Legislature(2017 - 2018)BUTROVICH 205

02/27/2018 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ SCR 17 APRIL 2018:SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH TELECONFERENCED
Moved SCR 17 Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony --
*+ SB 204 DISABLED VET PLATES:CHIROPRACTORS CERTIFY TELECONFERENCED
Moved SB 204 Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony --
*+ SB 192 VOTING: ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY; FEES TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Public Testimony --
*+ SB 207 TRANSFER DUTIES FROM DCCED TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Public Testimony --
Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
            SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                           
                       February 27, 2018                                                                                        
                           3:31 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Kevin Meyer, Chair                                                                                                      
Senator David Wilson                                                                                                            
Senator Cathy Giessel                                                                                                           
Senator John Coghill                                                                                                            
Senator Dennis Egan                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
All members present                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 17                                                                                             
Proclaiming April 2018 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED SCR 17 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 204                                                                                                             
"An  Act relating  to special  registration  plates for  vehicles                                                               
owned by veterans with disabilities."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED SB 204 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 192                                                                                                             
"An  Act relating  to the  confidentiality of  voters' addresses;                                                               
and relating  to the  fees charged by  the division  of elections                                                               
for providing  a copy  of the  state's master  voter registration                                                               
list  or a  copy  of the  list  of individuals  who  voted in  an                                                               
election."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD & HELD                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 207                                                                                                             
"An Act  transferring duties among  departments in  the executive                                                               
branch   of  state   government;  relating   to  the   duties  of                                                               
departments and  commissioners in the executive  branch; relating                                                               
to the  duties of the Office  of the Governor; relating  to state                                                               
boards and commissions; and providing for an effective date."                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD & HELD                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: SCR 17                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: APRIL 2018: SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH                                                                         
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MEYER                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
02/16/18       (S)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
02/16/18       (S)       STA                                                                                                    
02/27/18       (S)       STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
BILL: SB 204                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: DISABLED VET PLATES: CHIROPRACTORS CERTIFY                                                                         
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) EGAN                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
02/19/18       (S)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
02/19/18       (S)       STA                                                                                                    
02/27/18       (S)       STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
BILL: SB 192                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: VOTING: ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY; FEES                                                                              
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MACKINNON                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
02/19/18       (S)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
02/19/18       (S)       STA, FIN                                                                                               
02/27/18       (S)       STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
BILL: SB 207                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: TRANSFER DUTIES FROM DCCED                                                                                         
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) COSTELLO                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
02/19/18       (S)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
02/19/18       (S)       STA, FIN                                                                                               
02/27/18       (S)       STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTINE MARASIGAN, Staff                                                                                                      
Senator Meyer                                                                                                                   
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of SCR 17.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
ALIZA KAZMI, Policy Specialist                                                                                                  
Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault                                                                          
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 17.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
PETER NAOROZ, Staff                                                                                                             
Senator Eagan                                                                                                                   
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of SB 204.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
TODD CURZIE, President                                                                                                          
Alaska Chiropractic Society                                                                                                     
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 204.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
DR. EDWARD BARRINGTON, Member                                                                                                   
Alaska Chiropractic Society                                                                                                     
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support SB 204.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
DR. DAVID MARTIN, representing self                                                                                             
Wasilla, Alaska                                                                                                                 
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 204.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
DR. DANIEL HOLT, representing self                                                                                              
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 204.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ANNA MACKINNON                                                                                                          
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 192, provided an overview of                                                                
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
BRITTANY HARTMANN, Staff                                                                                                        
Senator MacKinnon                                                                                                               
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Addressed questions regarding SB 192.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JOSIE BAHNKE, Director                                                                                                          
Alaska Division of Elections                                                                                                    
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified that the division does not oppose                                                               
SB 192.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CARMEN LOWRY, Executive Director                                                                                                
Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault                                                                          
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 192.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MIA COSTELLO                                                                                                            
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  Sponsor of SB  207, provided an  overview of                                                             
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
JOSHUA WALTON, Staff                                                                                                            
Senator Costello                                                                                                                
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of SB 207.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:31:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KEVIN  MEYER  called the  Senate  State  Affairs  Standing                                                             
Committee meeting  to order at 3:31  p.m. Present at the  call to                                                               
order  were Senators  Giessel, Wilson,  Coghill, Egan,  and Chair                                                               
Meyer.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
       SCR 17-APRIL 2018: SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:32:06 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  MEYER announced  the  consideration  of Senate  Concurrent                                                               
Resolution 17  (SCR 17). He disclosed  that he is the  sponsor of                                                               
the resolution.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:32:36 PM                                                                                                                    
CHRISTINE   MARASIGAN,  Staff,   Senator   Meyer,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, provided an  overview of SCR  17 as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Senate  Concurrent Resolution  17 would  proclaim April                                                                    
     2018 as "Sexual Assault  Awareness Month;" this is part                                                                    
     of a national campaign  to raise public awareness about                                                                    
     sexual assault and  educate communities and individuals                                                                    
     on how to prevent sexual violence.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     We bring the  resolution forward each year  in order to                                                                    
     bring  attention to  sexual violence  and the  measures                                                                    
     being  taken  by  organizations   such  as  the  Alaska                                                                    
     Council on  Domestic Violence  and Sexual  Assault, the                                                                    
     Alaska   Network  on   Domestic  Violence   and  Sexual                                                                    
     Assault, and Standing Together Against Rape.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     As  I'm  sure  you   know,  sexual  assault  statistics                                                                    
