                                               
table initially is supported by  the AML, given that taking those                                                               
funds off the table could  affect such things as revenue sharing,                                                               
education funding, and  other things for which  funding is needed                                                               
now.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. WASSERMAN  relayed that the AML  is aware that there  will be                                                               
some tradeoffs with  HJR 42's approach, but is still  in favor of                                                               
it.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG  asked  Ms. Wasserman  what  she  would                                                               
propose in order  to address any [initial]  budget shortfall that                                                               
results from so seeding the proposed dedicated fund.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS.  WASSERMAN  relayed  that  she   is  unable  to  answer  that                                                               
question.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:59:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG opined  that before HJR 42  is passed by                                                               
the  legislature, it  will be  essential for  the legislature  to                                                               
know  how local  governments intend  to  make up  for any  budget                                                               
shortfall  that could  result  from  the proposed  constitutional                                                               
change.   He  said he  could  envision that  ratification of  the                                                               
proposed  constitutional change  by  the voters  could result  in                                                               
there being  less money  for the capital  budget, less  money for                                                               
municipal revenue sharing, and less  money for education funding,                                                               
particularly because $1 billion is  a lot of money.  Furthermore,                                                               
he   predicted,   the  proposed   constitutional   transportation                                                               
infrastructure fund  could be  just the  first of  many dedicated                                                               
funds to be proposed.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GATTO said,  "You  might consider  that we  could                                                               
bond for infrastructure, and use  the dedicated fuel tax funds to                                                               
pay the bonds?"                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. WASSERMAN  acknowledged that the legislature  could take such                                                               
an approach.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG offered his belief that there are                                                                      
various other ways of paying for the state's transportation                                                                     
needs besides adopting HJR 42.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR RAMRAS, after ascertaining that no one else wished to                                                                     
testify, closed public testimony on HJR 42.  In response to                                                                     
comments, he relayed that HJR 42 [Version S] would be held over.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:04:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business before the committee, the House                                                                 
Judiciary Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:04 p.m.                                                                 

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
01 HJR42 Sponsor Stmt.pdf HJUD 2/17/2010 1:00:00 PM
02 HJR42 Bill v.E.pdf HJUD 2/17/2010 1:00:00 PM
03 HJR42-OOG-DOE-2-9-10.pdf HJUD 2/17/2010 1:00:00 PM
04 HJR42 Support - fund values with taxes.pdf HJUD 2/17/2010 1:00:00 PM
05 HJR42 Support - Graph.pdf HJUD 2/17/2010 1:00:00 PM
06 HJR42 Exec Summary AK Trans Finance Study.pdf HJUD 2/17/2010 1:00:00 PM
07 HJR42 CS v. S.pdf HJUD 2/17/2010 1:00:00 PM