Alaska Public Offices Commission [Contains discussion of HB 157] Number 2470 LARRY WOOD, Appointee to the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC), told the committee he was born in Alaska in 1950; spent some "growing-up years" in Washington State; and has spent the last 18 years in Alaska, in Fairbanks and then in Eagle River. He is married with four children. He is an attorney who has been practicing in Alaska for 28 years, the last 12 years with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, currently as assistant general counsel. He said he has previously served as a general counsel at the Alaska Railroad Corporation and, prior to that, as chief assistant attorney general for the State of Alaska in Fairbanks. MR. WOOD noted the irony of being before the committee while pending legislation exists [HB 157, which would eliminate APOC]. In response to a question by Representative Berkowitz, he clarified that his name might be familiar because a different Larry Wood, perhaps from Palmer, ran for a House seat this past fall. Number 2348 REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG asked Mr. Wood to describe his views on the role of APOC and his role as a commissioner. MR. WOOD listed four central functions of the commission: campaign financing, lobbying registration, disclosure of income and interests of public officials and candidates, and regulation and enforcement of complaints for the aforementioned areas. He described the role of commissioners as follows: to help oversee the work of the staff and the director in enforcing and ensuring that those laws are fairly administered and, from time to time, to adjudicate complaints that come before the body. In further response, he said his philosophy is that those things are very important. The agency has its roots in 1974 legislation. Across the country, historically, there have been campaign finance reform bills and legislation impacting all the states. He said he believes in the firm administrating of those laws and he expects that [Alaska] will continue to ensure that [those laws] are protected and honored. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ asked Mr. Wood if he had any thoughts regarding the proposed elimination of APOC. MR. WOOD responded that obviously oil production and revenues are declining. He said he is sympathetic to the task faced by the governor and the current legislators to attempt to identify efficiencies in state government. Furthermore, this is a regulatory and quasi-judicial agency. He noted that [the commission] held a teleconference yesterday and is beginning to assemble facts and a history. He mentioned a brief discussion of what [the commission's] functions are and what it's doing in order to assist the governor and the legislature. He said, "I think it's incumbent now, in our agency, to ensure you have all the facts and information you'll need to make the right decisions." [Although no formal motion was made, the nomination of Larry Wood, appointee to the Alaska Public Offices Commission, was treated as advanced from the House State Affairs Standing Committee.]