     nationwide  are  staggering.  The  Center  for  Disease                                                                    
     Control's   National   Intimate  Partner   and   Sexual                                                                    
     Violence Survey reports that in  the United States one-                                                                    
     in-five  women  and  one-in-seventy-one men  have  been                                                                    
     victims of  violent sexual  assault in  their lifetime.                                                                    
     In Alaska  unfortunately, those rates are  much higher;                                                                    
     in fact,  the 2015 Alaska Victimization  Survey reports                                                                    
     that   one-third  of   adult  women   in  Alaska   have                                                                    
     experienced sexual violence.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     This  year  the  2018 Sexual  Assault  Awareness  Month                                                                    
     campaign focuses  on "Embrace Your Voice"  to encourage                                                                    
     and inform individuals on how  they can use their words                                                                    
     to  promote safety,  respect, equality  to stop  sexual                                                                    
     violence  before it  happens.  Individuals can  embrace                                                                    
     their  voices  to  show their  support  for  survivors,                                                                    
     standup  to victim  blaming, promote  everyday consent,                                                                    
     and practice  healthy communications; we hope  that SCR
     17 will help strengthen that effort across the state.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:34:13 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER disclosed that he  has presented the resolution since                                                               
2001.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. MARASIGAN  detailed that HCR 7  was passed on April  10, 2001                                                               
and Chair Meyer has carried the resolution since 2015.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER noted  that the resolution has been  brought up every                                                               
year,  but some  years there  were  other sponsors.  He said  the                                                               
resolution has always passed.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. MARASIGAN noted that Senators  MacKinnon and Costello carried                                                               
the resolution  in 2010  and 2011  respectively while  serving in                                                               
the House.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER  said the  resolution has  easily passed  in previous                                                               
years but  noted that the  legislation was  held up in  the other                                                               
body last year and did not pass.  He asserted that he is going to                                                               
push HCR 7 as hard as  possible because the problem is serious in                                                               
Alaska and needs to be a top priority.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:35:53 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER opened public testimony.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:36:35 PM                                                                                                                    
ALIZA  KAZMI,  Policy  Specialist,  Alaska  Network  on  Domestic                                                               
Violence  and  Sexual  Assault,   Juneau,  Alaska,  testified  in                                                               
support  of  SCR  17.  She  stated that  the  Alaska  Network  on                                                               
Domestic Violence  and Sexual  Assault appreciates  Chair Meyer's                                                               
sponsorship of  HCR 7.  She said the  resolution is  important to                                                               
spur  awareness and  tools for  every Alaskan  to take  action to                                                               
prevent sexual assault which is extremely pervasive in Alaska.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MEYER commented  that  as  a past  board  member of  Stand                                                               
Together Against  Rape, sexual  assault is  a very  serious issue                                                               
and a  statistic that the  state does not  want to be  number one                                                               
in.  He opined  that a  lot  of folks  have gotten  tired of  him                                                               
bringing the resolution  up every year, but he said  the topic is                                                               
something that  needs to  constantly be  in front  of folks  as a                                                               
reminder  of the  need to  stop  sexual assault  and even  sexual                                                               
harassment.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:37:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER closed public testimony                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:38:42 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report  SCR 17, version 30-LS1267\A from                                                               
committee with individual recommendations and zero fiscal note.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:38:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  MEYER  announced  that  being  no  objection,  the  motion                                                               
carried.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:39:00 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
       SB 204-DISABLED VET PLATES: CHIROPRACTORS CERTIFY                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:40:54 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER called the committee  back to order. He announced the                                                               
consideration of Senate Bill 204 (SB 204).                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:41:31 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  EGAN, sponsor  of SB  204, said  the bill  lets Alaska's                                                               
chiropractors sign  the Division  of Motor Vehicles'  (DMV) forms                                                               
to  provide disability  certification  for special  registration,                                                               
license  plates, and  for disability  parking  permits. He  noted                                                               
that he already  has a permanent decal signed off  by his medical                                                               
doctor, but SB 204 helps others.  He explained that for years DMV                                                               
allowed  chiropractors to  sign disability  applications, but  in                                                               
2016 the  Alaska Department of  Law advised DMV that  the statute                                                               
as it  then read was not  broad enough to allow  chiropractors to                                                               
do so.  He said SB  204 authorizes  and restores the  system that                                                               
served Alaskans well in previous years.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:42:50 PM                                                                                                                    
PETER  NAOROZ, Staff,  Senator Eagan,  Alaska State  Legislature,                                                               
Juneau, Alaska, stated  that SB 204 is an  important bill because                                                               
it  allows  chiropractors, who  in  many  cases are  primary-care                                                               
physicians,  the ability  to sign-off  with the  DMV on  handicap                                                               
permits and licenses.  He detailed that the  Alaska Department of                                                               
Law  determined  in 2016  that  chiropractors  would have  to  be                                                               
specifically  mentioned in  statute by  legislative authorization                                                               
and SB 204 accomplishes that. He  noted that a provision in Title                                                               
28, Chapter  10 regarding veterans, uses  the operative language,                                                               
"Including a  person with  a disability."  He summarized  that SB
204 is the cleanest way to  add chiropractors in working with DMV                                                               
on handicap  permits and licenses, a  practice that chiropractors                                                               
had been doing for a number of years.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:44:56 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WILSON asked him to  clarify from the sponsor's statement                                                               
versus the  bill itself that the  legislation addresses temporary                                                               
parking, not actual license plates.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  NAOROZ   answered  that  the  bill   addresses  a  temporary                                                               
arrangement for parking spaces.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER asked if placards or license plates are provided.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. NAOROZ answered that temporary placards are provided.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MEYER asked  him to  confirm that  the chiropractors  have                                                               
been signing off for many years  and the bill clarifies that they                                                               
have the authority to provide the service.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. NAOROZ answered yes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:46:10 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER opened public testimony.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:46:41 PM                                                                                                                    
TODD CURZIE,  President, Alaska Chiropractic  Society, Anchorage,                                                               
Alaska, testified in support of  SB 204 to restore chiropractors'                                                               
ability to  sign the DMV  disability application. He said  he had                                                               
signed DMV  disability applications for  23 years. He  noted that                                                               
he  had never  given a  permanent disability,  strictly temporary                                                               
stickers.  He said  not being  able to  extend handicap  stickers                                                               
when asked has been a shame.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MEYER noted  Mr. Curzie's  testimony that  his goal  is to                                                               
make disability applications temporary for his patients.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. CURZIE  concurred and noted  that some patients do  require a                                                               
permanent sticker due  to their physical condition,  but most are                                                               
temporary.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:49:00 PM                                                                                                                    
DR.  EDWARD  BARRINGTON,  member,  Alaska  Chiropractic  Society,                                                               
Anchorage,  Alaska, testified  in  support SB  204.  He said  the                                                               
handicap stickers  are important  to individuals. He  pointed out                                                               
that many  times patients  who do  not consult  medical providers                                                               
choose  chiropractors   as  their   primary  care   provider  and                                                               
