SJR 6-CONST AM: 90 DAY LEGISLATIVE SESSION  SENATOR GRETCHEN GUESS, sponsor of SJR 6, explained to members that SJR 6 proposes an amendment to the Alaska Constitution to limit the legislative session to 90 days. She believes the legislature can complete its work in 90 days, but doing so would require some structural and operational changes. She said after three-years in the legislature, she has seen a 60-day gestation period, and then the policy work is done during the second 60 days. She said shortening the gestation period to 30 days is reasonable. She said that prior to 1984, legislative session time period was unlimited. After that time, the sessions were limited to 120 days. The same number of laws has passed during the shorter sessions. She believes the public process can be accomplished and business completed in 90 days. SENATOR FRENCH noted that this year, legislators were "hung up" waiting for the Governor's budget. He said that is when the real work begins. He said he believes 90 days is plenty of time to get the work done but he is interested in tying the beginning of the legislative session to receipt of the Governor's budget. SENATOR GUESS said this year was an anomaly. Normally the budget is prepared by December 15. She said the question of tying the session to the budget dates is appropriate. She asked Ms. Neilsen to address whether the House has discussed that question. MS. SARA NEILSEN, staff to Representative Samuels, told members that question did not come up in House committees but they have discussed starting the legislative session later, possibly in March. SENATOR GUESS said a big trigger mechanism to the legislature's work is the budget forecast and it needs to be a driving force. VICE-CHAIR OGAN announced that Senator Therriault had joined the committee. VICE-CHAIR OGAN pointed out that he co-sponsored this legislation. He said the legislature has the ability, under existing constitutional language, to change the month and date of the beginning of the legislative session by law. He would object to starting as late as March but he would agree to begin at the end of January. He said he hopes that a shorter session will result in fewer laws being passed. VICE-CHAIR OGAN noted that no one had signed up to testify. He then asked Senator Therriault, as a former Finance Committee chair, how he envisions a 90-day session working. SENATOR THERRIAULT said a 90-day limit could be a problem. He asked members to keep in mind the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches. This legislature is working better with this Administration than it did with the previous administration but, even now, the legislature must often wait for information and legal opinions. He said that members of the House get elected every two years and new members have a steep learning curve. They need a certain amount of time to understand the budget process and play a meaningful role. He said he does not oppose a 90-day session but believes the consequences must be studied in depth. He pointed out that a piece of legislation on the floor today was introduced at the beginning of the session and people are saying it was rushed through the process. He asked what people will think if legislation gets passed in 90-day sessions. SENATOR GUESS commented that Senator Therriault brought up some good points that need to be thought through. She said the legislature will have to think through when its organization and orientation will take place, as well as the budget and election year issues. She said she feels, as a public servant, she would have to do more preparation work prior to the start of the session. She said in her mind, shortening the session to 90 days is a policy call as to whether legislators believe they can do the work in 90 days and what kind of structure will be necessary to ensure a good public process. 8:49 a.m.  SENATOR THERRIAULT noted that he recently had a conversation with a freshman legislator who said it was difficult to start the first day of session with no staff. A discussion about swearing in newly elected legislators earlier has been taking place. Perhaps consideration should be given to swearing in legislators on the same day the Governor is sworn in. He said a shorter session would also require that more work be done during the interim. He said in his experience, half of the legislators have full-time jobs so committees with specific interim requirements would need members with flexible employment situations. In addition, that would drive up the cost during the interim. SENATOR GUESS said the cost of work done during the interim is less than the cost of work done during session. She said from her personal experience as a citizen legislator with a full-time job, if there is predictability in the schedule, she could work around it. VICE-CHAIR OGAN said he has spent a lot of time in the contracting business; his philosophy is that a job takes as long as one is given to do it. He felt that Senator Therriault's concerns are legitimate and the legislature might need to look at providing committees with authority to take action on legislation during the interim. He said his phone rang constantly when he was first elected. He had no staff and constant demands on him although he was not sworn in for two months. He said another consideration is that right before session begins, many people take vacations during the holidays. CHAIR SEEKINS said his main concern was that after he was elected, he felt handcuffed by not having any staff. He said that problem should be addressed if the legislature wants to shorten the session. He said he would look favorably upon this legislation with a few modifications. SENATOR GUESS stated that the concerns that have been raised are good ones. She agreed that orientation needs improvement, regardless of whether this legislation moves forward. SENATOR ELLIS asked the date of the spring revenue forecast. SENATOR SEEKINS said it is usually released in the first part of April. SENATOR ELLIS asked if the Governor's budget was released on March 5. SENATOR GUESS said she believes that is correct. She then asked that the committee hold this bill for further work on the structure of a 90-day session. CHAIR SEEKINS announced he would hold the bill in committee.