HB  51-APPROPRIATION LIMIT; GOV BUDGET                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:27:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY  announced that the  final order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 51, "An  Act relating to an  appropriation limit;                                                               
relating  to the  budget responsibilities  of  the governor;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:28:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WILL STAPP,  Alaska State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor,  gave a  summary  of  HB 51,  which  is  a spending  cap                                                               
revision  that would  change the  statutory appropriation  limit;                                                               
however,  to   be  effective,   it  must   be  passed   with  the                                                               
accompanying    piece   of    legislation   that    changes   the                                                               
constitutional appropriations limit.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:29:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP  asked whether this would  interfere with the                                                               
state government's ability to respond to an emergency event.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP answered no, disasters are exempt from the                                                                 
statutory and constitutional appropriation limit.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:29:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COSTELLO opined that the bill is necessary.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:29:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP moved  to report HB 51 out  of committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being  no objection, HB  51 was  reported out of  the House                                                               
Judiciary Standing Committee.