providing handicap stickers is a good service to offer patients.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:50:20 PM                                                                                                                    
DR. DAVID  MARTIN, representing self, Wasilla,  Alaska, testified                                                               
in support of  SB 204. He said he has  many chiropractic patients                                                               
that  see  him  as  their primary-care  physician  and  providing                                                               
handicap stickers was  something that he was able  to provide for                                                               
many years. He  said his hope is to better  serve his patients by                                                               
providing handicap stickers once again.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:52:21 PM                                                                                                                    
DR. DANIEL HOLT, representing self,  Juneau, Alaska, testified in                                                               
support of SB  204. He disclosed that he has  been a chiropractor                                                               
in  Juneau for  25 years.  He  said providing  patients with  the                                                               
ability  to  park  closer would  be  beneficial  to  chiropractic                                                               
practices to better serve patients in Alaska.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER  asked if  most the handicap  placards that  Dr. Holt                                                               
provides are temporary.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DR. HOLT  explained that chiropractors  try to get people  up and                                                               
going again and not do  long-term disabilities. He concurred that                                                               
the intent is to provide temporary placards to people.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:54:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER closed public testimony.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:55:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report  SB 204, version 30-LS1474\A from                                                               
committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached  zero                                                               
fiscal note.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:55:20 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  MEYER  announced  that  being  no  objection,  the  motion                                                               
carried.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:55:23 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
          SB 192-VOTING: ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY; FEES                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:56:52 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER called the committee  back to order. He announced the                                                               
consideration of Senate Bill 192 (SB 192).                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:57:21 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  ANNA   MACKINNON,  Alaska  State   Legislature,  Juneau,                                                               
Alaska,  sponsor  of SB  192,  said  she usually  asks  questions                                                               
regarding the need  for a bill as well as  addressing the ability                                                               
to  have less  government.  She called  attention  to Article  I,                                                               
Section 22 of the state  constitution which states, "The right of                                                               
the people to privacy is  recognized and shall not be infringed;"                                                               
she  said  SB  192  speaks  to  that  privilege,  that  right  of                                                               
Alaskans.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
She explained that SB 192  was introduced to address constituency                                                               
concern regarding personal information  being exposed on internet                                                               
search engines. She shared a  personal story of a constituent who                                                               
wanted  her  personal  information  to remain  private,  but  her                                                               
information was made public when she registered to vote.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
She  noted   that  internet   search  engines   provide  personal                                                               
information to  everyone that searches, including:  name, mailing                                                               
address, social  security number,  phone number,  e-mail address,                                                               
and  credit score.  She asked  when will  the federal  government                                                               
start  to  protect people's  right  to  privacy once  again.  She                                                               
acknowledged  that  people can  actively  choose  to share  their                                                               
information but  pointed out  that search  engines are  mined for                                                               
data for private companies as well as political organizations.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:01:55 PM                                                                                                                    
She  explained that  SB 192  does two  things: allows  an opt-out                                                               
measure  and  increases  the  fee   to  access  registered  voter                                                               
information.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
She explained that the opt-out  measure allows individuals to not                                                               
share  their  mailing  address, physical  address,  and  precinct                                                               
number.  She asserted  that  the precinct  number  should not  be                                                               
exposed because  the number in  highly populated areas  gets down                                                               
to the neighborhood  level where a stalker  could eventually find                                                               
someone.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MACKINNON  disclosed that the  fee to access  the state's                                                               
voter registry is  nominally priced at $20. She  detailed that SB
192 sets the "fee barrier" at  $1,000, an average fee amount that                                                               
was  based on  a poll  conducted  by the  National Conference  of                                                               
State Legislatures  (NCSL). She  noted that  the change  does not                                                               
prohibit political  organizations or pollsters who  use the voter                                                               
data to  cross-tab and sell  to others, but the  monetary barrier                                                               
is intended to  prevent access by individuals who  want to misuse                                                               
the  information.  She added  that  the  "fee barrier"  does  not                                                               
distinguish between  a statewide and  precinct list and  does not                                                               
impose and  cannot impose copy  right laws. She pointed  out that                                                               
the registered voter data includes  a cross-check with the Alaska                                                               
Permanent  Fund Corporation  that results  in data  that is  rich                                                               
with actual physical and mailing  addresses that are consistently                                                               
updated  for individuals  to receive  their  PFD [Permanent  Fund                                                               
dividend].                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
She said  now that the state  automatically registers individuals                                                               
to  vote,  their information  is  going  to become  more  readily                                                               
available to both  those that sell the addresses  to other people                                                               
as well  as general  folks who are  doing internet  search engine                                                               
searches to locate people in  specific areas. She summarized that                                                               
she has  families in her district  that are affected by  the data                                                               
access  and  noted  that  she  has  raised  the  issue  with  the                                                               
lieutenant governor's office.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER  opined that the  fee going from  $20 to $1,000  is a                                                               
big  jump.  He  asked  to  verify  that  $1,000  is  the  average                                                               
statewide fee.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MACKINNON specified that the average is nationwide.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:05:59 PM                                                                                                                    
BRITTANY  HARTMANN,   Staff,  Senator  MacKinnon,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  Juneau,  Alaska,  clarified   that  the  NCSL  poll                                                               
results showed that  the average cost for a voter  list in all 50                                                               
states is $1,825.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER said he appreciated  what Senator MacKinnon is doing.                                                               
He opined  that information is  easily obtainable and  noted that                                                               
data can be  accessed from fishing and hunting  licenses as well.                                                               
He  asked   if  Senator   MacKinnon  is   aware  of   an  address                                                               
confidentiality  program  that   keeps  an  individual's  address                                                               
confidential for domestic [violence] survivors.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  MACKINNON replied  that there  is a  process where  some                                                               
data  can  be   suppressed,  but  the  precinct   number  is  not                                                               
suppressed. She  said the process is  not as specific as  to what                                                               
is being  asked to be  suppressed in SB  192. She added  that the                                                               
suppression  requires a  hurdle of  a domestic  violence and  the                                                               
threshold is  not reached  if someone is  trying escape  a family                                                               
member. She detailed that to  reach the threshold a family member                                                               
must  be incarcerated,  or  a  claim must  be  filed against  the                                                               
family  member,  an aspect  that  her  constituent does  want  to                                                               
endure.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:07:50 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  MEYER   noted  in  the  Municipality   of  Anchorage  that                                                               
providing  a person's  name regarding  property taxes  results in                                                               
the ability to access a person's  address, how much they paid for                                                               
their house and what it is appraised at.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MACKINNON replied that she  would prefer to eliminate the                                                               
access that Chair  Meyer has described as well;  however, under a                                                               
federal act  that cannot be  eliminated. She noted that  a person                                                               
