HB 113-ALASKA FIRE STANDARDS COUNCIL                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:17:44 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR DYSON  announced that the  next order of business  would be                                                               
HB 113.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL PASCHALL,  Staff, Representative  Eric Feige,  sponsor of                                                               
HB  113, introduced  the  bill. He  stated  a possible  conflict,                                                               
noting   that  both   he  and   Representative  Feige   are  both                                                               
firefighters, but not  currently eligible to serve  on the Alaska                                                               
Fire  Standards Council.  He explained  the mission  of the  Fire                                                               
Standards  Council is  to  establish  professional standards  for                                                               
fire  service  personnel  and  curriculum  requirements  for  the                                                               
certification of  training programs.  There are  currently eleven                                                               
members on the  Council. The Council, along  with three statewide                                                               
organizations, has  requested the  composition of the  Council to                                                               
be  changed.  He  said  there   were  currently  three  statewide                                                               
organizations  that  represent those  in  the  fire service:  the                                                               
Alaska   State  Fire   Chiefs  Association,   the  Alaska   State                                                               
Firefighters   Association,    and   the    Alaska   Professional                                                               
Firefighters  Association. He  noted that  each organization  has                                                               
asked to  have a seat  at the table  and the  only way to  do so,                                                               
while keeping a  balance between the current  membership in terms                                                               
of firefighters versus  fire chiefs, is to add one  member to the                                                               
Council.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GIESSEL asked who pays for the meetings of the Council.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. PASCHALL deferred to the chair  of the Council. He said there                                                               
are fees  associated with some  of the certifications,  and there                                                               
is also a  general fund transfer for travel. He  recalled it cost                                                               
$2,400 a year for one member to travel.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
BUDDY LANE,  Chair, Alaska Fire  Standards Council,  testified in                                                               
support of HB 113. He offered to answer questions.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:22:14 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR GIESSEL  said the fiscal  note is  zero, yet no  board or                                                               
commission  can exist  with  a zero  fiscal  note. She  requested                                                               
clarification.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. LANE thought  the original fiscal note was  around $2,000 for                                                               
travel  for an  additional seat.  That  was removed  in the  last                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL asked  who pays  for travel,  the assessment  of                                                               
fees.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LANE  said that  is  correct.  He  explained that  fees  and                                                               
general fund appropriation make up  the Council's funds. The fees                                                               
vary  every   year  depending  on  the   number  of  certificates                                                               
processed.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GIESSEL asked  if the Council is  not self-supporting and                                                               
requires general funds.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. LANE said that is correct.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DYSON held HB 113 in committee.