SENATOR TAYLOR brought CSHB 334(FIN) am (SENTENCING;3RD SERIOUS FELONY OFFENDER) before the committee. REPRESENTATIVE CON BUNDE, prime sponsor of HB 334, pointed out that fiscal impact will not incur by passage of this legislation for a period of 12 to 15 years because those current people who would commit a third felony will already be incarcerated for 12 to 15 years. He added that the fiscal impact and the amount it is diminished is an imponderable when it comes to how much of a deterrent it will be with the possibility of a long-term sentence facing a career criminal. Number 300 SENATOR LITTLE referred to the fiscal note from the Department of Corrections. She said if the incarcerents currently in the system already have two or three of these eligible offenses against them, the effects would be coming much more rapidly than the fiscal note would imply. PATTY SWENSON, staff to Representative Bunde confirmed that the felonies do accumulate and there are people in prison now with some felonies, but she thinks the Department of Corrections feels that they will be in prison long enough so that there will be no immediate fiscal impact. Number 329 SENATOR TAYLOR commented that when the same legislation was signed into law in California, Governor Pete Wilson said it would mean that they would need to build additional facilities over the next several years for 82,000 additional prisoners. REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE responded that California's population base is different than Alaska's population base, and this proposed legislation is written much more tightly and relates only to crimes against people. Number 370 SENATOR LITTLE said she was generally supportive of the legislation, but is very concerned about the impacts to the Department of Corrections and other departments by passing such a bill. She asked Representative Bunde if he is personally willing to financially support those systems that are going to be impacted by imposition of this legislation. REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE answered that he would. Number 390 SENATOR HALFORD moved that CSHB 334(FIN) am be passed out of committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.