Legislature(1999 - 2000)

03/17/2000 11:32 AM Senate RLS

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
txt
                SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                                          
                    March 17, 2000                                                                                              
                      11:32 a.m.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator Tim Kelly, Chair                                                                                                        
Senator Loren Leman, Vice Chair                                                                                                 
Senator Drue Pearce                                                                                                             
Senator Johnny Ellis                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator Mike Miller                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 269                                                                                                             
"An Act relating to the deadline for the submission of monetary                                                                 
terms of collective bargaining contracts between the state and a                                                                
labor or employee organization representing state employees to the                                                              
legislature."                                                                                                                   
     -MOVED ALL VERSIONS OF SB 269 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 268                                                                                                             
"An Act relating to mandatory 99-year terms of imprisonment for                                                                 
persons convicted of certain murders."                                                                                          
     -MOVED ALL VERSIONS OF SB 268 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SB 269 -  See Finance Report dated 3/6/00 and Rules minutes dated                                                               
3/7/00.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SB 268 -  See Judiciary Committee minutes dated 2/23/00.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 00-5, SIDE A                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN KELLY called the Senate Rules Committee meeting to order                                                               
at 11:32 a.m.  Present were Senators Pearce, Leman, Ellis, and                                                                  
Chairman Kelly.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
        SB 269-DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF MONETARY TERMS                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PEARCE, sponsor of SB 269, moved to adopt CSSB 269(RLS).                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS objected and asked for an explanation of that                                                                     
version.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PEARCE stated last fall the Alaska Supreme Court issued a                                                               
decision on whether the University of Alaska had to pay the raises                                                              
negotiated under its collective bargaining agreements when the                                                                  
Legislature had not specifically approved those agreements.  The                                                                
court said that unless the Legislature specifically appropriated                                                                
money for the purpose of fulfilling the monetary terms of the                                                                   
contracts, the contracts have not been accepted so the State cannot                                                             
not use other monies to pay for the contracts.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PEARCE remarked that Alaska's present statutes are                                                                      
confusing in regard to the procedure the Legislature must use to                                                                
approve contracts.  She pointed out that last year, the Legislature                                                             
did not approve the state employee collective bargaining agreements                                                             
but there was some question about whether the Legislature acted                                                                 
correctly.  It passed a resolution but took no action in the                                                                    
budget.  CSSB 269 (RLS) clarifies and follows the court decision                                                                
exactly as to what the Legislature's responsibility is when                                                                     
approving contracts.  Language in Section 1(a) describes how the                                                                
Legislature must act to approve the contracts while Section 2 does                                                              
what her original bill did - it requires the agreement be submitted                                                             
to the Legislature no later than the 45th day of the session in                                                                 
order to be considered during that session.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN KELLY added the reason for Section 2 is that today is the                                                              
67th day of the session, and the Legislature has not yet received                                                               
all completed contracts from the Administration.  The same thing                                                                
will happen three years from now because all of the contracts are                                                               
for a three year duration.  The Legislature needs time to review                                                                
and analyze those contracts.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS removed his objection.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN KELLY announced CSSB 269(RLS) was adopted.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN moved to calendar all versions of SB 269 with                                                                     
individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.  There being                                                              
no objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
         SB 268-MANDATORY 99-YEAR TERM OF IMPRISONMENT                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN moved all versions of SB 268 with individual                                                                      
recommendations and attached fiscal notes for calendaring at the                                                                
Chairman's discretion.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS objected and asked whether SB 268 has any fiscal                                                                  
impact.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DAVE DONLEY, sponsor of SB 268, replied the Department of                                                               
Corrections submitted a zero fiscal note.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS removed his objection, therefore the motion carried.                                                              
                                                                                                                                
With no further business to come before the committee, CHAIRMAN                                                                 
KELLY adjourned the meeting at 11:32 a.m.                                                                                       

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