though would  have to know  the state a person  is in as  well as                                                               
the city to  be able to access  that data, more at  a micro level                                                               
than a macro level. She  explained that in her constituent's case                                                               
the person may  not have known her constituent was  in Alaska and                                                               
even  if they  did,  they wouldn't  have been  able  to access  a                                                               
municipal database to find my  constituent because they would not                                                               
have known which  city location her constituent was  in to access                                                               
the data Chair Meyer was speaking to.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WILSON pointed out that  he can search for individuals on                                                               
the Division of Elections' website. He  asked if SB 192 will also                                                               
address the  Division of Elections' website  regarding a personal                                                               
search.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MACKINNON answered that she  believed yes. She noted that                                                               
Director Josie  Bahnke from the  Alaska Division of  Elections is                                                               
in attendance and available to address the committee.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR EGAN asked how SB 192  will affect campaigns. He said the                                                               
$1,000 fee, especially in smaller  communities, will be expensive                                                               
for the individual  running for council or assembly.  He asked if                                                               
Senator  MacKinnon  thinks  that  the $1,000  fee  will  cause  a                                                               
disadvantage for somebody running for municipal election.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:10:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MACKINNON replied that she  thinks there are work-arounds                                                               
to  everything the  legislature does.  She noted  that the  major                                                               
parties allow  data to be  shared with anyone that  is associated                                                               
with them.  She opined  that a  statewide organization  could pay                                                               
$1,000 and share the data because  that data is not copy written.                                                               
She said she  is not opposed to having someone  who is registered                                                               
for election  to have a fee  that is different for  a precinct or                                                               
an area that is lower than  $1,000; however, she pointed out that                                                               
the  nationwide  average is  $1,800  for  a statewide  list.  She                                                               
emphasized that she brought the  legislation forward as a concern                                                               
from  her district  that her  constituents' information  is being                                                               
sold very  inexpensively to  everyone. She  said she  thought the                                                               
$1,000  barrier to  someone who  is not  declaring that  they are                                                               
going  to  raise  over  $1,000  may create  a  barrier  for  that                                                               
candidate and  there is  a way  around that  issue if  someone is                                                               
registered in an election to run for office.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR EGAN  stated that he  appreciated what  Senator MacKinnon                                                               
was  trying to  do; however,  he asked  if she  thought the  bill                                                               
protects domestic violence  victims and queried if  the bill also                                                               
addresses other  data sources  like tax  rolls, PFD,  or anything                                                               
from a recorder's office.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  MACKINNON  replied that  she  will  divert part  of  the                                                               
question  to the  Alaska  Division of  Elections  and the  Alaska                                                               
Permanent  Fund Corporation.  She said  her understanding  is the                                                               
data would  go backwards so  that both systems are  affected. She                                                               
asserted that the  bill's threshold is lower than  having to have                                                               
been a victim of domestic  violence. She asked that consideration                                                               
be given  to those that  are stalked or  bullied who do  now want                                                               
their information exposed.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
She explained the proposed data-blocking process as follows:                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     How  we   walk  through  this  with   the  Division  of                                                                    
     Elections is  that you could go  online electronically,                                                                    
     check  a  box,  and  your  data  would  be  blocked.  A                                                                    
     different  address  like  the  Division  of  Elections'                                                                    
     address  or  the  Alaska Permanent  Fund  Corporation's                                                                    
     address would  be exposed instead  of your  own private                                                                    
     information.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
She reiterated that  the precinct number must be  out otherwise a                                                               
person's identity  still can be  pinpointed. She  summarized that                                                               
the bill provides those experiencing  domestic violence or sexual                                                               
assault  an opportunity  to shield  their  physical address  from                                                               
others.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:13:12 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. HARTMANN provided the sectional analysis for SB 192 as                                                                      
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: AS 15.07.060                                                                                                
     Each voter applicant must indicate  whether or not they                                                                    
     want  their residential  and  mailing  addresses to  be                                                                    
     made confidential.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2: AS 15.07.060                                                                                                
     Establishes  how an  applicant, or  a person  acting on                                                                    
     behalf of the applicant,  may indicate that they desire                                                                    
     to  keep their  address or  addresses confidential;  by                                                                    
     making  a statement  to a  registration official  or by                                                                    
     marking a box on the registration form.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3: AS 15.07.064                                                                                                
     Requires  that  the  Division   of  Elections  use  the                                                                    
     address provided on the  Permanent Fund Application, if                                                                    
     it  is   different  from  their   current  registration                                                                    
     address, but  the division must also  keep that address                                                                    
     confidential if  the voter  requested their  address to                                                                    
     be confidential.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4: AS 15.07.127                                                                                                
     Increases  the   fee  for  the   state's  master-voter-                                                                    
     registration  list and  a list  by precinct  to $1,000.                                                                    
     This section also requires that  the voter's address be                                                                    
     kept  confidential  from this  list  if  the voter  has                                                                    
     requested confidentiality.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5: AS 15.07.195                                                                                                
     Allows a  voter to  elect to  keep the  voter's mailing                                                                    
     address confidential and  eliminates a requirement that                                                                    
     a voter  may only request that  the voter's residential                                                                    
     address be  kept confidential if  the voter  provided a                                                                    
     separate mailing address.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Section 6: AS 15.15.400                                                                                                
     Provides that copies  of the statewide list  and a list                                                                    
     by  precinct, may  be purchased  from the  division for                                                                    
     $1000. This section also makes  such copies of the list                                                                    
     subject to the address confidentiality provisions.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL  addressed section  2 that noted,  "Person acting                                                               
on  behalf;"  he asked  if  that  meant  anybody that  had  legal                                                               
authority.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. HARTMANN  replied that is what  she believed it is  and noted                                                               
that the verbiage is already in statute.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL  pointed out that  section 2 is a  new subsection                                                               
and queried if the language was rewritten.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. HARTMANN answered that the  section is new but explained that                                                               
the  current  statute allows  for  someone  to be  registered  by                                                               
someone else on behalf of them.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:15:40 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  COGHILL  stated that  he  struggles  with the  bill  and                                                               
explained as follows:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     I struggle with  this bill, I'm not a big  fan of it at                                                                    
     this point.  I appreciate  what they  are trying  to do                                                                    
     but   this  pulls   the  shade   down  for   everybody,                                                                    
     necessarily I  think that is a  little more complicated                                                                    
     than I am willing to go  down the road on. I appreciate                                                                    
     the fact  that you don't  want to necessarily  create a                                                                    
