SB 25-STATE GOV'T FINANCES: WEBSITE  4:38:58 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the next order of business would be CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 25(FIN), "An Act relating to the establishment and maintenance of an Internet website providing information on state government financial transactions and specifying the information to be made available on the website; and relating to the Alaska Checkbook Online Internet website." 4:39:31 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to adopt the proposed House committee substitute (HCS) for SB 25, Version 32-LS0217\O, Marx, 4/13/22, as the working document. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS objected for the purpose of discussion. 4:39:41 PM JEFF STEPP, Staff, Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Kreiss- Tomkins, reviewed the changes in the proposed HCS ("Version O") for CSSB 25(FIN). The summary of changes [hard copy included in the committee packet] read as follows [original punctuation provided]: The draft committee substitute makes four changes to the bill: • On Page 5, Lines 13-15, language is added establishing that the University of Alaska shall annually provide an audited financial report with revenues and expenditures for inclusion in the Online Checkbook website. • On Page 5, Lines 17-19, a new subsection (e) is added establishing that the Online Checkbook shall include data on the legislature and judiciary to the extent it is available from the central accounting system. • On Page 6, Lines 6-8, the University of Alaska is removed from the definition of "state agency." • On Page 6, Lines 13-18, a new Section 6 is added clarifying that the Online Checkbook does not have to contain data on the numbers of employees and contractors by agency for the ten years preceding the launch of the website. 4:41:14 PM SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI, Alaska State Legislature, prime sponsor of SB 25, thanked the committee for hearing the bill and expressed his support for changes proposed in Version O. 4:41:44 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN directed attention to Section 4, subsection (b), and asked whether the provision was detailed enough to ensure a user-friendly and functional website for members of the public. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said in crafting the bill, legislation from across the country was considered in addition to conversations with the Department of Administration (DOA) and the executive branch. He believed that the proposed legislation would provide an outstanding Internet website for Alaskans at a reasonable cost. REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN said he appreciated the balance of cost and functionality. He asked whether the website would provide a permanent link to each expenditure, which could be shared with third parties. 4:44:48 PM DAVID DUNSMORE, Staff, Senator Bill Wielechowski, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Senator Wielechowski, prime sponsor of SB 25, directed questions on implementation to the department. He explained that the choice of language was a cognizant decision to ensure that the Alaska Checkbook Online Internet website would not be constrained by statute and evolving technology. He said the impetus for the bill was to catch up with other states and allow the department to continuously improve the website. REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN directed his previous question to the department. 4:46:30 PM ROBERT ERVINE, Division Operations Manager, Division of Finance, Department of Administration (DOA), said it was hard to anticipate whether there would be a permanent link. Once a transaction occurred and entered the database, he explained, it would not change once the fiscal year closed. He noted that there was a unique identifier attached to each transaction, which would remain in the database forever unless it was confidential. 4:47:20 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN expressed his hope that the content would be shareable. He suggested the inclusion of an export feature for search results or generated links to share the information. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS removed his objection to the motion to adopt the proposed HCS for CSSB 25(FIN), Version 32-LS0217\O, Marx, 4/13/22, as the working document. There being no further objection, Version O was before the committee. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony on SB 25. 4:48:58 PM ROBIN O'DONOGHUE, Communications Manager, Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKPIRG), shared his support for SB 25. He believed the creation of the Alaska Checkbook Online website was critical, as it would allow members of the public to better understand what their government officials are up to and how they spend public dollars. He opined that it was timely and urgent to create and pass the online checkbook in order for Alaskans to know how the vast amount of federal dollars are spent. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS, after ascertaining that no one else wished to testify, closed public testimony on SB 25. 4:50:38 PM REPRESENTATIVE TARR thanked the bill sponsor for bringing this bill forward. She expressed her support for opportunities that helped build trust with the public and improve transparency. REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN expressed his support for the bill and thanked the bill sponsor. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS stated his tremendous support for the bill and what it sought to accomplish. He acknowledged the working collaboration demonstrated by DOA and the executive branch on the proposal. 4:51:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to report HCS for CSSB 25(FIN), Version 32-LS0217\O, Marx, 4/13/22, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HCS CSSB 25(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.