HCR 16-AMEND UNIFORM RULES; STANDING COMMITTEES [Due to recorder malfunction, there are a couple of minutes of blank space at the beginning of the tape.] CHAIRMAN COWDERY announced that the only order of business before the committee would be HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 16, Proposing an amendment to the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature relating to standing committees; and providing for an effective date. Number 0080 JONATHON LACK, Legislative Assistant to Representative Halcro, Alaska State Legislature, explained that HCR 16 is in response to last year's passage of HB 40, which consolidated and renamed some departments. This is strictly a technical bill that allows committee jurisdiction to parallel the new names of the state departments. Mr. Lack noted that the only difference would be on page 2, lines 6 and 7, which specifies that the Community and Regional Affairs Committee will take over jurisdiction of the functions in the unorganized boroughs. He explained that this change is in response to testimony received during Community and Regional Affairs Committee hearings last year. The affected committee chairmen have been notified of the legislation and no response has been received from them. REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS referred to the change on page 2, line 7, and commented that the language reflects the intent of the legislation [HB 40]. Number 0175 REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ referred to page 2, line 4, and said that language should parallel the language on page 2, line 7, but it does not. He asked if there is a reason for the difference. MR. LACK answered that there is not a reason. He explained that the Department of Community and Economic Development does not have specific jurisdiction over the unorganized boroughs, and therefore there is no need for such redundancy on page 2, line 4. If the committee saw fit to modify the language on page 2, line 4, to include "and government services", he did not believe Representative Halcro would have a problem with that. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ stated that he would prefer reconciling the language in order to avoid confusion later. Therefore, Representative Berkowitz moved the following amendment: Page 2, line 7, Delete "and government services or function in the unorganized borough" MR. LACK requested clarification on what language was being deleted. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ repeated the language to be deleted. He then asked if Mr. Lack felt it important to specifically mention the unorganized borough. MR. LACK said that the desire was to specifically mention the unorganized borough. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ requested that he modify his proposed amendment to read as follows: Page 2, line 4, after "government" Insert "and government services or function in the unorganized borough" Representative Berkowitz explained that the intention is to make the language parallel in both places. He said that this second amendment is the one he is offering. CHAIRMAN COWDERY clarified then that Representative Berkowitz's first amendment is withdrawn and the second amendment as specified is before the committee. He asked if there were any objections. There being none, the amendment was adopted. Number 310 REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS referred to the language on page 2, line 4, where there is a closing parenthesis. She inquired as to the location of the initial parenthesis. MR. LACK pointed out that the initial parenthesis is located on page 1, line 16, after the word "Commerce". REPRESENTATIVE KOTT acknowledged that HCR 16 is an important piece of legislation. He asked if HCR 16 is Representative Halcro's number one priority. MR. LACK informed the committee that Representative Halcro's number one priority is a 90-day session. Number 0451 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT moved to report HCR 16 as amended out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, it was so ordered and CSHCR 16(RLS) was forwarded for calendaring.