SB 223-CONFIDENTIALITY OF ANIMAL RECORDS                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:21:05 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATE BILL  NO. 223 "An  Act relating to the  confidentiality of                                                               
certain state records  relating to animals; and  providing for an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
He noted that  this was the second hearing and  the committee had                                                               
worked with  the sponsor on  a committee substitute (CS)  to make                                                               
minor improvements. He solicited a motion.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:21:16 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEVENS moved  to adopt  the  CS for  SB 223(RES),  work                                                               
order 32-LS1574\B, as the working document.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MICCICHE objected for purposes of discussion.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:21:46 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR ROBERT MEYERS, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,                                                                
sponsor of SB 223, deferred to Ms. Anderson to present the                                                                      
explanation of changes from SB 223 version A to version B.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:22:00 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHAELLA ANDERSON,  Staff, Senator  Robert Meyers,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, noted that  the CS mirrors the House                                                               
companion  bill that  is farther  along  in the  process and  has                                                               
stakeholder support.  She presented the following  explanation of                                                               
changes from SB 223 version A to version B for SB 223:                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                 SB 223  Version A to Version B                                                                               
                     Explanation of Changes                                                                                   
               CONFIDENTIALITY OF ANIMAL RECORDS                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
       "An Act relating to the confidentiality of certain                                                                     
      state records relating to animals; and providing for                                                                    
                      an effective date."                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
       Section 1. AS 03.05.084 Confidentiality of certain                                                                     
     information; exceptions                                                                                                    
        1. Removes   notwithstanding   AS    03.05.010(a)(2)                                                                    
          reference regarding duties  of commissioner of the                                                                    
          Department  of  Natural Resources  requirement  to                                                                    
          procure  and preserve  all information  pertaining                                                                    
          to  developing the  agricultural  industry in  the                                                                    
          state  and  disseminate  that information  to  the                                                                    
          public.                                                                                                               
        2. Adds regional health corporations to other                                                                           
          agencies  that  the  Department  of  Environmental                                                                    
          Conservation  may disclose  information to  if the                                                                    
          department determines there is  a health or safety                                                                    
          threat to animals or the  public and disclosure of                                                                    
          information is necessary to address the threat.                                                                       
        3. Clarifies     that       notwithstanding      the                                                                    
          confidentiality     of     certain     information                                                                    
          established  in AS  03.05.084 (a),  the Department                                                                    
          of  Environmental   Conservation  shall,  publicly                                                                    
          discloses "records" rather than "information."                                                                        
        4. Removes clause that if the Department of                                                                             
          Environmental  Conservation discloses  information                                                                    
          under AS 03.05.084 (b),  the Department of Natural                                                                    
          Resources  shall disclose  the information  to the                                                                    
          public  due  to  redundancy  in  both  departments                                                                    
          disclosing information.                                                                                               
        5. Adds business in regard to prevention of publicly                                                                    
          disclosed   records   identifying   a   particular                                                                    
          animal, individual or business.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:23:51 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MICCICHE  removed  his  objection;  finding  no  further                                                               
objection,  SB  223,  version  B,  was  adopted  and  before  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:24:08 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  KIEHL  opined  that the  important  distinction  between                                                               
these businesses versus others is  that the records they keep are                                                               
not only business  records but also records  about people's pets.                                                               
It was a reason to pass the bill.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:24:46 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEVENS moved  to report  the CS  for SB  223(RES), work                                                               
order    32-LS1574\B,    from     committee    with    individual                                                               
recommendations and attached fiscal notes.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:25:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MICCICHE  found  no objection,  and  CSSB  223(RES)  was                                                               
reported from the Senate Resources Standing Committee.