     legal action  to get yourself  off of the roll,  so I'm                                                                    
     sympathetic to  that and I'm  not too sure how  to deal                                                                    
     with it.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     This issue  just came to  me yesterday morning  for the                                                                    
     first time,  I looked  at it and  my first  reaction is                                                                    
     "no;" but, I appreciate it  and wanted to listen to the                                                                    
     sponsor's input  on why a  family might feel a  need to                                                                    
     be safe  from that  but I  also see  that what  you are                                                                    
     saying  is anybody  who  does  it so  then  you have  a                                                                    
     public safety part but you  also have those who want to                                                                    
     be more  nefarious can also  pull that shade  down, and                                                                    
     then you have  the problem Senator Egan  brought up and                                                                    
     that  is  we  have   created  a  democracy  problem  in                                                                    
     contacting people,  sometimes we weary people  to death                                                                    
     and  I  get  that  so I  think  people  would  check-it                                                                    
     because  of  that.  Sometimes   the  privacy  issue  as                                                                    
     brought  up is  just  so pervasive  that  where do  you                                                                    
     start? I  think what she is  trying to do as  a sponsor                                                                    
     is trying  to put her foot  down in one place  and say,                                                                    
     "At least here is what the state can control."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     So, I'm  probably more  inclined to  go to  a different                                                                    
     kind of  application which would  allow confidentiality                                                                    
     for whatever  cause and have  to state what  that cause                                                                    
     is, it could be anything from  a legal action to a fear                                                                    
     action, that's  where I would  probably go.  I struggle                                                                    
     less  with the  fee, it  is true  that some  places are                                                                    
     $5,000 for a  statewide list but there  are millions of                                                                    
     people, so you really can't  say an average because the                                                                    
     average  takes  a  population  plus  a  cost,  so  that                                                                    
     average doesn't really work out  that good. The jump to                                                                    
     Alaskans,   I  tend   to   agree,   it's  usually   the                                                                    
     professional people who  are going to want  that fee as                                                                    
     long  as we  allow  local races  to  have a  reasonable                                                                    
     access. So, I don't know  where that number would be, I                                                                    
     think  she started  high but  I'm  probably willing  to                                                                    
     talk about it because it  is true that people are using                                                                    
     those lists  very frequently  in a  very loose  way, so                                                                    
     I'm open to  that discussion. As somebody  who's had to                                                                    
     campaign,  I know  how  valuable it  is  to know  where                                                                    
     people live  and to  go contact them,  but I  also know                                                                    
     when somebody puts  a no trespassing you  just don't go                                                                    
     up  their  driveway and  I  think  that's what  she  is                                                                    
     trying to  say, no  trespassing here  for me  because I                                                                    
     feel vulnerable for whatever reason.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     I don't know  that I agree with the  approach just yet,                                                                    
     but I'm working on  it. Certainly the statisticians and                                                                    
     I've got  one in my  office who very clearly  used some                                                                    
     of these things, he's very good  at it and has given me                                                                    
     good  reason to  question this,  but as  I said  to the                                                                    
     sponsor in  my office,  "Okay, if  this isn't  the best                                                                    
     way what is  a good way to help somebody  feel safer in                                                                    
     a  world  where  the  information is  you  can  get  it                                                                    
     anywhere,"  and  this  doesn't  solve  the  problem  of                                                                    
     somebody that  wants to feel  safe in my view.  I don't                                                                    
     mind  the  dollar  amount  because  generally  speaking                                                                    
     these  are highly  manipulated databases  basically for                                                                    
     all of  the political reasons,  we all know  about, but                                                                    
     at the  end of the day  they are people, they  are just                                                                    
     individual people  and some  of them  don't want  to be                                                                    
     bothered for  whatever reason. I  just don't  know that                                                                    
     this  is the  best  way  to get  there,  so I'm  hoping                                                                    
     you're not going to move  it out right away because I'm                                                                    
     still  warming up  to  the idea.  I'm  trying to  think                                                                    
     what's the  best solution.  I'm trying  to think  of an                                                                    
     amendment that I might put into  it and I'm really at a                                                                    
     loss  at this  point.  So,  I just  wanted  to let  the                                                                    
     sponsor know I  appreciate the effort but  I'm not with                                                                    
     her on this particular approach yet.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:20:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  MEYER noted  that  the committee  will  go through  public                                                               
testimony that may provide additional input to Senator Coghill.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL remarked  that he hoped people do  not think that                                                               
the committee is  insensitive to people who "feel  that fear." He                                                               
queried  how to  get it  done but  appreciated Senator  MacKinnon                                                               
stepping up to try and figure out a way.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  MACKINNON asked  to  speak to  the  "nefarious" part  in                                                               
Senator Coghill's previous statement as follows:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Public safety and the State  of Alaska would still have                                                                    
     access to  all of that  data; this  is as you  say, "no                                                                    
     trespassing," that  a private  person is putting  up in                                                                    
     their yard, and  we are allowing this data  to be sold.                                                                    
     We are allowing it  to become profitable information at                                                                    
     the expense of  folks who are asking not  to have their                                                                    
     data sold.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COGHILL  opined that  in  a  democratic world  you  must                                                               
enlist people to  participate and that is one of  the issues that                                                               
must be  dealt with  as to  how to keep  people safe  while still                                                               
allowing  the  democratic  process  to work,  an  issue  that  he                                                               
struggles  with. He  said on  the other  hand he  referenced data                                                               
Senator  MacKinnon provided  that showed  ways other  states have                                                               
"imperfectly"  dealt  with  the  issue that  the  legislature  is                                                               
trying  to address,  mostly dealing  with sexual  assault, sexual                                                               
violence  and  things like  that  where  a restraining  order  is                                                               
required. He noted  that Senator MacKinnon said there  is a lower                                                               
threshold, something that becomes  problematic for him. He opined                                                               
that  he  questioned  the  ability  to jut  checkoff  a  box  for                                                               
whatever reason if someone wanted to disappear.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:22:25 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER opened public testimony.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:23:00 PM                                                                                                                    
JOSIE  BAHNKE, Director,  Alaska Division  of Elections,  Juneau,                                                               
Alaska, testified that  the division does not oppose  SB 192. She                                                               
said  the  division  feels that  the  legislation  is  relatively                                                               
straight forward to implement since  the division currently has a                                                               
way  to mark  a voter's  information as  confidential. She  noted                                                               
that  the  change  in  the  bill would  have  no  impact  on  the                                                               
financial cost  associated with the  division's conduct  of state                                                               
and federal elections nor would  any additional staff be required                                                               
to implement the proposed law.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WILSON asked  Ms. Bahnke to address what  would happen to                                                               
the  ability to  search names  on the  division's website  if the                                                               
bill passed.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BAHNKE  replied  that  the only  search  on  the  division's                                                               
website  requires a  person to  enter  personal identifiers  that                                                               
