Legislature(2019 - 2020)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/29/2019 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SJR 6 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE
March 29, 2019
1:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Shelley Hughes, Chair
Senator Lora Reinbold, Vice Chair
Senator Mike Shower
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Jesse Kiehl
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING:
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics
H. Conner Thomas - Nome
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 6
Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska
relating to an appropriation limit; relating to the budget
reserve fund and establishing the savings reserve fund; and
relating to the permanent fund.
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
H. CONNER THOMAS, Appointee
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics
Nome, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Select
Committee on Legislative Ethics.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:30:30 PM
CHAIR SHELLEY HUGHES called the Senate Judiciary Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Reinbold, Micciche, Shower, Kiehl and Chair
Hughes.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING
CONFIRMATION HEARING
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics
1:30:55 PM
CHAIR HUGHES announced that the only order of business would be
a confirmation hearing for H. Conner Thomas, appointee to the
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics. She said Mr. Thomas is
being reappointed as the public member.
CHAIR HUGHES reviewed the ethics committee composition and
mission. The Select Committee on Legislative Ethics is
responsible for:
• Helping people understand and comply with the Alaska
Legislative Ethics Act
• Issuing formal advisory opinions interpreting the Ethics
Act
• Considering complaints alleging violations of the Act
• Maintaining public files of disclosure statements.
She said that the Ethics Committee has nine members: two
senators, two representatives and five public members. For the
purpose of considering most complaints, the Ethics Committee is
divided into a House Subcommittee and a Senate Subcommittee. Mr.
Thomas is being reappointed as a public member to the committee
and he has held that position since 1999.
1:32:35 PM
H. CONNER THOMAS, Appointee, Select Committee on Legislative
Ethics, Nome, stated that he has resided in Nome for the last 40
years, where he practices law. He has served on the Select
Committee on Legislative Ethics since 1999. He said that serving
on the committee provides an important public service. He said
he was willing to serve another term, if reappointed.
1:33:49 PM
CHAIR HUGHES thanked him for serving for 20 years.
1:34:13 PM
SENATOR SHOWER asked for further clarification on his service at
the U.S. Department of the Interior.
MR. THOMAS said he initially came to Alaska as a VISTA
[AmeriCorps VISTA] volunteer and after serving approximately 18
months he left the state. He was living with his parents in
Annapolis, Maryland. He was anxious to return to Alaska and the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was hiring. He got a job in
Anchorage with the Department of Interior. He then decided to
practice law and worked for Alaska Legal Services.
1:35:35 PM
CHAIR HUGHES opened public testimony and after first determining
no one wished to testify, closed public testimony on the
confirmation hearing for Conner Thomas, Select Committee on
Legislative Ethics.
1:36:03 PM
CHAIR HUGHES stated that in accordance with AS 39.05.080, the
Senate Judiciary Standing Committee reviewed the following and
recommends the appointments be forwarded to a joint session for
consideration:
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics:
H. Conner Thomas - Nome
Signing the reports regarding appointments to boards and
commissions in no way reflects individual members' approval or
disapproval of the appointees; the nominations are merely
forwarded to the full legislature for confirmation or rejection.
1:36:44 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Hughes adjourned the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee
meeting at 1:36 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Conner Thomas resume.pdf |
SJUD 3/29/2019 1:30:00 PM |