SENATE BILL NO. 53 "An Act relating to use of income of the Alaska permanent fund; relating to the amount of the permanent fund dividend; relating to the duties of the commissioner of revenue; relating to an advisory vote on the permanent fund; providing for an effective date by repealing the effective date of sec. 8, ch. 16, SLA 2018; and providing for an effective date." 9:02:59 AM   Co-Chair Bishop relayed that the committee was hearing SB 53 for the third time. He discussed the process for giving public testimony. He asked members of the public to maintain respectful public decorum. 9:04:10 AM Co-Chair Bishop OPENED public testimony. 9:04:31 AM BARBARA TYNDALL, SELF, NORTH POLE (via teleconference), expressed her support of a full Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD). She thought the legislature owed the people for previous dividends that were not paid according to the statutory calculation. She believed it was time for the legislature to follow the statutory PFD calculation. 9:05:51 AM RECESSED 9:19:57 AM RECONVENED MICHAEL KRAMER, SELF, PLEASANT VALLEY (via teleconference), spoke in opposition to the bill. He discussed his personal income and the importance of the PFD. He supported the statutory formula for PFD calculation. He was concerned with honesty of politicians. 9:21:30 AM MELISSA GUDOBBA, SELF, WASILLA (via teleconference), spoke in opposition to the bill. She supported a full statutory PFD. She had concerns about security and the future. She mentioned vaccination mandates in the workplace and had concerns about job loss because of vaccine mandates. She mentioned Nazi Germany and science. 9:23:42 AM RECESSED 9:35:25 AM RECONVENED ANTONIA HAGEN, SELF, CHUGIAK (via teleconference), testified in opposition to the bill. She supported a full statutory PFD. She supported a back payment of PFD's. She expressed support for the governor. She expressed the intention to run as a write-in candidate for governor. 9:37:24 AM LYNN WILLIS, SELF, EAGLE RIVER (via teleconference), spoke in opposition to the bill. He thought the ballot language for an advisory vote was very important. He supported holding PFDs for children in trust. He supported a full statutory PFD. 9:38:30 AM DEBBIE RATHBUN, SELF, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), testified in opposition to the bill. She supported a full statutory PFD. She discussed her family's employment situation and mentioned recent layoffs due to COVID-19. 9:39:20 AM OLIVIA FELLERS, SELF, WASILLA (via teleconference), spoke in opposition to the bill. She discussed the importance of the PFD to seniors. She discussed seniors living on very limited fixed incomes. She suggested there should have been a vote by the people before any change to the PFD calculation. She supported a full statutory PFD. 9:40:51 AM JOHN RATHBUN, NONE, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), spoke in opposition to the bill. He supported a full statutory PFD. He believed a smaller PFD was a regressive tax. He believed the legislature was breaking the law by not providing a full PFD. 9:42:25 AM Co-Chair Bishop CLOSED public testimony. 9:42:29 AM AT EASE 9:42:37 AM RECONVENED Co-Chair Bishop stated the committee would recess to the call of the chair. 9:42:43 AM RECESSED SB 53 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. [The meeting was adjourned at 12:59 p.m.]