SB 53-COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN  9:02:04 AM CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI announced the first order of business would be SB 53, a bill to reestablish the Alaska Commission on the Status of Women. SENATOR BETTYE DAVIS, sponsor of SB 53, said she appreciated the committee hearing the bill. There is a fiscal note because the commission would need an executive director and some staff. That dollar amount could be worked out in Finance. Her office has received many calls of support on this bill. She noted that the women's commission in Anchorage is still quite active. 9:03:32 AM SENATOR GIESSEL referred to a March 2nd press release from Chair Wielechowski's office relating to more effective and efficient state government. That press release talked about having the courage to make the hard decisions, and said we need to look for waste or redundancy. She said her staff discovered there is a women's commission in Anchorage, and 25 other women's organizations all over the state. They also discovered that Governor Knowles defunded the commission in 1996. She said that it seemed redundant to reestablish the commission. 9:05:29 AM SENATOR DAVIS responded it was not Governor Knowles who defunded the commission. It was merged into another commission, and it was actually Governor Hickel who did that. SENATOR PASKVAN wondered if there might be greater efficiency in having one commission to address women's issues statewide. SENATOR GIESSEL responded that these other organizations are all over the state and they are very specific: Alaska Women in Travel, Alaska Tradeswomen, Fairbanks Native Association, Federally Employed Women, Women's Fisheries Network, and more. These are very diverse groups addressing specific issues. She said government is most effective when it is closest to the people, and she doesn't see that a large state organization is needed. This is an expensive undertaking. 9:07:48 AM CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI pointed out that in 2009 women still earned only 66 percent of what men earned. Women are the most common victims of domestic abuse, violence, and sexual assault. He appreciates the concept of a smaller scale but that does not seem to be working. It is important that the bill go forward. SENATOR MEYER asked if the committee had received the fiscal note. CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI answered yes. 9:08:46 AM SENATOR MEYER said this was an issue for the Finance Committee, but it looks like a lot of money. He said he did not disagree with Chair Wielechowski's comments. SENATOR PASKVAN moved to report SB 53 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI announced that without objection, SB 53 moved from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.