HB 259-RELOCATION ASSISTANCE FOR FED. PROJ/PROG  8:08:00 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 259 "An Act relating to relocation assistance for federally assisted projects and programs; and providing for an effective date." JOHN BINDER, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF), presented HB 259 on behalf of the House Rules Standing Committee, sponsor, by request of the governor. He stated that HB 259 would bring Alaska statutes into compliance with federal law. He went on to say that when right of ways are required for public transportation purposes, federal law requires [DOT&PF] to compensate the property owners for the value of the property and also to provide relocation benefits for displaced families, businesses, and farms. Under the federal initiative known as Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act ("MAP-21"), signed into law in 2012, the federal government has made it easier to qualify for the program and also has increased to the maximum the relocation assistance that is available to affected parties. Benefits paid to Alaskan families and businesses under this program would be eligible for federal participation. REPRESENTATIVE KELLER asked for confirmation that the proposed legislation would be specifically for the purpose of complying with federal requirements as they pertain to relocation and assistance to the relocated parties. MR. BINDER confirmed Representative Keller's assessment and added that since the values were last updated in the 1980s, HB 259 would remove the payment limits in order to be in compliance with federal law and to avoid having to make future changes to the statutes. 8:12:06 AM The committee took an at-ease from 8:12 a.m. to 8:13 a.m. 8:12:35 AM CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining no one wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 259. 8:12:53 AM REPRESENTATIVE VAZQUEZ cited the payment limits on pages 2 and 3, which are deleted in HB 259, and asked about the current practice of payment when someone incurs costs exceeding those limits. 8:13:44 AM MR. BINDER responded that if families, businesses, or farms are relocated, Alaska must be in compliance with federal law. He continued that the relocation expense is eligible under the federal program for the usual match of 90 percent of federal funds, depending on the project. 8:15:28 AM ROGER HEALY, Director/Chief Engineer, Division of Statewide Design & Engineering Services (DSDES), Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF), responded that the relocation benefits are set by federal law and Alaska cannot exceed them. He added that these payments are just for relocation and not for acquisition of the properties. 8:16:02 AM REPRESENTATIVE VAZQUEZ asked when this federal law was enacted. 8:16:16 AM MR. HEALY responded that the federal highway law referred to as MAP-21 was passed in July 6, 2012, and included language increasing the amounts of compensation, thus prompting the need to change Alaska statute. 8:16:44 AM REPRESENTATIVE VAZQUEZ asked if there are limits pursuant to the federal law. 8:16:53 AM MR. HEALY responded in the affirmative. REPRESENTATIVE VAZQUEZ referred to page 1, line 10, which read: "in accordance with the requirements and limitations of 42 U.S.C. 4601-4655 (Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1070)." She noted that citing federal statute for future limits was good future planning. 8:17:33 AM REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report HB 259 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 259 was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.