Legislature(2001 - 2002)

03/05/2002 10:08 AM Senate RLS

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                    
                     SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                                   
                          March 5, 2002                                                                                         
                           10:08 a.m.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Randy Phillips, Chair                                                                                                   
Senator John Cowdery, Vice Chair                                                                                                
Senator Gene Therriault                                                                                                         
Senator Johnny Ellis                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Rick Halford                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 11                                                                                                              
"An Act relating to the legal age for attending school; and                                                                     
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
     APPROVED FOR CALENDARING                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 297                                                                                                             
"An Act moving employees of the Alaska mental health trust land                                                                 
unit of the Department of Natural Resources from the partially                                                                  
exempt service to the exempt service."                                                                                          
     APPROVED FOR CALENDARING                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 291(L&C)                                                                                                  
"An Act relating to the requirements for obtaining a residential                                                                
contractor endorsement."                                                                                                        
     APPROVED FOR CALENDARING                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB 11 - See HESS minutes dated 2/5/01, 4/20/01 and 4/27/01.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB 297 - See State Affairs minutes dated 2/28/02.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
HB 291 - See Labor and Commerce minutes dated 2/21/02.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kevin Meyer                                                                                                      
Alaska State Capitol                                                                                                            
Juneau, AK  99801-1182                                                                                                          
POSITION STATEMENT:  Sponsor of HB 291                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 02-3, SIDE A                                                                                                             
Number 001                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS called the  Senate Rules Committee meeting                                                            
to order  at 10:08  a.m. Senators  Cowdery, Therriault,  Ellis and                                                              
Phillips were present.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR   THERRIAULT,   sponsor   of   SB   11-COMPULSORY   SCHOOL                                                          
ATTENDANCE, informed members that  the measure was modified by the                                                          
Senate Finance  Committee to require  that if a child  is enrolled                                                              
in  first grade  at the  age of  six,  that becomes  the date  for                                                              
compulsory  attendance.  He noted  the  current  statute does  not                                                              
require compulsory attendance until  age seven.  He explained that                                                              
he introduced  the legislation because  a small number  of parents                                                              
enroll  their children  at  age six  but  send  their children  to                                                              
school  sporadically.  Districts  cannot compel  the  students  to                                                              
attend yet  teachers must spend a  lot of time trying to  keep the                                                              
children up to speed.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There being no questions, SENATOR  THERRIAULT moved to calendar SB
11  with   its  accompanying   fiscal  note   at  the   Chairman's                                                              
discretion.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS  noted that with  no objections, SB 11  would be                                                              
placed on tomorrow's calendar.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. TIM LAMKIN, staff to Senator  Wilken, sponsor of SB 297-MENTAL                                                          
HEALTH  TRUST  LAND  UNIT  EMPLOYEES,  explained  that  this  bill                                                          
changes the  employment status of  the employees in the  Land Unit                                                              
of  the  Alaska   Mental  Health  Trust  Authority   (AMTHA)  from                                                              
partially to fully  exempt.  The AMHTA requested  the change in an                                                              
effort  to retain  the staff  it is  training, as  they are  often                                                              
"cherry-picked"  by other agencies.   The  change also  aligns the                                                              
land unit  staff with  the rest of  the management structure.  The                                                              
change will affect nine employees.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY  moved to  calendar SB  297 with its  accompanying                                                              
zero fiscal note at the Chairman's discretion.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS  announced that with no objection,  SB 297 would                                                              
be placed on tomorrow's calendar.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KEVIN  MEYER,  sponsor   of  HB  291-LICENSING  OF                                                          
RESIDENTIAL  CONTRACTORS,  explained   that  HB  291  extends  the                                                          
application  period for  a residential  contractor's license  from                                                              
six to  12 months  after the  applicant has  passed the  exam. The                                                              
extension will make the application  process consistent with other                                                              
license application processes and  will allow a contractor time to                                                              
get financing  together for a  residential project.  He introduced                                                              
the measure after a constituent passed  the exam but was forced to                                                              
go  to Arizona  where his  wife was  hospitalized.  He missed  the                                                              
application   deadline   upon   his  return.   The   Division   of                                                              
Occupational  Licensing found  no reason  for the  six month  time                                                              
period.  He  stated  that  he  has  heard  no  opposition  to  the                                                              
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COWDERY   moved  to  calendar  CSHB  291(L&C)   with  its                                                              
accompanying fiscal note at the Chairman's discretion.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS announced that  with no objection, CSHB 291(L&C)                                                              
will be calendared tomorrow.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There  being no  further business  to come  before the  committee,                                                              
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS adjourned the meeting at 10:12 a.m.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                

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