HB 53-SEISMIC HAZARDS SAFETY COMMISSION    CHAIRMAN JOHN TORGERSON called the Senate Resources Committee meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and announced HB 53 to be up for consideration. REPRESENTATIVE JOHN DAVIES, sponsor of HB 53, said that most other states formed earthquake commissions after the second largest earthquake in Alaska that measured 9.2 on the Richter scale. He added, "Alaska, ironically, is the only one to date that hasn't." He said it's important to understand the distinction between preparedness for disaster and mitigating it. Preparation is done to make sure things are in place, like exit routes and response plans, when a disaster occurs. Mitigation is done ahead of time to reduce the effects of the expected disaster. He said that building codes are a form of mitigation for earthquake country. When disasters are infrequent, such as large earthquakes, there's a tendency to forget about the risks; that is why a commission is necessary. Representative Davies said his main concern is that a systematic look be taken at what steps the state should take, so that when the next earthquake occurs, the loss of life and property is reduced. SENATOR WILKEN questioned why another section of government is necessary to do this instead of DMV or the University. REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES answered that government tends to be segmented into different areas. He is proposing a commission be established in the executive branch so that it has the ability to look across inter-agency lines. Although DMV and the University have taken some steps, in his and others' estimation (structural engineers from Anchorage and scientists from the University of Alaska), the state has not taken some steps that it should have. He pointed out, "If we have this commission that's above the individual agency level, we will get the appropriate look at the problem that we're not getting now." SENATOR WILKEN asked if all four fiscal notes are current. REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES replied that two are redundant. The Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (DGS) fiscal note contains some travel costs that are also built into the fiscal note from the Governor's Office. SENATOR HALFORD said he noticed the commission will have the authority to accept grants, contributions and appropriations and asked if any are pending right now. REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES said he didn't know of any but that grants are generally available through federal agencies. SENATOR HALFORD pointed out the fiscal note is incredibly low, but it's covered by the fact that DNR would provide technical support from existing positions. MR. MILTON WILTSE, Director, DGS, DNR, stated support for HB 53 because similar commissions have been very effective in bringing together private and public sector organizations to look at ways to mitigate the impacts of an earthquake and how to get things done on a voluntary basis, through building codes and various public policies. MR. GARY CARVER said he is also a geologist who moved to Kodiak five years ago from California. He had a considerable amount of experience interacting with the California Seismic Safety Commission in California, so he has a first hand perspective regarding this issue. The California commission was created because California is in a high seismic exposure area and lacked any kind of coherent way to provide expertise to decision makers. He noted, "Creation of the commission there provided the kind of focus that we need here in Alaska and, over the long haul down there, has more than paid its way in reducing earthquake losses…" MR. SHELDON WINTERS, State Farm Insurance, said that State Farm works with commissions in other states and has found them to be a very effective way to identify mitigation issues for disaster potential of major earthquakes. He said, "A commission such as this allows for coordination of the different agencies, programs and expertise, and allows for consistent policies to be followed by all those agencies." SENATOR TAYLOR moved to pass HB 53 from committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There were no objections and it was so ordered.