SB 256 - SECOND CLASS CITY MAYOR                                            
                                                                               
 The next order of business to come before the House State Affairs             
 Committee was HCS SB 256(CRA).                                                
                                                                               
 CHAIR JAMES called on Marla Berg, Legislative Assistant to Senator            
 Al Adams, to present the sponsor statement for SB 256.                        
                                                                               
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 MARLA BERG, Legislative Assistant to Senator Al Adams, read the               
 following sponsor statement into the record.                                  
                                                                               
 "Under current law, the mayor of a second class city may not be               
 elected by the voters.  Mayors are elected by and from the council          
 and serve a one-year term, unless a longer term is approved by                
 ordinance.                                                                    
                                                                               
 "This bill, introduced at the request of the City of Savoonga and             
 endorsed by the Alaska Municipal League, would amend the law so               
 that voters in a second class city would have the option of                   
 directly electing their mayor.                                                
                                                                               
 "This bill does not change the qualifications for mayor, powers and           
 duties of the mayor or give the mayor the veto power in second                
 class cities."                                                                
                                                                               
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 CHAIR JAMES announced she discussed SB 256 with Representative Ivan           
 Ivan before he left and he supported it.                                      
                                                                               
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 REPRESENTATIVE CAREN ROBINSON asked what if the city wanted to                
 continue with the status quo?                                                 
                                                                               
 MS. BERG replied, "that's the way it would be."                               
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROBINSON confirmed the bill allowed for it but did             
 not mandate it.                                                               
                                                                               
 MS. BERG responded that was correct.                                          
                                                                               
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 REPRESENTATIVE PORTER understood that currently council members are           
 elected and one of them is elected mayor by the rest of the council           
 members.                                                                      
                                                                               
 MS. BERG said that was correct.                                               
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE PORTER asked Ms. Berg if the bill would allow for an           
 additional position?                                                          
                                                                               
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 MS. BERG said no, it wouldn't allow for an additional position.               
 One of the city council members would still end up as mayor, but              
 the people would vote instead of the council members.                         
                                                                               
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 REPRESENTATIVE PORTER said it would have to be a simultaneous                 
 election.                                                                     
                                                                               
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 MS. BERG remarked that based on the bill, the city council would be           
 elected first, followed by a second election for mayor.                       
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE PORTER wondered what would happen if nobody decided            
 to run for mayor.                                                             
                                                                               
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 CHAIR JAMES replied that happened to a city in her district where             
 nobody was willing to run for mayor.                                          
                                                                               
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 REPRESENTATIVE ROBINSON moved that HCS SB 256(CRA) move from the              
 committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal            
 note.  Hearing no objection, it was so moved from the House State             
 Affairs Committee.