HB 127-OMBUDSMAN  1:21:51 PM CHAIR WES KELLER announced that the first order of business would be HB127, "An Act clarifying that the Alaska Bar Association is an agency for purposes of investigations by the ombudsman; relating to compensation of the ombudsman and to employment of staff by the ombudsman under personal service contracts; providing that certain records of communications between the ombudsman and an agency are not public records; relating to disclosure by an agency to the ombudsman of communications subject to attorney-client and attorney work- product privileges; relating to informal and formal reports of opinions and recommendations issued by the ombudsman; relating to the privilege of the ombudsman not to testify and creating a privilege under which the ombudsman is not required to disclose certain documents; relating to procedures for procurement by the ombudsman; relating to the definition of 'agency' for purposes of the ombudsman Act and providing jurisdiction of the ombudsman over persons providing certain services to the state by contract; and amending Rules 501 and 503, Alaska Rules of Evidence." [Before the committee was proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 127, Version 28-LS0088\D, Gardner, 3/19/14.] CHAIR KELLER spoke of his conviction that HB 127 is one of the most important bills in the legislature this session. 1:22:52 PM CHAIR KELLER noted that more work needs to be done on the law defining the ombudsman. He noted a constituent call he received last night regarding the importance of the legislature having an investigative branch that can look into "the activities of where ever we spend our money." Chair Keller said that it is important to have a strong ombudsman with investigative jurisdiction. "It helps the legislature maintain in a state that ... has a strong executive/judicial element and a weaker legislature, and that is why I was determined to go slow with HB 127." Unfortunately, he said, he has been streamlining the process so the more essential elements of the bill can pass [this session], but there is a consensus on the committee that this issue will continue into the interim. 1:25:13 PM CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony. 1:26:19 PM REPRESENTATIVE MAX GRUENBERG thanked everybody who worked on the bill. He noted that good progress has been made in coming to where it is today. He said the committee is down to one amendment, and he moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 28- LS0088\D.1, Gardner, 3/20/14, which read: Page 3, lines 9 - 10: Delete "construction, and office space" Insert "and office space, and for construction limited to providing and maintaining office space for the office of the ombudsman" 1:26:24 PM CHAIR KELLER objected. 1:26:55 PM The committee took an at-ease from 1:26 p.m. to 1:28 p.m. 1:28:17 PM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG withdrew Amendment 1 and moved to adopt proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 127, labeled 28- LS0088\D, Gardner, 3/19/14, as the working document. 1:28:45 PM CHAIR KELLER objected. 1:29:46 PM CHAIR KELLER removed his objection. There being no further objections, Version D was before the committee. 1:29:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 28- LS0088\D.1, Gardner, 3/20/14, [text provided previously]. CHAIR KELLER objected. 1:30:20 PM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG stated that [CSHB 127, Version] D, page 3, line 9-10, appears to provide the ombudsman with the opportunity to engage in any kind of construction or to acquire and renovate any kind of office space. It is the intent of the committee to limit the language to office space for the ombudsman's office, he opined. The amendment makes this clarification, he explained. 1:31:21 PM CHAIR KELLER removed his objection. There being no further objections, Amendment 1 was adopted. 1:31:41 PM REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN moved to report CSHB 127, labeled 28- LS0088\D, Gardner, 3/19/14, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objections, CSHB 127(JUD) was reported from the House Judiciary Standing Committee. 1:32:01 PM The committee took an at-ease from 1:32 p.m. to 1:34 p.m. 1:34:24 PM