01/03/2008 01:30 PM House LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

                                         JANUARY 3, 2008                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
1.      ROLL CALL                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
The  Legislative Council  meeting   was called  to order at 1:30 p.m.  by Senator  John  Cowdery,                               
                                                             nd                                                                 
Chairman,   Legislative Council,  in the  Anchorage   LIO,  2   Floor  Conference   Room   and  via                             
teleconference.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The  roll was taken.  In attendance were Council  members:    Cowdery,  Elton (via teleconference),                             
Hoffman   (via teleconference), Stevens (via teleconference), Wilken  (via teleconference), Coghill                             
(via  teleconference),  Samuels,   Stoltze, Wilson   (via  teleconference),  and  Guttenberg   (via                             
teleconference). Absent   members   were  Davis,  Green,  Dahlstrom,   and  Harris.  Staff present:                             
Varni,  Schofield, Ibesate, Chenoweth,    Makinster,  and  Lesh.   Also  present  was  Jim  Fosler,                             
Attorney.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2.      AMICUS BRIEF                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stevens  moved   that Legislative Council go into Executive  Session per Uniform  Rule  22.                             
Open  and  Executive  Session  (b)(3) discussion of a matter  that may, by  law, be required  to be                             
confidential.  He  asked  that Jim Fosler,  Legislative Council  Attorney;  Pam  Varni,  Executive                              
Director  of the Legislative  Affairs Agency;   and  Ryan   Makinster,  Legislative Council  Staff,                             
remain in the room.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Legislative Council went into Executive Session.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Legislative Council came out of Executive Session.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson dropped off the teleconference.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stevens  moved   that Legislative Council retain legal counsel, at the Chair's discretion, to                           
draft and  file an amicus  curiae brief in support  of the respondents  in Exxon   Shipping  Co. v.                             
Baker, case S. Ct. No. 07-219  pending  certiorari review before the United State Supreme  Court. I                             
further move   that the named   party on the  brief be the "Legislative  Council  on behalf  of the                             
Alaska  State Legislature"  and any  former  Governors   who  wish  to sign the brief and  who  are                             
deemed by counsel to increase the persuasiveness of the brief.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
YEAS:          Cowdery, Elton, Hoffman, Stevens, Wilken, Coghill, Samuels, Stoltze, Guttenberg                                  
                                                                                                                                
NAYS:          None                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
ABSENT:        Davis, Green, Dahlstrom, Harris, Wilson                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
The motion passed 9-0.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 2:25 p.m.