01/25/2005 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
          SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                        
                        January 25, 2005                                                                                        
                           1:37 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Con Bunde, Chair                                                                                                        
Senator Ben Stevens                                                                                                             
Senator Johnny Ellis                                                                                                            
Senator Bettye Davis                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ralph Seekins, Vice Chair                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Organizational Meeting                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CON  BUNDE called  the Senate  Labor and  Commerce Standing                                                             
Committee meeting to  order at 1:37:15 PM.  Present were Senators                                                             
Bettye Davis, Ben Stevens, Johnny Ellis and Chair Con Bunde.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^Organizational Meeting                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE  iterated the rules  and procedures of the  Labor and                                                               
Commerce Committee.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:42:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELLIS asked  what issues  the committee  would focus  on                                                               
this year.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE  replied workers' compensation, insurance  issues and                                                               
perhaps PERS and TERS.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  JOHNNY  ELLIS  commented  that  the  administration  was                                                               
deferring  to  the  ad hoc  committee  on  workers'  compensation                                                               
issues.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELLIS said  he hoped  the committee  would also  address                                                               
ramp up of training Alaskans for future gas pipeline jobs.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE said that was of interest to all of them; he also                                                                   
remembered that someone introduced a bill to revive community                                                                   
colleges.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business to come before the committee, he                                                                
adjourned the meeting at 1:45:55 PM.