includes: voter ID,  name, last-four digits of  a social security                                                               
number;  if  someone knows  that  information,  they could  do  a                                                               
search on themselves or someone else.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:25:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  WILSON stated  that  he has  questions  for the  sponsor                                                               
regarding the  impact on voter registration,  voting processes at                                                               
political  party conventions,  or the  possibility of  inhibiting                                                               
folks from being able to participate in the voting process.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COGHILL  asked if  someone  acting  on another  person's                                                               
behalf  when voting  would normally  be "power  of attorney."  He                                                               
said the  statute is  AS 15.07.070(b) and  Ms. Bahnke  can answer                                                               
the question  later. He inquired  what the division will  do with                                                               
the money from the proposed $1,000 fee.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. BAHNKE answered that currently  the Division of Elections has                                                               
no vehicle  to get the funding  directed to the division,  so all                                                               
receipts would go through the general fund.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL  asked if the  division has talked  about raising                                                               
the value of the sale of lists.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. BAHNKE answered that the division has not.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL  asked if  she had thought  about what  the value                                                               
might be as a tool for  the division's benefit to help manage the                                                               
voting  list. He  said the  fee is  steep but  conceded that  the                                                               
proposed fee is not totally unreasonable.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER inquired  how many times the division  sells the list                                                               
per year.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:29:07 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  BAHNKE replied  that the  division  sells approximately  50-                                                               
statewide lists per year.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER  asked if  there is a  requirement when  someone buys                                                               
the list.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. BAHNKE explained  that the division collects the  name of the                                                               
organization  the individual  is  representing  and address.  She                                                               
noted that the division mails a DVD with the information.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER surmised  that if the fee is paid  the state does not                                                               
know who is  receiving the information or what they  are going to                                                               
do with the information.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. BAHNKE answered yes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COGHILL  noted  that approximately  27  percent  of  the                                                               
state's  population moves  per year.  He asked  how the  division                                                               
manages  its files  and  if  the bill  is  going  to affect  file                                                               
accuracy.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BAHNKE answered  that in  statute  the division  has a  very                                                               
detailed process to annually  conduct list maintenance, something                                                               
the  division recently  completed. She  explained that  to ensure                                                               
the  voter  roll  accuracy,  the  division is  a  member  of  the                                                               
Electronic Registration Information Center  (ERIC), a group of 23                                                               
states  where   the  division   does  cross-state   and  in-state                                                               
duplicate  death  records where  reports  are  run on  a  regular                                                               
basis.  She added  that the  division gets  the most  current PFD                                                               
automatic-voter-registration   information    from   the   Alaska                                                               
Permanent Fund Corporation as well.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL  conceded that once  in awhile his  confidence in                                                               
government is low  and the Division of Elections  has not escaped                                                               
his scrutiny. He  said the division's voter-file  management is a                                                               
process they must go through;  however, he pointed out that there                                                               
have  been  times   when  the  division's  accuracy   had  to  be                                                               
investigated. He opined that the  bill would make checking on the                                                               
division's accuracy very hard to  do. He summarized that division                                                               
accountability is another factor that must be considered.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:32:46 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  MEYER asked  if  requesting  confidentiality during  voter                                                               
registration was currently possible.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BAHNKE answered  that  the  division has  both  a paper  and                                                               
online voter registration application  process that allows voters                                                               
to request that their residence  address remain confidential if a                                                               
separate mailing address is provided.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:34:09 PM                                                                                                                    
CARMEN  LOWRY, Executive  Director,  Alaska  Network on  Domestic                                                               
Violence  and  Sexual  Assault,   Juneau,  Alaska,  testified  in                                                               
support of SB 192.  She said SB 192 will go  along way to protect                                                               
victims of  domestic violence, sexual  assault and  stalking. She                                                               
asserted  that abusers  go to  great  lengths to  find out  where                                                               
people  live, and  the bill  provides confidentiality  and safety                                                               
for victims. She  added that the bill will  also encourage people                                                               
to  vote  by  allowing  a  person  to  control  access  to  their                                                               
residential and mailing addresses.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:36:03 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER closed public testimony.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR   MACKINNON  noted   that  she   has  communicated   with                                                               
individuals  affected by  stalking who  are not  comfortable with                                                               
calling in, e-mailing  or texting, the very people  that the bill                                                               
intends to protect. She set  forth that setting a lower threshold                                                               
protects all people. She summarized as follows:                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     I  understand that  we want  to make  sure that  we can                                                                    
     reach out and talk to  people as elected officials, but                                                                    
     if people don't  want to talk to us, they  have a right                                                                    
     to put up a no-trespass sign.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:37:21 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER held SB 192 in committee.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
               SB 207-TRANSFER DUTIES FROM DCCED                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:37:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER called the committee  back to order. He announced the                                                               
consideration of SB 207.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:37:51 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MIA  COSTELLO, Alaska State Legislature,  Juneau, Alaska,                                                               
sponsor of SB 207, explained  that the bill deletes a department.                                                               
She noted  that the concept  for the bill  has been years  in the                                                               
making. She  emphasized that economic  development is one  of her                                                               
priorities  as   a  legislator  and   noted  that  most   of  her                                                               
legislation  has  been  to  promote   that.  She  referenced  her                                                               
legislative  history with  governors  Hickel  and Murkowski.  She                                                               
detailed her  experiences with two administrations  that included                                                               
departmental consolidation  as well  as her involvement  in trade                                                               
missions  to  Asia  to  promote Alaska.  She  remarked  that  she                                                               
questioned  whether  the   departmental  consolidation  currently                                                               
works and noted that as one reason why she introduced the bill.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR   COSTELLO  disclosed   that   during  her   time  as   a                                                               
representative  in the  House she  oversaw a  working group  that                                                               
addressed  how to  diversify the  state's economy.  She disclosed                                                               
that one  of the questions  the working group asked  pertained to                                                               
identifying  a state  that was  doing a  good job  and Texas  was                                                               
identified. She said  the Texas website is a "one  stop shop" for                                                               
easily connecting  inquires with the people  and resources needed                                                               
to start a business in the state.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
She noted  that she constantly  asks the  question as to  how the                                                               
state  can elevate  its economic  development and  disclosed that                                                               
her answer  is to get rid  of the Alaska Department  of Commerce,                                                               
Community,  and   Economic  Development   (DCCED)  and   put  the                                                               
commissioner  and  some divisions  in  the  governor's office  to                                                               
elevate the position. She said  DCCED spans a tremendous range of                                                               
topics and  emphasized that her  proposed change is not  meant to                                                               
diminish the work that is done  at the department, but to elevate                                                               
