HCR 10-MARITIME WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT  3:13:50 PM CHAIR COSTELLO reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of HCR 10. A resolution "Supporting the Alaska Maritime Workforce Development Industry Advisory Committee, the Alaska Workforce Investment Board, the Alaska Vocational Technical Education." [CSHCR 10(FSH) was before the committee.] 3:15:33 PM REPRESENTATIVE LOUISE STUTES, sponsor of HCR 10, introduced herself and her staff. 3:15:53 PM REED HARRIS, Staff, Representative Louise Stutes, introduced the HCR 10 on behalf of the sponsor speaking to the following sponsor statement:   HCR 10 declares the Legislature's recognition of the need for the Alaska Maritime Workforce Development Plan, the Alaska Workforce Investment Board and Alaska Vocational & Technical Education Center in Seward (AVTEC). It conveys support for the Alaska Maritime Workforce Industry Advisory Committee, whose guidance and leadership will be an integral component of the implementation of the Plan. HCR 10 encourages support and participation by various state agencies already tasked with the mission of workforce development and includes a goal of increasing resident hire in the maritime industry to 75 percent by 2020. MR. HARRIS highlighted that the resolution has a zero fiscal note, aligns state agencies already tasked with workforce development, and creates high paying blue collar jobs for Alaskans. SENATOR STEVENS expressed support for the resolution. 3:17:10 PM GREG CASHEN, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), said he appreciates the sponsor adding to HCR 10 the Alaska Workforce Investment Board, the advocacy for increasing resident hire in this industry, and also the AVTEC Maritime Training Center in Seward. He stated that DOLWD fully supports HCR 10. CHAIR COSTELLO highlighted that several sessions ago the legislature passed legislation asking the departments to submit reports in an electronic form. She asked if he would be responsible for submitting this report to the legislature and, if so, if it could be electronic. MR. CASHEN replied the department would not be submitting the report but would help to ensure it is in electronic format. 3:19:52 PM AGGIE FOUTS, Maritime Workforce Coordinator, Industry Advisory Committee (IAC), Alaska Maritime Workforce Development Plan, Anchorage, Alaska, expressed gratitude to the sponsor for introducing HCR 10, which will help the IAC further implement the Alaska Maritime Workforce Development Plan and encourage a wide range of state agencies to participate in this effort. The collaborative approach is particularly important to accomplish the goals of preparing, training, and employing more Alaskans in the maritime industry. This will increase Alaska's competitive advantage and ultimately improve the economy. 3:20:57 PM CHRIS SANNITO, Alaska Marine Advisory Program, and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Kodiak, Alaska, voiced support for HCR 10. He reminded the committee that the maritime industry represents more than 500 businesses, employs over 68,000 persons, and in 2011 added $6.7 billion to the state's economy. He described the seafood training and quality workshops and HACCP seafood safety workshops he conducts statewide. He said there is great demand for this training because of the turnover in the seafood industry. Passing HCR 10 will further support this important industry. 3:22:49 PM CHAIR COSTELLO found no further testifiers and closed public testimony. SENATOR MEYER noted that the sponsor statement speaks to the goal of increasing the resident hire to 75 percent by 2020. He asked what percent it is now and questioned why the goal isn't higher than 75 percent. MR. HARRIS offered to follow up with the information. He noted that the goal was suggested by the Alaska Workforce Investment Board. SENATOR STEVENS referred to the last two resolves in HCR 10 and questioned who would write the report regarding the collaboration. MR. HARRIS replied the report will be written by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). CHAIR COSTELLO asked if the goal of 75 percent resident hire is mentioned in the resolution. MR. HARRIS directed attention to page 3, lines 9-10. CHAIR COSTELLO commented that it appears to be a goal of the Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB), but she, too, wonders why it isn't higher than 75 percent. She asked Senator Meyer if he wanted to offer an amendment. SENATOR MEYER replied he didn't want to offer an amendment when he didn't know the current percent. REPRESENTATIVE STUTES offered her understanding that resident hire is currently below 50 percent, so 75 percent is a high bar. The hope is to train young Alaskans, perhaps even in high schools, so they could move directly into the seafood industry after graduation. SENATOR MEYER questioned why more people in the high unemployment rural areas aren't going into the seafood industry. REPRESENTATIVE STUTES explained it is because there aren't enough training programs. 3:27:19 PM SENATOR MEYER motioned to report HCR 10 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). CHAIR COSTELLO announced that without objection, CSHCR 10(FSH) is reported from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.