SJR 8-COMPLETION OF UNIVERSITY LAND GRANT  9:09:51 AM CHAIR HOLLAND reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 8 Urging the Alaska delegation in Congress, the United States Department of the Interior, and the Governor to facilitate the completion of a land grant endowment to the University of Alaska. He stated his intent to introduce the bill, hear invited testimony and public testimony and move the resolution to the next committee of referral. He asked the resolution sponsor Senator Stevens to introduce the resolution. 9:10:20 AM SENATOR GARY STEVENS, speaking as sponsor, explained that SJR 8 asks the governor, the congressional delegation, and the Department of Interior to work together to complete the federal land grant endowment to the University of Alaska (UA). UA currently has one of the smallest holdings of all land grant institutions. The passage of this resolution will show strong support from the legislature to remedy UA's long-standing land grant deficit. He asked Mr. Lamkin to explain the details of SJR 8. 9:10:56 AM TIM LAMKIN, Staff, Senator Gary Stevens, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said the land grant status for UA has an interesting, if not underwhelming, history. It has been going on for the past century. The committee may note some incongruities in the way the "WHEREASES" in the resolution are structured, but the legislature could make any changes that might be necessary. He suggested that may be appropriate in the Resources Committee. This resolution is in alignment with the Board of Regents' resolution supporting this effort. The governor and congressional delegation are also aligned with this resolution. This sends Congress a message that the state is in support of finding a resolution to what is considered the university's land deficit. 9:12:27 AM CHAD HUTCHINSON, Director of State Relations, University of Alaska (UA), Fairbanks, Alaska, said the University of Alaska system supports SJR 8 as it has historically done with similar resolutions in the past. He noted that Andy Harrington, the attorney for the UA system, was available to answer questions. He has submitted a PowerPoint presentation to the committee that gives the background of the land grant issue. The Board of Regents recently passed a resolution supporting the land grant. The university is working with the congressional delegation, so the federal government and the state are working together to ensure that the university receives its additional land grant entitlement. 9:14:33 AM SENATOR MICCICHE shared that he had been looking at the presentation. He asked if the resolution is correct on the total acreage. MR. HUTCHINSON deferred to Mr. Harrington. 9:15:13 AM ANDY HARRINGTON, Associate General Counsel, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, replied the university's estimate is that the land grant gap is 360,000 acres. That is what the university has been asking the federal delegation to specify in the bill. SENATOR MICCICHE recalled that he saw 103,000 from the Land Grant College Act plus 250,000 from HB 130 in the 24th Legislature, which totals 353,000 acres. CHAIR HOLLAND asked about the total acreage. MR. HARRINGTON answered the calculation is based on the fact that 90,000 acres should have come with the Morrill Act of 1862 and another 270,000 acres that was unrealized under the Wickersham Act of 1915. He said he could provide more details, but those are the basics. SENATOR MICCICHE said the resolution might be cross referenced to make sure the numbers are right. The senators will have another opportunity to look at that in another committee. 9:17:20 AM SENATOR BEGICH asked if the Board of Regents resolution was unanimous. MR. HUTCHINSON offered his understanding that it was unanimous. MR. HARRINGTON agreed. 9:18:03 AM SENATOR HUGHES noted that page 6 of the slide presentation indicates that the University of Texas received 2.1 million acres. She asked why UA got such a small chunk compared to the University of Texas considering the size of Alaska. MR. HUTCHINSON replied that it is a matter of American history. Texas in 1867 was more of a frontier and trying to attract people. Alaska did not become a state until 1959. It is the evolution of American history of people moving west post 1830s. SENATOR HUGHES shared that it just doesn't seem fair, especially since Alaska is 2.5 times the size of Texas. She asked what it would mean for revenue for the university if it were to receive the remaining acreage. MR. HUTCHINSON responded that it depends on the ultimate land selection. A working group is focusing on specific land selection. Historically, there has been good revenue generated from leases. There are a plethora of resources. It depends on the ultimate acreage chosen. 9:20:50 AM SENATOR BEGICH asked if there are competing interests for the land since there have been struggles with land grants since statehood. He asked how the university intends to go through the process of selecting lands to avoid litigation. MR. HUTCHINSON replied there are many competing interests and litigation does occur. It may have to be settled via judicial process. SENATOR BEGICH said he was a legislative staff member when the court said the legislature had to settle the mental health lands claims trust. It took the legislature years to settle that. He asked if the university has done anything about that because there will be competing claims. He assumes there is an ongoing process to ensure a minimum of litigation. MR. HUTCHINSON said the working group discussion revolves around what land selection to make. Once there is an idea of the land selection then the outreach will commence to the relevant people. There is mental preparation for that. There are many lessons learned from the historical record with the land grant issue. There will be a more definitive answer once there is clarity about what the acreage will be. 9:23:59 AM CHAIR HOLLAND opened public testimony on SJR 8; finding none, he closed public testimony on SJR 8. 9:24:27 AM SENATOR STEVENS said the goal is to make UA as self-sufficient as possible so that it takes less from general funds. Senator Hughes made an interesting point in comparing Texas to Alaska. Texas has generated $21.4 billion. Alaska has generated $6.8 million. The legislature wants a good strong university that is as self-sufficient as possible. If and when this occurs, it will help the university grow into the future. 9:25:23 AM CHAIR HOLLAND asked the will of the committee. 9:25:34 AM At ease 9:25:50 AM SENATOR STEVENS moved to report SJR 8 from committee with individual recommendations. CHAIR HOLLAND found no objection and SJR 8 was reported from the Senate Education Standing Committee.