it.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
She explained that the commissioner  for DCCED sits on 23 boards,                                                               
a time-consuming job  where most of the  responsibilities will go                                                               
to  other departments,  including the  Department of  Revenue and                                                               
the Department  of Natural  Resources. She  detailed some  of her                                                               
proposed changes as follows:                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
   • The Minerals Commission and the forest products in that                                                                    
     department will go into the Department of Natural                                                                          
     Resources.                                                                                                                 
   • The Alaska Film Office, no longer in existence, will be                                                                    
     "removed from the books."                                                                                                  
   • Remove the commissioner's office in the Division of                                                                        
     Administrative Services:                                                                                                   
        o The commissioner would be housed in the governor's                                                                    
          office and work directly with the governor and staff                                                                  
          members.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
She noted  that many of the  departments used to be  separate and                                                               
were ultimately combined;  however, she said the  state has never                                                               
asked if combining the departments  is working. She asserted that                                                               
it  is  a  worthy  discussion when  considering  Alaska's  fiscal                                                               
challenges.  She  added  that  she thinks  the  state  should  be                                                               
marketed  and encouraged  the administration  and legislature  to                                                               
market Alaska whenever possible.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:44:19 PM                                                                                                                    
JOSHUA   WALTON,   Staff,    Senator   Costello,   Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature,  Juneau,  Alaska,  noted   that  the  bill  has  127                                                               
sections   due   to    departmental-separation   components.   He                                                               
referenced  the  proposed division/office/program  relocation  as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   • Dissolved:                                                                                                                 
        o Commissioner's Office,                                                                                                
        o Division of Administrative Services,                                                                                  
        o Alaska Film Office.                                                                                                   
   • Office of the Governor:                                                                                                    
        o Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute,                                                                                   
        o Alaska Tourism Marketing Board,                                                                                       
        o Division of Economic Development:                                                                                     
             square4 Development Section,                                                                                       
        o Note:                                                                                                                 
             square4 Includes all marketing programs,                                                                           
             square4 Includes all non-lending programs.                                                                         
   • Department of Revenue:                                                                                                     
        o Division of Banking and Securities,                                                                                   
        o Division of Community and Regional Affairs,                                                                           
        o Division of Corporations, Business and Professional                                                                   
          Licensing (DCCED-CBPL),                                                                                               
        o Division of Economic Development:                                                                                     
             square4 Investments Section,                                                                                       
        o Division of Insurance,                                                                                                
        o Alaska Energy Authority,                                                                                              
        o AIDEA,                                                                                                                
        o Alaska Gasline Development Corporation,                                                                               
        o Alaska Railroad Corporation,                                                                                          
        o Alcoholic Beverage Control Board,                                                                                     
        o Marijuana Control Board,                                                                                              
        o Regulatory Commission of Alaska,                                                                                      
        o Note:                                                                                                                 
             square4 Includes all revolving loan fund programs,                                                                 
             square4 Includes all independent and quasi-judicial                                                                
               agencies.                                                                                                        
   • Department of Natural Resources:                                                                                           
        o Alaska Minerals Commission,                                                                                           
        o Alaska Forest Products.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
He pointed out that a committee substitute would be required to                                                                 
carry out all the bill's objectives.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:48:06 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WILSON  asked Senator Costello to  address the referenced                                                               
memo  for  SB  207  from  the  Division  of  Legal  and  Research                                                               
Services, item 10 regarding the  constitutionality of moving some                                                               
of the items  into the Office of the Governor  and referenced the                                                               
section as follows:                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Moving  duties  and  programs  to  the  Office  of  the                                                                    
     Governor.  As  requested,  the   bill  moves  the  film                                                                    
     production  promotion   program,  the   Alaska  product                                                                    
     preference  program,   the  Made  in   Alaska  labeling                                                                    
     program, and  tourism duties and  grants from  DCCED to                                                                    
     the  Office  of  the Governor.  However,  moving  these                                                                    
     duties and  programs out of a  principal department and                                                                    
     into the Office  of the Governor raises  an issue under                                                                    
     the Constitution of the State of Alaska.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Article III;  sections 22, 25, 26;  Constitution of the                                                                    
     State  of  Alaska;  provide  that  the  Legislature  is                                                                    
     required   to   allocate   powers  to   the   principal                                                                    
     departments in  the executive branch and  that the head                                                                    
     of  a principal  department is  subject to  legislative                                                                    
     confirmation. The  Legislature exercises  its oversight                                                                    
     of   these  departments   by   confirming  the   single                                                                    
     executive or  members of the  commission or  board that                                                                    
     head the department.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     The Alaska Supreme Court has  not addressed whether the                                                                    
     governor's office  is a principal  department; however,                                                                    
     the Legislature may not confirm  the head of the Office                                                                    
     of the Governor (the governor),  and it does not appear                                                                    
     that the Office  of the Governor would  be considered a                                                                    
     principal   department    as   contemplated    by   the                                                                    
     constitution.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Moving duties and programs  from a principal department                                                                    
     into the Office of the  Governor appears to violate the                                                                    
     constitutional   requirement   that   the   Legislature                                                                    
     allocate  powers, etc.,  to the  principal departments.                                                                    
     In addition,  transferring duties  and programs  to the                                                                    
     Office  of  the   Governor  removes  the  Legislature's                                                                    
     oversight  (by  its   confirmation  authority)  of  the                                                                    
     execution  and  implementation   of  these  transferred                                                                    
     duties and programs once they  are in the Office of the                                                                    
     Governor.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
          1. Under Article III,  section 22, the Legislature                                                                    
          has the  authority to allocate  functions, powers,                                                                    
          and  duties to  departments  within the  executive                                                                    
          branch, with the limitation that  there be no more                                                                    
          than  20   principal  departments.   Article  III,                                                                    
          section   24,   further  provides   that   "[e]ach                                                                    
          principal   department   shall    be   under   the                                                                    
          supervision of the governor."                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
          2. Art.  III, section  25, requires that  the head                                                                    
