Legislature(1995 - 1996)
03/30/1995 09:15 AM Senate FIN
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
MINUTES
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
March 30, 1995
9:15 a.m.
TAPES
SFC-95, #24, Side 2 (576-end)
SFC-95, #26, Side 1 (000-010)
CALL TO ORDER
Senator Rick Halford, Co-chair, convened the meeting at
approximately 9:15 a.m.
PRESENT
Co-chair Halford and Senators Donley, Rieger, Sharp and
Zharoff were present. Co-chair Frank and Senator Phillips
arrived shortly after the meeting began.
Also Attending: Sheila Peterson, Special Assistant, Dept. of
Education; Juanita Hensley, Chief, Dept. of Public Safety;
and Joe Ambrose, Legislative Aide to Senator Taylor.
SUMMARY
SB 80 MUNICIPAL POLICE SERVICES
Senator Rieger gave testimony to Amendment #2.
Amendment #2
was ADOPTED. CSSB 80 (FIN) was REPORTED OUT of
committee
with "other recommendations" and a zero fiscal note by
the
Dept. of Public Safety (Troopers).
SB 88 PILOT PROGRAM FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS
Sheila Peterson, testified in support of SB 88.
Amendment
OUT of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and
$2.0 fiscal
note from the Dept. of Education.
SB 6 LICENSING/REGISTRATION SUSPENSION/DENIAL
Joe Ambrose and Juanita Hensley spoke to SB 6. ADOPTED
working draft 9LS0091/F and REPORTED OUT CSSB6
(FIN) with
"other recommendations" and the following fiscal notes:
Dept. of Public Safety (Troopers) -0-; Alaska Court
System
$7.2; Dept. of Public Safety (Dept. of Motor Vehicles)
$114.6; and Corrections $38.0.
SENATE BILL NO. 80
"An Act relating to police protection service areas in
unified municipalities; and to police protection
provided by the state in certain municipal areas."
Senator Rieger brought forward Amendment #2, which pertains
to the unified municipalities, with an excess of 50,000
residents. Senator Donley stated that he supported the fact
that it was not discriminatory dependent on the size of the
community. He felt it equalized the inequity. Senator
Rieger stated that it is a valid point. Much of what Senator
Donley expressed was discussed with the unified municipality
qualification. Senator Rieger MOVED to adopt Amendment #2.
No further objection having been raised, Amendment #2 was
ADOPTED.
The amendment will be adopted into a Finance Committee
Substitute.
Co-chair Halford questioned if an area that already is a
police service area, within a municipality, could contract
with the state troopers. Senator Rieger responded that an
area such as that does not have the authority to detach from
another service that they are using. The bill does not
address issues of detachment. Senator Rieger MOVED for
passage of CSSB 80(FIN) with individual recommendations. No
objection having been raised, CSSB 80(FIN) was REPORTED OUT
of committee with individual recommendations and a zero
fiscal note from the Dept. of Public Safety, Troopers. Co-
chair Frank and Senator Rieger recommended "do pass".
Senators Phillips, Donley, Zharoff, and Sharp signed "other
recommendations".
SENATE BILL NO. 88
"An Act establishing a pilot program for charter
schools; and providing for an effective date."
Senator Sharp stated that the issue of charter schools was
discussed during the last two years. Last year, SB 61
pertained to charter schools, which in all aspects was an
omnibus education bill. The issues within the bill were
controversial and diverse. SB 88 is a single issue bill on
charter schools. The goal and tone is to set as few
limitations as possible in setting up and operating charter
schools. It will allow school districts, teachers and
parents the space to be creative. It allows the charter
schools to use existing school facilities, new facilities
and/or the option of leasing other buildings within the
community that meets code requirements for schools. A
geographical allocation has been done to assure fairness
statewide for this pilot proposal. All charter school
proposals will be submitted to the local school board for
consideration. Upon approval, the proposal will be
forwarded to the Commissioner, Department of Education, for
review and compliance to state law. All staffing of charter
schools must be done on a volunteer basis, with the
principal or administrator having the right of final
approval of all staff selection. By challenging students to
achieve their highest capabilities, providing opportunities
for the teachers to be challenged, and encouraging parent
involvement, Senator Sharp recommends charter schools as
leading the way to a more effective education. This bill
would be sunset in l0 years. He urged the members to look
favorably to this legislation.
Senator Sharp MOVED to pass Amendment #1. With no objection
being heard Amendment #1 was ADOPTED.
Sheila Peterson, Special Assistant to the Department of
Education stated that the Board of Education did vote in
support of SB 88. The State Board and Dept of Education
supports both Amendments #1 and #2.
