SENATE BILL NO. 250 An Act making and amending capital, supplemental, and other appropriations and reappropriations; making a reappropriation under art. IX, sec. 17c, Constitution of the State of Alaska, from the constitutional budget reserve fund; making appropriations to capitalize funds; ratifying certain expenditures; and providing for an effective date. Vice Chair Bunde MOVED to adopt the work draft SB 260, #1- GS2041\N, Utermohle, 3/15/00, as the version of the bill before the Committee. There being NO OBJECTION, it was adopted. Co-Chair Mulder commented that the most notable changes from the Senate version to the proposed draft was full funding for Power Cost Equalization (PCE), pupil transportation, and incorporation of some of the provisions which the Senate had included. Co-Chair Mulder provided a brief overview of the spreadsheet and the proposed bill. [Copy on File]. Representative J. Davies pointed out that there had been receipt authority contained in the original version of the bill for the University which was not included in the proposed draft. Co-Chair Mulder replied that the goal was to try to create a bill that would not need to go to Conference Committee. The intent was to include only time sensitive issues. The Senate did not agree that the University addition was a time sensitive issue. Representative J. Davies asked if it would be included in the regular supplemental. Co-Chair Mulder responded that he did support that notion. Vice Chair Bunde asked for further information on Item #12, the Department of Public Safety, the grant to the Alaska Mountain Safety Center for providing avalanche-warning services in the amount of $125.4 thousand dollars. KEN BISCHOFF, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATION SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, advised that this project has gone through many changes based on an original project recommendation submitted by the Alaska State Troopers. The original full year program did not go forward. The Department was asked to identify the amount of funding to contract services for the balance of this fiscal year. Based on that information, the Department identified $670 thousand dollars, of which approximately $124 thousand dollars was on a prorated basis, and eliminating the one time costs for equipment. It was a policy decision to request only appropriate expenditures for this fiscal year. Mr. Bischoff advised that eventually, there will be a permanent avalanche program. ANNALEE MCCONNELL, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGMENT AND BUDGET, OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, added that when the Administration was first discussing the project with the Department, deciding what the State should have in place was considered. She pointed out that the Department was asked to pare down this year's request. She alluded to a program which could be permanently in place to address these concerns. The Administration is exploring use of Federal Emergency Management Assistance (FEMA) monies to help with mitigation. Vice Chair Bunde asked what the money would be used for. Mr. Bischoff replied that the money would be used for road condition alerts and to create a mechanism to access high use areas. The funds would not be used for snow removal. Co-Chair Mulder asked the cost of putting Public Service Announcements (PSA) out on the radio to alert people of potential avalanches. Mr. Bischoff replied that the PSA portion could be accomplished for about $15,000 dollars. Ms. McConnell interjected that there needs to be an assessment performed to identify specific risk areas and target them. Representative G. Davis asked if the Alaska Mountain Safety Center was a non-profit group. Mr. Bischoff replied that it is a non profit organization with a specialty in handling these situations. They do have existing contracts to do this work. Ms. McConnell added that this group is currently doing the avalanche warning systems for industry and various municipalities. Their role is to provide trainings and classes. Ms. McConnell acknowledged the concern of how to "get people to think" with regard to avalanche warnings. She emphasized that the Department can not take extra responsibility in that area with their current resources. Co-Chair Mulder asked how long the Department has been dealing with this concern. Ms. McConnell replied that the Governor had been discussing it since late fall. A task group was organized to work with various organizations. During the past couple months, the Department has been working on it, however, it was not included in the budget as it came to the Administration to late. Representative G. Davis inquired where that language was located in the bill. Co-Chair Mulder replied that it was placed in the summary sheet listed as Section #12. Representative Grussendorf asked how Section 7(b)-Department of Law related to Section (8)-Legislative Council. Co-Chair Mulder recommended that Representative Grussendorf offer an amendment to delete Section 7(b) and Section 8. Representative Grussendorf MOVED to DELETE Section 8 from the bill. Vice Chair Bunde OBJECTED for the purpose of discussion. Co-Chair Mulder explained that the issue was for funding statehood defense. There are a variety of concerns in that category. Legislative Council desired that they have necessary funding in order to pursue legal support from the Department of Law. Representative Austerman suggested that