Legislature(2001 - 2002)
01/08/2001 01:10 PM Senate CCM
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES
January 8, 2001
1:10 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Rick Halford, Chair
Senator Drue Pearce
Senator Pete Kelly
Senator Jerry Ward
Senator Johnny Ellis
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Committee on Committees Report
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
None
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 01-1, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN RICK HALFORD called the Senate Committee on Committees
meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. Present were Senators Pearce, Kelly,
Ward, Ellis and Chairman Halford.
CHAIRMAN HALFORD announced that the Committee's proposed report was
distributed to committee members. The report follows proportional
representation according to the Uniform Rules. The Senate Finance
Committee membership will consist of nine members, as it did during
the last legislature. Neither Minority nor Majority members
received everything they wanted. He asked for a motion to first
adopt the Committee on Committees Report and to discuss proposed
amendments afterward.
SENATOR WARD moved to adopt the Committee on Committees Report.
SENATOR ELLIS objected and stated he has a proposed amendment.
CHAIRMAN HALFORD asked that the report be adopted first so that the
Committee has a document to work from.
SENATOR ELLIS maintained his objection to the adoption of the draft
report. The motion carried with Senators Kelly, Pearce, Ward and
Halford voting "yea," and Senator Ellis voting "nay."
SENATOR ELLIS moved to substitute the name of Senator Kim Elton for
Senator Donny Olson as a member of the Senate Finance Committee.
SENATOR WARD objected.
SENATOR ELLIS noted that Senator Elton is an experienced and
outstanding Senator from Southeast Alaska. He was selected
unanimously by the Senate Democrats to serve on the Senate Finance
Committee. The Majority will control that committee with votes to
spare, therefore the Minority decided that Senator Elton would best
serve the interests of the state in representing the Minority
viewpoint. The Minority is very concerned about its selection
being rejected. If the roles were reversed, the Democrats would
not presume to tell the Republicans who to put on each committee.
He noted this is the kind of action that does not bode well for
setting a positive tone for this Legislature.
CHAIRMAN HALFORD stated that the Majority's recommendation was not
a personal slight to Senator Elton and that the Capital is well
represented because all legislators are here. He noted the fact is
that most of the dollars spent come from Senator Olson's district.
He could not recall in his 18 years with the Legislature any time
when the Majority accepted the Minority's suggestions about the
Finance Committee membership, although it may have happened.
Before the proportional rule went into effect, minority members
were seldom given seats on the Finance Committee. There is no rule
or tradition about accepting all of the committee appointments of
the Minority members.
SENATOR WARD said he contacted Senator Olson the day after the
election and asked him to try to get a seat on the Finance
Committee because throughout his campaign he heard many comments
about urban/rural conflicts. He felt it would be helpful to have
three Alaska Natives on the Senate Finance Committee: himself,
Senator Hoffman, and Senator Olson. Senator Ward said he believes
he is partially responsible for Senator Olson's efforts to strive
to work on the perceived and real urban and rural differences. For
that reason, he maintained his objection to changing the Minority
membership on the Senate Finance Committee.
SENATOR ELLIS responded that his motion, on behalf of the Minority,
is supported by Senator Olson. It was not Senator Olson's idea to
change the recommendation of the Minority. The Minority believes
that Senator Olson is an outstanding Senator but it also feels that
Senator Elton is an experienced legislator and would do a better
job on the Senate Finance Committee until Senator Olson gains more
experience with the budget process. He noted he will work with
Senator Ward to do a better job for rural Alaska.
CHAIRMAN HALFORD announced that a motion to substitute Senator
Elton for Senator Olson on the Senate Finance Committee was before
the Committee.
SENATOR ELLIS called for the question. The motion failed with
Senators Ward, Pearce, Kelly and Halford voting "nay," and Senator
Ellis voting "yea."
SENATOR ELLIS said that since the amendment did not pass, he is
unable to support the Committee on Committees Report and objects to
passing it out of committee.
SENATOR KELLY moved to pass the Committee on Committees Report to
the Senate floor for a vote. He asked how Senators will address
amendments to the current report during the next week if scheduling
conflicts arise.
CHAIRMAN HALFORD explained the Committee would meet again. He
announced that the motion before the Committee was to send the
report to the Senate floor. The motion carried with Senators
Kelly, Pearce, Ward and Halford voting "yea," and Senator Ellis
voting "nay."
There being no further business to come before the Committee on
Committees, CHAIRMAN HALFORD adjourned the meeting at 1:19 p.m.
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