Legislature(2025 - 2026)SENATE FINANCE 532

03/31/2025 05:15 PM House LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

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Audio Topic
05:17:26 PM Start
07:17:08 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Please Note Location Change --
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+ I. Approval of the Agenda TELECONFERENCED
+ II. Approval of Minutes TELECONFERENCED
a. March 12, 2025, Minutes
+ III. Sanctioning of Charitable Events TELECONFERENCED
a. Legislative Skits—April 26, 2025
IV. Executive Session
a. Security Update
b. RFQ 667 Alaska State Capitol Security
Screeners
+ V. Committee Business TELECONFERENCED
a. Capitol Visitor Screening Policy
b. Identification Badge Policy
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                   ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                   
                     LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
                        MARCH 31, 2025                                                                                        
                           5:15 PM                                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
   MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                            
   Representative Sara Hannan, Chair                                                                                          
   Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair                                                                                           
   Representative Ashley Carrick                                                                                              
   Representative Bryce Edgmon                                                                                                
   Representative Chuck Kopp                                                                                                  
   Representative Mike Prax                                                                                                   
   Representative Calvin Schrage                                                                                              
   Representative Louise Stutes                                                                                               
   Senator Matt Claman                                                                                                        
   Senator Cathy Giessel                                                                                                      
   Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson                                                                                                  
   Senator Lyman Hoffman                                                                                                      
   Senator Jesse Kiehl                                                                                                        
   Senator Bert Stedman                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
   MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                             
   Representative Donna Mears (alternate)                                                                                     
   Senator Löki Tobin(alternate)                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
   OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                      
   Representative Robyn Niayuq Burke                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
   AGENDA                                                                                                                     
   APPROVAL OF AGENDA                                                                                                         
   APPROVAL OF MINUTES                                                                                                        
   SANCTIONING OF CHARITABLE EVENTS                                                                                           
   EXECUTIVE SESSION                                                                                                          
   COMMITTEE BUSINESS                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
   SPEAKER REGISTER                                                                                                           
   JC Kestel, Procurement Officer, Legislative Affairs Agency                                                                 
   (LAA)                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
   I. CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
   5:17:26 PM                                                                                                               
   CHAIR HANNAN called  the Legislative Council  meeting to  order                                                            
   at 5:17pm on  Wednesday, March  31, 2025, in  Room 532 (Senate                                                             
   Finance) of  the  State  Capitol.  Present  at  the  call were                                                             
   Representatives  Carrick,   Edgmon,  Kopp,   Schrage,  Stutes,                                                             
   Hannan;  Senators  Claman,   Giessel,  Gray-Jackson,  Hoffman,                                                             
   Kiehl, Stedman, Stevens.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
   Thirteen members present.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
   Representative Prax joined  the meeting  via teleconference  at                                                            
   5:35pm.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
   II. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
   5:18:39 PM                                                                                                               
   VICE CHAIR  STEVENS  moved and  asked  unanimous  consent that                                                             
   Legislative Council approve the agenda as presented.                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
   The motion passed without objection.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
   III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES                                                                                                 
        a. March 12, 2025, Minutes                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
   5:18:56 PM                                                                                                               
   VICE CHAIR  STEVENS  moved and  asked  unanimous  consent that                                                             
   Legislative Council approve the  minutes dated March 12, 2025,                                                             
   as presented.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
   The minutes were approved without objection.                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
   IV. SANCTIONING OF CHARITABLE EVENTS                                                                                     
        a. Legislative SkitsApril 26, 2025                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
   5:19:15 PM                                                                                                               
   VICE CHAIR  STEVENS  moved and  asked  unanimous  consent that                                                             
   Legislative Council  ratify  the  Chair's  sanctioning  of the                                                             
   following charitable event per AS 24.60.080(a)(2)(B):                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
   1. Legislative SkitsApril 26, 2025                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
   CHAIR HANNAN objected for the purpose of discussion and stated                                                             
   the 501(c)(3) status of the beneficiaries of Legislative Skits                                                             
   has been  verified.  These  beneficiaries  are  Juneau's AWARE                                                             
   shelter and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
   There was no  discussion. Chair Hannan  removed her objection,                                                             
   and the sanctioning of the charitable event was ratified.                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
   V. EXECUTIVE SESSION                                                                                                     
        a. Security Update                                                                                                  
      b. RFQ 667 Alaska State Capitol Security Screeners                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
   CHAIR HANNAN  stated that  Legislative  Council would  go  into                                                            
   Executive Session for a security briefing and consideration  of                                                            
   a Request for Quotation for Capitol screening personnel.                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
   5:20:28 PM                                                                                                               
   VICE CHAIR STEVENS moved that  the Legislative Council go into                                                             
   Executive Session under  Uniform Rule  22(b)(1), discussion  of                                                            
   matters, the  immediate  knowledge  of  which  would adversely                                                             
   affect  the  finances  of  a  government  unit  and  22(b)(3),                                                             
   discussion of a  matter that  may, by  law, be  required to be                                                             
   confidential. The following  people may remain  in the room  or                                                            
   on-line for the executive session:  Jessica Geary, Santé Lesh,                                                             
   Tim Powers,  JC Kestel,  Ernest  Daigle, Michael  Mills, Megan                                                             
   Wallace, Emily Nauman,  Andrew Dunmire,  Micaela Bradner, Matt                                                             
   Simpson, any legislators  not on Legislative  Council, and  any                                                            
   staff of Legislative Council members.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
   5:21:18 PM                                                                                                               
   Council went into Executive Session.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
   7:04:43 PM                                                                                                               
   Council came out of Executive Session.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
   Roll was taken to establish a quorum. Present at the call  were                                                            
   Representatives  Carrick,   Edgmon,  Kopp,   Schrage,  Stutes,                                                             
   Hannan;  Senators   Claman,   Giessel,   Gray-Jackson,  Kiehl,                                                             
   Stedman, Stevens.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
   Twelve members present.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
   7:05:55 PM                                                                                                               
   VICE CHAIR STEVENS moved that  Legislative Council approve the                                                             
   award of RFQ 667 for  security screening services to Universal                                                             
   Protection Service, LP, in an amount not to exceed $35,000.00.                                                             
                                                                                                                              
