SENATE BILL NO. 55                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to judges of the court of appeals;                                                                        
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:11:05 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von  Imhof announced that  the committee  had moved                                                                    
the bill  from committee  a year  prior. She  explained that                                                                    
the  bill was  returned  to the  Senate Judiciary  Committee                                                                    
where there  was a  solution with  a larger  proposed fiscal                                                                    
note.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:11:31 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DAVID WILSON, SPONSOR, introduced himself.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:11:36 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
JASMIN  MARTIN,  STAFF,  SENATOR  DAVID  WILSON,  introduced                                                                    
herself.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson explained the bill.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof surmised that  the bill proposed a fourth                                                                    
judge be added to the Court of Appeals.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson replied in the  affirmative. He explained the                                                                    
Sectional Analysis (copy on file):                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: Amends AS 22.07.010 to add a fourth judge                                                                       
     to the Court of Appeals.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2: Establishes an effective date of July 1,                                                                        
     2020.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  von Imhof  noted that  the fourth  judge would  be                                                                    
added with the intention of addressing the case backlog.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:16:18 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
NANCY MEADE, GENERAL COUNSEL, ALASKA  COURT SYSTEM, spoke in                                                                    
support of the bill.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof requested a review of the fiscal note.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Meade explained that the  fiscal noted included the cost                                                                    
for a permanent position, with the accompanying staff.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:20:45 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  von Imhof  wondered  whether the  plan  B was  the                                                                    
intention.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Meade replied in the affirmative.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof asked about Plan A.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Meade stated  that if the bill were  passed, the request                                                                    
would be removed from the budget increment.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman stated that the fiscal note could be                                                                           
zeroed out to clear the accounting issue.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Meade replied that it was not a fiscal note issue, but                                                                      
was a part of the Court System's budget increment request.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop stated that the published note was $228,020.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof agreed.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof discussed the following day's agenda.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SB 55 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                               
consideration.