SB 118-DNR LAND DISPOSAL SURVEYS; PEER REVIEW                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:40:20 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COSTELLO   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of SB  118.  She  relayed the  intent  to adopt  a                                                               
committee substitute, hear from the  department and hold the bill                                                               
in committee.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:41:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MEYER moved  to  adopt the  work draft  CS  for SB  118,                                                               
labeled 29-LS0318\E, as the working document.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO objected for an explanation of the changes.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:41:32 PM                                                                                                                    
WESTON  EILER,   Staff,  Senate   Labor  and   Commerce  Standing                                                               
Committee and Senator Mia Costello,  explained that the CS for SB                                                               
118  removes the  involvement of  the Board  of Registration  for                                                               
Architects, Engineers,  and Land Surveyors and  the Department of                                                               
Commerce,  Community  and  Economic  Development  from  the  peer                                                               
review process  for land  survey work.  He relayed  the sponsor's                                                               
intent  to  continue  to  work with  the  Department  of  Natural                                                               
Resources to avoid additional cost to the state.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Section  1 provides  that  if the  department  notifies a  person                                                               
within two weeks of its intention  to review a survey, the person                                                               
has the  alternate option  of working  directly with  a qualified                                                               
land  surveyor who  will conduct  the review.  He noted  that the                                                               
Municipality of Anchorage employs this model for peer review.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Section 2 relating  to powers of the commissioner is  the same as                                                               
Section  5 of  the original  bill. It  adds a  new paragraph  (9)                                                               
providing for peer review of a survey.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Section  3  has  transition  language that  largely  mirrors  the                                                               
effect of the original bill.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
[Section 4 provides for an immediate effective date.]                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO  removed her objection and  the CS for SB  118 was                                                               
adopted.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:45:04 PM                                                                                                                    
BRENT  GOODRUM, Director,  Division  of Mining,  Land and  Water,                                                               
Department  of  Natural   Resources  (DNR),  provided  supporting                                                               
testimony  for SB  118. He  said the  department has  reduced the                                                               
backlog  of authorizations  more  than 63  percent since  FY2012.                                                               
Several of those  authorizations had ties to survey  work and the                                                               
department has identified improvements it  can make in this area.                                                               
DNR  is  interested in  ensuring  a  timely turnaround  of  these                                                               
important  land ownership  documents and  that a  quality product                                                               
goes out the door.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COSTELLO expressed  appreciation for  what the  department                                                               
has done  to address the backlog.  She said she looks  forward to                                                               
continuing  to work  with the  department pursuing  this type  of                                                               
approach that has seen some success in other jurisdictions.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:47:04 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO held SB 118 in committee.