   CHAIR HANNAN objected for the  purpose of discussion and asked                                                             
   Procurement Officer JC Kestel to speak to this item.                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
   JC KESTEL,  Procurement  Officer,  Legislative  Affairs Agency                                                             
   (LAA), said the Agency  issued RFQ 667    Alaska State Capitol                                                             
   Security Screeners to solicit  bids from qualified contractors                                                             
   to provide  screening   services  at  the Capitol   during  the                                                            
   legislative session.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
   The RFQ  was published  on the  State's online  public notices                                                             
   site and emailed  to several  known contractors  in the state.                                                             
   There was a total of five bids received, the lowest bid coming                                                             
   from  Universal  Protection   Services,  LP.   All  bids  were                                                             
   evaluated,  Universal   Protection  Services,   LP's  bid  was                                                             
   evaluated to make sure it met all the requirements of the RFQ.                                                             
                                                                                                                              
   CHAIR HANNAN, noting there were  no further questions, removed                                                             
   her objection and asked for a roll call vote.                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
   Due  to  technical  difficulties  related  to  the  member   on                                                            
   teleconference, after a  brief at-ease the  original roll  call                                                            
   vote was voided and a second roll call vote was taken.                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
   7:10:47 PM                                                                                                               
   YEAS:  Representatives   Edgmon,   Schrage,   Stutes,  Hannan;                                                             
   Senators Claman, Giessel, Gray-Jackson, Stevens                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
   NAYS: Representatives  Carrick,  Kopp,  Prax;  Senators Kiehl,                                                             
   Stedman                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
   The motion passed 8-5.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
   VI.  Committee Business                                                                                                    
        a. Capitol Visitor Screening Policy                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
   7:12:03 PM                                                                                                               
   VICE CHAIR STEVENS  moved that  Legislative  Council adopt the                                                             
   Alaska State  Capitol Visitor  Screening Policy  as presented,                                                             
   effective immediately and implemented as soon as feasible,  and                                                            
   authorize the Legislative Affairs Agency to make any necessary                                                             
   technical and conforming changes.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
   7:12:28 PM                                                                                                               
   VICE CHAIR STEVENS then moved  to amend the policy by removing                                                             
   all references to  ID badges in the  Capitol Visitor Screening                                                             
   Policy; and adding language that a visitor shall be defined  as                                                            
   a person who enters the Capitol through the front door and  who                                                            
   does not have electronic access to the building.                                                                           
                                                                                                                              
   CHAIR HANNAN  asked  if  anyone objected  to  the  adoption  of                                                            
   amendment number one to the policy.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
   The amendment was adopted without objection.                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
   7:13:05 PM                                                                                                               
   SENATOR KIEHL moved to  delete the word  "lounge" in the first                                                             
   bullet point under item seven on page two.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
   The second amendment was adopted without objection.                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
   With no  further amendments  or  discussion, the  members  were                                                            
   brought to the  main motion,  adoption of  the Capitol Visitor                                                             
   Screening Policy as amended.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
   A roll call vote was taken.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
   7:14:09 PM                                                                                                               
   YEAS:  Representatives   Edgmon,   Schrage,   Stutes,  Hannan;                                                             
   Senators Claman, Giessel, Gray-Jackson, Stedman, Stevens                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
   NAYS: Representatives Carrick, Kopp, Prax; Senator Kiehl                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
   The motion passed 9-4.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
        b.   Identification Badge Policy                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
   CHAIR HANNAN  noted  that the  agenda item  concerning  the  ID                                                            
   Badge Policy would not be taken up at this meeting.                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
   VII. ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
   CHAIR HANNAN  informed  the  committee that  a  new  state pin                                                             
   depicting  a  salmon  has  been  added  to the  collection   at                                                            
   Legislative Affairs  Agency. The  pin was  commissioned during                                                             
   Senator Gray-Jackson's term  as Legislative  Council Chair and                                                             
   is available for offices to request.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
   SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON  clarified  that  although  the  pin was                                                             
   commissioned  during  her  tenure,  the  credit  for  the idea                                                             
   belongs  to  Senator  Dunbar,   who  had  been  persistent   in                                                            
   following up on its progress.  She expressed her excitement  to                                                            
   share the final product with him.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
   There being  no  further business  before  the  committee,  the                                                            
   Legislative Council meeting was adjourned at 7:17pm.                                                                       
   7:17:08 PM