HOUSE BILL NO. 298                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to confidentiality of performance                                                                         
     review records and reports of the legislature audit                                                                        
     division."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:32:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SPEAKER MIKE  CHENAULT, SPONSOR noted the  legislation was a                                                                    
technical fix to a previous bill.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SHARON  KELLY, STAFF,  SPEAKER CHENAULT,  explained that  HB                                                                    
298  was  a  technical  fix  to  AS  24.20.301(a).  The  fix                                                                    
conformed confidentiality  language for  performance reviews                                                                    
to the same language for  audits. She reminded the committee                                                                    
that  HB 30  [State Agency  Performance Audits]  was adopted                                                                    
into  law in  2013  and  re-established     the practice  of                                                                    
departmental  performance  reviews  to  assist  in  informed                                                                    
budget decision  making. She related that  Legislative Audit                                                                    
discovered  the  discrepancy  while  undertaking  the  first                                                                    
review.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
KRIS  CURTIS,   LEGISLATIVE  AUDITOR,  ALASKA   DIVISION  OF                                                                    
LEGISLATIVE  AUDIT,  explained  the technical  request.  The                                                                    
performance review process began  last year and required the                                                                    
need  for Legislative  Audit to  request a  large volume  of                                                                    
information. She  discovered a statutory  difference between                                                                    
the confidentiality  requirements of audits  and performance                                                                    
review records.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Guttenberg  asked  how the  change  affected                                                                    
audits in progress.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Curtis noted  that the fix would not  impact audits, but                                                                    
rather  performance   reviews.  The  division   treated  the                                                                    
performance  review information  the same  as audit  records                                                                    
and would continue under HB 298.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Guttenberg asked about  ongoing access to the                                                                    
records. He asked  if the nature of  the confidentiality was                                                                    
changed under the law.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Curtis answered that the  legislation clarified that the                                                                    
performance   review    records   were    confidential   but                                                                    
Legislative   Audit   already   treated   the   records   as                                                                    
confidential.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze OPENED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Costello noted  the fiscal  note, FN1  (LEG)                                                                    
with zero fiscal impact.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Neuman  MOVED to REPORT  HB 298 out  of committee                                                                    
with  individual recommendations  and the  accompanying zero                                                                    
fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
HB  298 was  REPORTED  out  of committee  with  a "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation and  with one new  zero fiscal note  from the                                                                    
Alaska Legislature.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:39:49 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:40:57 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED