HJR 18-CONST. AM: ELECTED ATTORNEY GENERAL  8:45:22 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the final order of business was HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 18, Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to the office of attorney general. 8:45:38 AM REPRESENTATIVE BILL STOLTZE, Alaska State Legislature, as sponsor, presented HJR 18. He said the proposed joint resolution is for a constitutional amendment that would change the selection of the attorney general from an appointed process to "another political process directly to the people." He acknowledged that constitutional amendments are not entered into lightly. He said the legislature has initiated other constitutional changes, covering subjects such as privacy and exclusive rights of a fishery in 1972, victims' rights in 1994, and change in the redistricting process in 1998, all of which were approved by the voters. He suggested one of the most important constitutional amendments was the one that established the permanent fund dividend through an exemption in the prohibition against dedicated funds in 1976. He opined that the people who drafted the Constitution of the State of Alaska did a good job, but did not make it perfect. He said he knows the committee will deliberate the proposed joint resolution, and the public will have an opportunity to weigh in on the subject. 8:48:58 AM REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE said appointing the attorney general has been done since territorial times; currently it is the governor who makes the appointment through a confirmation process. He stated that Representatives and Senators in Alaska have disagreed on one occasion and rejected the appointee. He said the process of appointing an attorney general is political. He stated, "There's no perfect, right answer whether election or appointment is less political." He said he welcomes suggestions and changes through the process in order to put the best possible amendment before the voters. He relayed that Alaska is one of seven states that still appoints its attorney general. 8:51:07 AM REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON suggested one possible negative outcome of switching to an elected attorney general may be the conflict that could arise if the governor and attorney general do not share the same political party and are not supportive of the same issues. CHAIR LYNN stated that is precisely his concern. REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE responded that that is a valid concern, but said he goes to a deeper fundamental principal, which is that the attorney general should, first and foremost, be the representative of the people of Alaska on all matters legal. He said he thinks the governor would be better served by getting a personal advisor. CHAIR LYNN asked who would pay for the advisor. REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE indicated that the governor has enough flexibility in staff to switch a position for a personal advisor. REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON asked if it would be possible to have the attorney general on the same ballot ticket as the governor and lieutenant governor. REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE answered yes. He noted that the lieutenant governor is listed as a department head and exempted from confirmation process. He said, "If you look at the language of our proposed amendment, it ... adds the attorney general to that same language that references the lieutenant governor, which was amended from secretary of state, also another change in the constitution made by the legislature and the people of Alaska, I believe in 1970, probably." 8:54:09 AM REPRESENTATIVE KELLER asked if the sponsor had intended to imply that the political process is bad. He remarked that sometimes hammering out an issue sheds light on it. REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE explained that he was responding to a question about politics. He said there are politics "in both positions." He reiterated that the proposed joint resolution could be molded by the committee to craft the best possible document to present to the voters. 8:55:37 AM CHAIR LYNN asked if he anticipates anyone calling to testify on HJR 18. REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE replied that many Alaskans have contacted him and expressed an interest in testifying. CHAIR LYNN opined that the more opinions the committee hears, the better the decision it can reach. CHAIR LYNN announced that HJR 18 was held over.