03/20/1995 12:25 PM Senate RLS

                     SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                    
                         March 20, 1995                                        
                           12:25 p.m.                                          
                                                                               
  MEMBERS PRESENT                                                              
                                                                               
 Senator Mike Miller, Chair                                                    
 Senator Drue Pearce, Vice Chair                                               
 Senator Bert Sharp                                                            
 Senator Jim Duncan                                                            
 Senator Judy Salo                                                             
                                                                               
  MEMBERS ABSENT                                                               
                                                                               
 All members present                                                           
                                                                               
  COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                           
                                                                               
 SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 19                                     
 "An Act relating to the location of the convening of the                      
 legislature in regular session."                                              
                                                                               
 -- APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS FOR CHARLES P.                 
    MEACHAM AND RON SOMERVILLE                                                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION                                             
                                                                               
 SB 19 - See State Affairs minutes dated 1/26/95.                              
         Finance report 3/9/95                                                 
         Rules minutes dated 3/16/95                                           
                                                                               
    ACTION NARRATIVE                                                           
                                                                               
 TAPE 95-4, SIDE A                                                             
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MILLER  called the Senate Rules Committee meeting to order          
 at 12:25 p.m.                                                                 
                                                                               
 SRLS - 3/20/95                                                                
                                                                               
  SSSB 19  (LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TO BE IN ANCHORAGE), which was held           
 over from the March 16 meeting, was back before the committee.                
 There being no discussion, CHAIRMAN MILLER asked for the will of              
 the committee.                                                                
                                                                               
 SENATOR PEARCE moved and asked unanimous consent that SSSB 19 be              
 approved for calendaring.  SENATOR DUNCAN objected.  The Chairman             
 requested a roll call vote.  Senators Sharp, Pearce and Miller                
 voted "Yea" and Senators Salo and Duncan voted "Nay."  The Chairman           
 stated the calendaring motion carried.                                        
 CHAIRMAN MILLER stated the next items on the agenda would be                  
 consideration of professional contracts for Charles P. Meacham and            
 Ron Somerville.                                                               
                                                                               
 SENATOR DUNCAN noted that the two contracts were being entered into           
 by both the Senate Rules Committee and the House Rules Committee,             
 and he asked why the project director, in both cases, was reporting           
 to the Speaker of the House.                                                  
                                                                               
 SENATOR PEARCE clarified that there had to be one person as the               
 project director and Kyle Parker, who is legislative assistant to             
 the Speaker of the House, is an attorney as well, and it makes                
 sense to have the same person overseeing both projects as project             
 director.  She added that Mr. Parker is in constant communication             
 with her office as well.                                                      
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO asked for an explanation of the contract amount of               
 $25,000 for each individual.                                                  
                                                                               
 SENATOR PEARCE explained that $25,000 is the maximum amount for               
 each contract, but it doesn't mean the full amount will be paid               
 out.  The parties, under the direction of the leadership of both              
 bodies, will work on a host of issues, but primarily they refer to            
 state/federal fish and wildlife issues.  Mr. Meacham will continue            
 working on the United States/Canadian and State/Yukon salmon                  
 treaties, as well as the Pacific Fisheries Management Act.  Issues            
 to be addressed by Mr. Somerville will be coordination of the                 
 Endangered Species Act legislation and the Magnuson reauthorization           
 in Washington, D.C.  The individuals will not be doing policy for             
 the State of Alaska, but will be working with leadership in keeping           
 the Legislature apprised of what is happening as these acts move              
 forward.                                                                      
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO asked if Mr. Somerville is working on subsistence                
 issues, and SENATOR PEARCE answered that he is not.                           
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN MILLER asked for the will of the committee on the contract           
 for Mr. Meacham.                                                              
                                                                               
 SENATOR PEARCE moved that the contract for Charles P. Meacham, in             
 the amount of $25,000, be approved by the Senate Rules Committee.             
 Hearing no objection, CHAIRMAN MILLER stated the contract was                 
 approved.                                                                     
                                                                               
 SENATOR DUNCAN stated he was going to oppose the contract for Ron             
 Somerville because of the areas Mr. Somerville has been involved in           
 in the past and the controversy that surrounded that.  He added he            
 believes the contract probably generates more controversy than the            
 benefits it would bring.                                                      
                                                                               
 SENATOR PEARCE moved that the contract for Ron Somerville, in the             
 amount of $25,000, be approved by the Senate Rules Committee.                 
 SENATOR DUNCAN objected.  The Chairman requested a roll call.                 
 Senators Pearce, Sharp and Miller voted "Yea" and Senators Duncan             
 and Salo voted "Nay."  CHAIRMAN MILLER stated the contract was                
 approved.                                                                     
                                                                               
 There being no further business to come before the committee, the             
 meeting was adjourned at 12:25 p.m.