Senator Sharp MOVED to pass Amendment #2. With no objection
being heard Amendment #2 was ADOPTED.
Ms. Peterson stated that the maximum number of charter
schools running at any one time is 40. She stated that the
bill has the charter school in operation for 5 years. The
applications will come in over time as each school district
examines the legislation, and considers the alternatives.
Independently, school districts will be setting up their
proposals at different times. The State Board will be
receiving the proposals as separate entities, and will make
a determination based on the educationally sound proposal
that is given. She emphasized that SB 88 does set up
guidelines for geographical differences statewide so that
any one area of the state will not have an advantage over
another area within the state.
Senator Sharp MOVED CSSB 88 (FIN) out of committee with
individual recommendations, and an accompanying fiscal note
of $2.0 for the Department of Education. No objection
having been raised CSSB 88 (FIN) was REPORTED OUT of
committee. Co-chairs Halford and Frank and Senators Rieger,
Phillips, and Sharp recommended "do pass". Senators Zharoff
and Donley signed "other recommendations".
SENATE BILL NO. 6
"An Act relating to registration of a motor vehicle and
suspension of a driver's license for failure to appear
in court or failure to pay a fine."
Joe Ambrose, Legislative Aid to Senator Taylor, in
responding to the wishes of the committee, spoke to the
current work draft CSSB 6, draft number #L0091/F, with a
fiscal note of $38.0 from the Dept. of Corrections. The
work draft changes the title, and includes additional
language.
Senator Donley stated that the costs of $25 for court, and
$10 for collection seems low compared to actual costs.
Senator Phillips asked that the bill be redefined since
there have been several changes. Mr. Ambrose briefly covered
each section of the bill and explained the changes made. He
pointed out that in Section 1, there is intent language that
says, "It is the intent of the legislature that after a
person has made a required court appearance or paid a fine
required by the court, that any driver's license suspension
imposed by the court be terminated as quickly as possible."
Discussion revolved around the Anchorage Parking Authority
and the practice of issuing citations for parking
violations. The APA cites under municipal ordinance for
failing to follow state law. The APA fine is $75 and
follows a different procedure. Senator Donley suggested that
the middle ground to solving this procedure is to regulate
the fine imposed by the APA to 50%, or some percentage, of
the state fine. Senator Phillips said the state issues the
license plates and registration, so therefore it should be a
state responsibility to enforce those laws. The APA
enforces the parking in Anchorage. They want to expand
their authority to include other non-moving violations. The
question is, does the legislature give them that authority?
Co-chair Halford said, they have that authority now.
Senator Donley supports the portion of the bill that says
the municipality must use the same appeals process that the
state uses. He cited the difference between being cited by
the state and the municipality.
Co-chair Halford invited Juanita Hensley, Dept. of Motor
Vehicles. She stated that the Anchorage Parking Authority
(APA) by issuing the citation has a compliance standard,
higher than in other areas of the state. Mr. Ambrose read a
letter from the Mayor of Anchorage, dated March 24th, "By
not allowing parking code enforcement officers to cite
registration on parked vehicles, the bill would put us in
the position of either not enforcing the 35,000 registration
violations we currently cite per year, or having the police
department provide that enforcement. Senator Sharp stated
that the complaints are coming from people who not only did
register their vehicles, but mistakingly placed the sticker
in the wrong place or on the wrong plate, and therefore
obtained a fine. Ms. Hensley stated that in 1987, this
legislature passed a law that allowed a municipality to set
their own fines, and to collect those fines for revenue for
that municipality.
Currently, the cities of Fairbanks, Anchorage, Juneau, Sitka
and Ketchikan, write their own traffic citations under their
own city ordinances. The state does not see the money from
the fines. If they contest the citation, it goes to court,
and the court keeps a portion of it and remits the remaining
to the city.
Senator Phillips MOVED to adopt CSSB 6(FIN), version
L0091\F. No objection having been heard, it was ADOPTED.
Senator Rieger answered Senator Zharoff's question stating
that AS 43 23 065 is the statute which exempts a portion of
the permanent fund dividend from attachment, except for
specific exemptions.
Senator Rieger MOVED for passage of CSSB 6 (FIN) with
individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes.
No objection having been heard CSSB 6 (FIN) was REPORTED OUT
of committee with the following fiscal notes: Dept. of
Public Safety, Troopers, zero; Alaska Court System, $7.2;
Dept. of Public Safety, Dept. of Motor Vehicles, $114.6; and
Dept. of Corrections $38.0. Co-chair Frank and Senators
Phillips and Donley recommended "do pass". Co-chair Halford
and Senators Rieger, Zharoff, and Sharp signed "other
recommendations".
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:00 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|