SB 176-DISTRIBUTORSHIPS  MR. JOHN HAXBY, Wakasha Alaska Corporation, testifying via teleconference from Anchorage, expressed his support for SB 176. He said SB 176 would help prevent employers from unnecessarily laying their employees off and it would keep capital in the state. MR. HOWARD YAGER, Alascal Inc., testifying via teleconference from Anchorage, said SB 176 was necessary for Alascal's well being and he urged the committee to support the bill. MR. KURT WINKLER and MR. DON DUNNAVANT, from Anchorage, faxed their testimony in support of SB 176 to the committee. MS. DEBORAH LUPER, testifying via teleconference from Anchorage, said she absolutely supported SB 176 because it would bring fairness to distributorship agreements. Large-scale manufacturers in the Lower 48 can turn the table on small Alaskan businesses because they have the resources to keep them tied up for many years. She said SB 176 would also help small Alaskan businesses in their relationships with outside entities. SENATOR ELLIS asked who requested that SB 176 be introduced. MR. HAXBY said he had discussed the introduction of SB 176 with Senator Phillips, Chairman of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. SENATOR ELLIS said the committee packet did not have a fiscal note, sponsor statement, sectional analysis, or any backup. He asked if this information could be provided for the committee's use. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR said he would request that information from the Labor and Commerce Committee. He said he did not think that SB 176 would impact state agencies. MR. HAXBY noted that Kim Ross from the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee had delivered a zero fiscal note that afternoon for the committee's use. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR said he had not received the fiscal note and he would hold the bill until it was delivered to the committee room. The committee then took up SB 176. SB 176-DISTRIBUTORSHIPS  SENATOR ELLIS asked if Mr. Haxby was representing an organization. MR. HAXBY responded that he represented Wakasha Alaska Corporation. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR said he had talked with Senator Wilken and he was delighted with SB 176. SENATOR ELLIS said he did not want to hold the bill up but he was curious whether the Alaska Chamber of Commerce and the Alaska Chapter of National Federation of Independent Business had a position on the legislation. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR said he would ask staff to inquire and report back to the committee. SENATOR ELLIS asked if SB 176 was based on a model act from other states. MR. HAXBY said almost all states have acts similar to SB 176. SB 138 was tailored more to Alaska because recent bills in other states have made some of the acts criminal, which were not sustainable in Alaska. MR. HAXBY noted that he had been in Juneau recently and had talked with Thyes Shaub, National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), and NFIB was in support of SB 176. SENATOR COWDERY moved CSSB 176(L&C) from committee and asked for unanimous consent. There being no objection, CSSB 176(L&C) moved from committee with individual recommendations.