CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 4001(FIN) am(efd fld) "An Act prohibiting the commissioner of administration from adopting, allowing to become law, or implementing regulations that grant or extend employment-related benefits to same-sex partners of state employees and members of the state retirement systems unless expressly authorized by statute." This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance Committee. SCOTT NORDSTRAND, Commissioner, Department of Administration, compared the Senate Finance Committee substitute for SB 4001 and the House Finance Committee substitute for HB 4001. He commented that the current committee substitutes diverged greatly from Governor Murkowski's original bill, and explained that the Senate Finance Committee substitute would prohibit the commissioner of the Department of Administration, the position he currently holds, from issuing a regulation to provide retirement or health benefits to the same-sex partner of a State employee. He continued that the implementation of such a regulation would be punishable as a class b misdemeanor under this bill. Commissioner Nordstrand reported that the Senate Finance Committee substitute also provides for a retroactivity date of June 1, 2006. That is the date the Alaska Supreme Court issued an order requiring the State to provide benefits to same-sex partners of State employees. Commissioner Nordstrand summarized the House Finance Committee substitute as a "shorter, simplified version" of the Senate bill. The committee substitute for HB 4001 would remove the criminal penalties designated in CS SB 4001(FIN), and contains more concise language. 5:12:37 PM Commissioner Nordstrand stressed that CS HB 4001(FIN) did not contain a retroactivity provision. He considered that "important", as regulations to provide same-sex partner benefits were issued by the Department of Administration on October 13, 2006. The Senate committee substitute would criminalize this act, whereas CS HB 4001 would not. 5:13:04 PM JAN DEYOUNG, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Statewide Section Supervisor, Labor & State Affairs Section, Civil Division, Department of Law, was available via teleconference to respond to legal questions. Senator Stedman moved to report the bill from Committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. Senator Bunde objected. A roll call was taken on the motion. IN FAVOR: Senator Hoffman, Senator Stedman, Senator Dyson, and Co-Chair Green OPPOSED: Senator Bunde ABSENT: Senator Olson and Co-Chair Wilken The motion PASSED (4-1) CS HB 4001(FIN)am(efd fld) was REPORTED from Committee with zero fiscal note #1 from the Department of Administration and indeterminate fiscal note #2 from the Department of Law.