          of each  principal department be appointed  by the                                                                    
         governor, subject to legislative confirmation.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
          3.  Art.  III,  section   26,  requires  that  the                                                                    
          members  of a  board  or commission  that heads  a                                                                    
          principal  department  or   regulatory  or  quasi-                                                                    
         judicial agency be appointed by the governor.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COSTELLO  explained that the bill  moves the commissioner                                                               
of DCCED  to the governor's  office. She specified that  the bill                                                               
does  not move  the  "commissioner of  the  department," but  the                                                               
"commissioner" is  being moved.  She said  she believes  that for                                                               
clarity it  is possible to have  language in the bill  that says,                                                               
"For  the purposes  of this  section  the commissioner  is not  a                                                               
commissioner of a department."                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:49:14 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL  addressed the  memo from  the Division  of Legal                                                               
and Research Services as follows:                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     A  follow up  on  Senator Wilson's  question. What  the                                                                    
     memo calls out is  moving these individuals, whether it                                                                    
     is the commissioner or any  of these divisions and most                                                                    
     prevalently the Division  of Corporations, Business and                                                                    
     Professional  Licensing  (DCCED-CBPL); these  personnel                                                                    
     are  subject to  legislative  confirmation  and as  the                                                                    
     memo points out that moving  duties and programs to the                                                                    
     Office  of   the  Governor   appears  to   violate  the                                                                    
     constitutional   requirement   that   the   legislature                                                                    
     allocate  powers  to  principal  departments  and  have                                                                    
     oversite related to confirmation.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
She  asked  Senator   Costello  how  she  would   deal  with  the                                                               
constitutional issue referenced in the memo.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COSTELLO  reiterated that  she believes  that there  is a                                                               
work-around  with  the issue  that  Senators  Wilson and  Giessel                                                               
referenced. She  said she is willing  to work with anyone  who is                                                               
interested in pursuing the noted constitutional issue.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL specified  that  her main  familiarity with  the                                                               
entire DCCED has to do with  DCCED-CBPL. She pointed out that the                                                               
division  staff   provides  substantial  staff  support   to  the                                                               
multiple  boards and  questioned the  substantial staff  movement                                                               
into  the  Department  of  Revenue. She  said  her  second  issue                                                               
focuses  on  the  mission  conflict  between  the  Department  of                                                               
Revenue's task  in collecting money versus  the mission statement                                                               
for  DCCED-CBPL.   She  opined  that  DCCED-CBPL   has  a  quasi-                                                               
adjudicatory regulatory  mission or  charge that  seems to  be in                                                               
conflict  in terms  of  the Department  of  Revenue's purpose  of                                                               
collecting money.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:51:40 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  WILSON   thanked  Senator   Costello  for   looking  for                                                               
efficiencies by  combining governmental services. He  said he was                                                               
willing to work with her to  try and find more suitable places to                                                               
put some  of the departments.  He conceded that he  questioned if                                                               
DCCED could be  fully eradicated but opined that  some pieces may                                                               
be moved around to shrink the size of the department.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL  remarked that  SB 207 is  a big  undertaking. He                                                               
opined  that  Senator  Costello's  focus   may  be  on  what  the                                                               
government can  do to  be nimbler  in its  business opportunities                                                               
versus the idea  of efficiency. He said the legislation  is a big                                                               
shake-up where  core responsibilities are blended.  He questioned                                                               
whether the focus on core responsibilities would be retained.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COSTELLO  asserted that  SB 207 is  transformational. She                                                               
pointed out  that the  proposed departmental  change in  the bill                                                               
also occurred  in the 1990s  when three departments  were merged.                                                               
She  said   there  is  a   need  to  break  down   silos  between                                                               
departments;  for   example,  there  might  be   advantages  with                                                               
Community  and  Regional  Affairs  being housed  in  a  different                                                               
department,  whether the  Department of  Revenue or  another one.                                                               
She  noted  that  when  the   merger  occurred,  DCCED  became  a                                                               
department  that spanned  a  huge range  of  issues ranging  from                                                               
aerospace  to rural  bulk fuel  loans.  She disclosed  that at  a                                                               
recent  Aviation  Advisory Council  meeting  she  learned that  a                                                               
community was eligible for federal funds  but was not aware of it                                                               
because  "that's  a  DOT  issue."   She  opined  that  there  are                                                               
opportunities  for  increased  collaboration  and  asserted  that                                                               
asking the question is worthwhile  to enhance some of the things.                                                               
She  reiterated that  the commissioners  spend a  third of  their                                                               
time  sitting on  boards  and the  question  addressing the  time                                                               
issue  is posed  in the  bill. She  noted that  there is  a House                                                               
version of SB 207 as well.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:55:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  MEYER said  he appreciated  Senator Costello  for bringing                                                               
the legislation forward. He agreed  with previous statements that                                                               
SB  207  is  big  bill  and  noted  that  the  legislation  needs                                                               
additional  work, pointing  out that  the fiscal  notes have  not                                                               
been able to keep up. He  asked Senator Costello if her intent is                                                               
to save the state money.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COSTELLO explained  that  saving money  is  not why  she                                                               
introduced the bill but saving money  would be a benefit from the                                                               
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MEYER commented  that he likes the idea  of, "breaking down                                                               
the silos."  He noted that  Senator Costello gave the  example of                                                               
how  everything  was  centralized   to  reduce  staff  and  share                                                               
services, a  concept he  likes and will  address with  the deputy                                                               
commissioner. He suggested  that work continue with  the bill and                                                               
noted that  Senator Wilson  offered his  assistance. He  said the                                                               
bill will be brought back for public testimony at a later date.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:57:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MEYER held SB 207 in committee.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:57:58 PM                                                                                                                    
There being  no further  business to  come before  the committee,                                                               
Chair  Meyer   adjourned  the   Senate  State   Affairs  Standing                                                               
Committee at 4:57 p.m.                                                                                                          

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
SCR 17 Sponsor Statement.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SCR 17
SCR 17 Version A.PDF SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SCR 17
SCR 17 Fiscal Note.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SCR 17
SCR 17 Support Materials News Article 11.20.2016.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SCR 17
SB 204 Version A.PDF SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 204
SB 204 Fiscal Note DMV.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 204
SB 192 Version A.PDF SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 192
SB 192 Sponsor Statement.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 192
SB 192 Fiscal Note.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 192
SB 207 Version A.PDF SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 207
SB 207 - Sponsor Statement.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 207
SB 207 - Supporting Materials - Chart of Proposed Component Relocation.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 207
SB 207 - Additional Materials - 2.26.18 DCCED Letter to Senator Costello re SB 207.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 207
SB 207 - Additional Materials - Leg. Legal Memo re HB 63 (related legislation).pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
HB 63
SB 207
SB 204 Sponsor Statement.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 204
SB 204 Support.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 204
SB 192 Sectional Analysis.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 192
SCR 17 Support CDVSA 2015 Victimization Survey.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SCR 17
SCR 17 Support Materials 2018 Theme.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SCR 17
SCR 17 Support Materials CDC National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SCR 17
SB 192 Legislative Research Voter Information Privacy.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SB 192
SCR 17 Support Ltr Women.pdf SSTA 2/27/2018 3:30:00 PM
SCR 17