HB 309-APOC; CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS/REPORTING  9:10:43 AM CO-CHAIR SCHRAGE announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 309, "An Act exempting candidates for municipal office and municipal office holders in municipalities with a population of 15,000 or less from financial or business interest reporting requirements; relating to campaign finance reporting by certain groups; and providing for an effective date." [Before the committee, adopted on 3/3/22 as a working document, was the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 309, Version 320LS0540\G, Bullard, 2/24/22 ("Version G").] 9:10:54 AM CO-CHAIR SCHRAGE opened public testimony on HB 309. 9:11:07 AM JOHN HANDELAND, Mayor, City of Nome, testified in support of HB 256. He gave his background as a public official, having served 7 terms as mayor. He observed that the reporting requirement of the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) seems to deter some people from running for public office. He talked about familiarity when living in small communities, and about disclosure and the issue of confidentiality. He questioned the extension of the effective date, and he suggested July 1, 2022, as an appropriate effective date. 9:16:10 AM CO-CHAIR SCHRAGE, after ascertaining there was no one else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 309. [HB 309 was held over.]