the language should be written more specifically to warrant his support. He asked where that funding would be spent. A roll call vote was taken on the motion. IN FAVOR: J. Davies, G. Davis, Foster, Grussendorf, Phillips, Williams, Austerman, Therriault, Mulder OPPOSED: Bunde Representative Moses was not present for the vote. The MOTION PASSED (9-1). Representative Grussendorf MOVED to REDUCE Section 7(b) by $100 thousand dollars. Representative Williams OBJECTED for the purpose of discussion. Representative Grussendorf explained that action would balance Section 7(b) and Section 8. Representative Phillips recommended deleting the entire Section 7(b). Representative J. Davies asked why it had been included in the "fast track" supplemental. Co-Chair Mulder replied that there are a number of issues involving the State's rights litigation that are currently underway. In discussions with the Administration, the intent was to guarantee that the Department would have adequate resources to address whatever comes up. Representative Phillips pointed out that when the Subcommittee went through the Department of Law's budget, there was not a request for additional funds for the State rights cases. Representative Phillips MOVED to AMEND the amendment by deleting the entire amount of $500 thousand dollars. Representative Grussendorf OBJECTED. He commented that he was trying to appease the Senate side for the statehood defense. Co-Chair Mulder noted that Senator Parnell had indicated that he felt a "little burned" on the issue and that he would support that delete. Representative Grussendorf WITHDREW his OBJECTION to deleting "$500 thousand dollars" from Section 7(b). There being NO further OBJECTION, that amount in Subsection 7(b) was deleted from the bill. There being NO OBJECTION to the amended amendment, it was adopted. Representative Phillips referenced Page 6, Line 8, pointing out that she did not remember that section being included in the House bill. Co-Chair Mulder explained that section was a reappropriation. Vice Chair Bunde voiced his concern with the mountain safety line. He recommended that it be changed to reflect the $100 thousand dollar deletion. Co-Chair Mulder noted that he had an amendment which would appropriate $15 thousand dollars to that component for PSA's. Co-Chair Mulder MOVED to ADOPT #1. [Copy on File]. Representative J. Davies OBJECTED for the purpose of discussion. Representative J. Davies asked if the amount of money proposed in the amendment would be adequate. Mr. Bischoff replied that the presumption was open and that the funds will be contracted. Representative J. Davies inquired which areas of the State would be affected and if the Alaska Mountain Safety Center was prepared to accommodate that information. Co-Chair Mulder questioned with the reduced amount, should the language include the Alaska Mountain Safety Center or should that reference be deleted. Mr. Bischoff recommended that portion be left open to the Department's discretion. Representative Phillips noted that the amendment was drafted to version "K" of the bill and that the Committee was speaking to drafted version "N". Co-Chair Mulder responded that there would be a new Section #12, which would follow Line 24. Co-Chair Mulder offered an amendment to the amendment, Line 4, delete "#17" and insert "following Line 24"; Lines 7-8, deleting the language "for payment as a grant under AS 37.05.316 to the Alaska Mountain Safety Center". Representative J. Davies OBJECTED. Representative J. Davies asked if the information which the Department would be using, would be available without inclusion of that language. Mr. Bischoff advised that all resources that the State Troopers currently use would be tapped to provide essential information. Representative J. Davies understood that the original proposal would require additional work to mark the harzard places in the high-risk areas. He commented that there should be an additional sum to cover the costs of data for the PSA's. Co-Chair Mulder suggested that another amendment would address that concern. Representative J. Davies WITHDREW his OBJECTION. Vice Chair Bunde commented that this would be a "feel good" gesture, which he doubted would be effective. He asserted that people would continue to put themselves into danger regardless of the PSA's. There being NO further OBJECTION, the amendment to the amendment was adopted. Representative J. Davies questioned if there needed to be an additional amount above the PSA amount passed on for the Mountain Safety Center to consolidate that information. Ms. McConnell replied that Commissioner Otte had indicated that there needs to be additional postings. She stated that the Department could use any additional support. Representative J. Davies MOVED to change the amount from $15,000 dollars to $30,000 dollars with the intent that the additional $15,000 dollars would be used to contract with the Alaska Mountain Safety Center to provide additional information. There being NO OBJECTION, it was adopted. Representative Phillips MOVED to report HCS CS 205 (FIN) out of Committee with individual recommendations. Representative J. Davies OBJECTED for the purpose of a comment. He voiced his appreciation that the supplemental was moved expedientially. Representative J. Davies WITHDREW his OBJECTION, and the bill moved from Committee. HCS CS SB 250 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with "individual recommendations".