05/10/1993 09:30 AM House RLS

                                                                               
                      HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE                                    
                          May 10, 1993                                         
                            9:30 a.m.                                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
  MEMBERS PRESENT                                                              
                                                                               
  Representative Carl E. Moses, Chairman                                       
  Representative Jerry Sanders, Vice Chairman                                  
  Representative Ramona Barnes                                                 
  Representative Fran Ulmer                                                    
  Representative Pat Carney                                                    
  Representative Gail Phillips                                                 
                                                                               
  MEMBERS ABSENT                                                               
                                                                               
  Representative Mark Hanley                                                   
                                                                               
  COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                           
                                                                               
  Purchase of House telephones                                                 
                                                                               
  WITNESS REGISTER                                                             
                                                                               
  Pam Stoops, Director                                                         
  Division of Administrative Services                                          
  Legislative Affairs Agency                                                   
  Goldstein Building, Room 313                                                 
  Juneau, Alaska  99801-2197                                                   
  Phone:  465-3850                                                             
  POSITION STATEMENT: Purchase 75% of House phones before June                 
                      1, 1993                                                  
                                                                               
  ACTION NARRATIVE                                                             
                                                                               
  TAPE 93-8, SIDE A                                                            
  Number 000                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MOSES called the meeting to order at 9:32 a.m.,                     
  noted members in attendance, and informed the committee that                 
  the House of Representatives' phone system lease/purchase                    
  option was the only item on the agenda and Pam Stoops of                     
  Legislative Affairs could explain.                                           
                                                                               
  Number 015                                                                   
                                                                               
  PAM STOOPS, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,                   
  LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AGENCY, explained that in order to save                  
  future operating costs and since the funds were available                    
  now, she recommended the purchase of 75% of the phone system                 
  this year.  Senate Rules had also authorized a 75% purchase                  
  for Senate phones, she said.  There will be a savings of 8%                  
  on the purchase, if the Division of Information Services is                  
  notified of the desire to purchase before June 1, 1993, she                  
  declared.  The figure of 75% was chosen to allow some                        
  flexibility for future years, when there may be less House                   
  staff or less agency employees, she advised.                                 
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE FRAN ULMER asked if the technology will be                    
  obsolete in two to three years, which would not make                         
  purchase of the phones a wise decision, or if the phones                     
  would be useful for many years.                                              
                                                                               
  MS. STOOPS advised the committee that the new phone system                   
  was an $8.5 million project that the Department of                           
  Administration coordinated.  It is the latest technology and                 
  can be upgraded.  This system should not be outdated for up                  
  to 15 years, she believed.                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MOSES asked if upgrades would be free or charged to                 
  the state.                                                                   
                                                                               
  MS. STOOPS was not aware of any charges with upgrades.  The                  
  only charges she was aware of are the phone line charges of                  
  $200 per year.  With the new system, lines can be vacationed                 
  during the interim and rotary lines are free, so other lines                 
  can be disconnected, which is a tremendous savings for the                   
  state communications expenses, she added.                                    
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MOSES asked if there were further questions.                        
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE PAT CARNEY MOVED to purchase 75% of the phone                 
  system for the House of Representatives.                                     
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MOSES asked if there were objections; hearing none,                 
  he SO ORDERED.                                                               
                                                                               
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MOSES asked if there were further comments.                         
  Hearing none, he adjourned the meeting at 9:38 a.m.