Legislature(1999 - 2000)
05/11/1999 01:45 PM Senate L&C
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE
May 11, 1999
1:45 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Jerry Mackie, Chairman
Senator Dave Donley
Senator Loren Leman
Senator Lyman Hoffman
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Tim Kelly, Vice Chairman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 201(FIN) am
"An Act relating to the computation of overtime; and providing for
an effective date."
-MOVED CSHB 201(FIN) am OUT OF COMMITTEE
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 110(L&C)
"An Act relating to the labeling of milk, cream, or any product or
byproduct of milk or cream."
-MOVED SCS 110(L&C) OUT OF COMMITTEE
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 13(FIN) am
"An Act relating to the characterization of, use of, segregation
of, deposit of, interest on, and disbursement of escrow money;
relating to the recording, filing, and delivery of escrow
documents; and providing for an effective date."
-MOVED CSHB 13(FIN)am OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
HB 201 - See Labor and Commerce Committee minutes dated 5/6/99.
HB 110 - No previous action to consider.
HB 13 - No previous action to consider.
WITNESS REGISTER
Mr. Dwight Perkins, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Labor
P.O. Box 21149
Juneau, AK 99802-1149
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 201.
Representative John Harris
State Capitol Bldg.
Juneau, AK 99811-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 110.
Mr. Peter Fellman, Aide
Representative John Harris
State Capitol Bldg.
Juneau, AK 99811-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on HB 110.
Ms. Ann Ringstad
757 Illinois St.
Fairbanks, AK 99701
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 13.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 99-21, SIDE A
Number 001
HB 201-OVERTIME COMPENSATION COMPUTATION
CHAIRMAN MACKIE called the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee
meeting to order at 1:45 p.m. and announced HB 201 to be up for
consideration.
SENATOR DONLEY said he had requested a statement from an attorney
saying that this wouldn't affect the existing understanding of
overtime, but he didn't get that.
MR. DWIGHT PERKINS, Department of Labor, said the particular
attorney that would have answered Senator Donley's question was
tied up in a nursing strike and he apologized to Senator Donley.
SENATOR DONLEY said he wouldn't object to moving it, but he thought
there should be some independent review because it's a complicated
area. MR. PERKINS said he would follow up on that.
SENATOR LEMAN moved to pass HB 201 from committee with individual
recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
HB 110-SALE/LABELING OF MILK PRODUCTS
CHAIRMAN MACKIE announced HB 110 to be up for consideration.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN HARRIS, sponsor, said this is a consumer choice
bill giving dairy farmers in Alaska the opportunity to label their
milk and milk products as BST free. It doesn't require them to do
that, but gives them the option.
SENATOR LEMAN moved to adopt the Bannister 5/11/99 committee
substitute to HB 110. There were no objections and it was so
ordered. Said that the legislature repealed the milk marketing
laws in 1995 and asked if this bill was consistent with that.
MR. PETER FELLMAN, Aide to Representative Harris, said this is a
completely new issue involving milk that comes from cows that has
been treated with a hormone to help increase their milk production.
Consumers have voiced their concerns about milk that comes from
cows treated with hormones. The repealed legislation was
concerning milk pull dates which DEC handles.
REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG, Chairman, House Labor and Commerce
Committee, said they held four hearings on this bill and there was
support for this legislation.
SENATOR LEMAN asked if there were zero fiscal notes.
Number 160
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS noted that this is an option, not a
requirement. He didn't know how many would actually use it.
SENATOR DONLEY asked if they couldn't label the milk now, since
it's the truth.
MR. FELLMAN answered that this provides for some recourse and
provides a standard. It also provides for a means to release the
milk processor from some liability, if the milk producer himself
actually used the hormone. The format in the bill has been put
together by the FDA's guidelines.
SENATOR LEMAN moved to report SCS HB 110(L&C) from committee with
individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so
ordered.
HB 13-REGULATION OF ESCROW ACCOUNTS
CHAIRMAN MACKIE announced HB 13 to be up for consideration.
REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG, sponsor of HB 13, said this bill is
simple, but it is needed to protect consumers. It requires that
good funds be in the hands of the title company prior to recording
of the title in a residential real estate transaction. Typically,
title companies record first and then get the money. This bill is
driven by the lending institutions which force the title companies
to record first, because they don't want to release funds on
certifiably recorded title. He noted that Ms. Ann Ringstad was a
victim of this circumstance and that the incidence is raising.
REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG said HB 13 was supported by the Alaska
Escrow Association which has already changed their policy in April
to do this.
MS. ANN RINGSTAD related how this applied to the sale of their home
in Anchorage four years ago when a couple bought their house, but
stopped the funds from transferring when they thought the house was
flooding. This happened after the title company had been assured
by the bank that the funds were coming. So the Ringstads had no
house, but were still liable for the mortgage; the deed was
recorded into the buyer's name. If the title company would have
waited until they received the funds, there would have been no
problem. It took them about four months to get the house back and
were told it would take them about two years if they wanted to go
to court (and they would probably win, but it would cost $30,000).
Number 284
SENATOR LEMAN moved to report HB 13 from committee with individual
recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
CHAIRMAN MACKIE adjourned the meeting at 2:00 p.m.
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