LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL  June 29, 2005     1. ROLL CALL  Legislative Council was called to order at 9:43 a.m. by Chairman Pete Kott via nd teleconference and in the Anchorage LIO 2 Floor Conference Room and Butrovich Room. The roll was taken. In attendance were Council members: Representatives Kott, Coghill, Gatto, Rokeberg, Weyhrauch, Berkowitz, Senators Cowdery, Ben Stevens, Gary Stevens, Wagoner, and Davis. Members absent: Senators Therriault, Wilken and Representative Harris. Staff present: Varni, Schofield, Cook, Finley, Clothier, Johnston, Price, Ibesate, Ohmer, Williams, Weissler, Brakes, Matheny, and Gullufsen. 2. APPROVAL OF May 6, 2005 MINUTES  Senator Cowdery moved Legislative Council approve the minutes of the May 6, 2005 Council meeting. YEAS: Kott, Coghill, Gatto, Rokeberg, Weyhrauch, Berkowitz, Cowdery, Ben Stevens, Gary Stevens, Wagoner, and Davis NAYS: None ABSENT: Harris, Therriault, and Wilken There was no objection the motion was approved. 3. MOVING, TRAVEL, AND PER DIEM POLICY APPROVAL    Pam Varni, Executive Director of the Legislative Affairs Agency stated that the Moving, Travel, and Per Diem Policies needed to be amended to reflect the policies of the Legislature as it relates to reimbursement for staff travel, moving and per diem expenses to, from and during a regular session of the Legislature. The amendments add one sentence to the Moving and Travel Policy and two sentences to the Travel and Per Diem Policy. Discussion followed. Senator Cowdery moved that Legislative Council approve the proposed amendments to the Legislative Council Moving and Travel Policy and the Legislative Council Travel and Per Diem Policy. YEAS: Kott, Coghill, Gatto, Rokeberg, Weyhrauch, Berkowitz, Cowdery, Ben Stevens, Gary Stevens, Wagoner, and Davis NAYS: None ABSENT: Harris, Therriault, and Wilken There was no objection the motion was approved. LONG TERM PER DIEM RATE FOR LEGISLATORS  Chairman Kott stated the Long Term Per Diem Rate for Legislators is $65 during the interim for every four hours worked and has not been changed since 1990. Discussion followed. Representative Weyhrauch moved to increase the Long Term Per Diem Rate from $65 to $200 a day. Discussion followed. Representative Rokeberg objected. Discussion followed. Representative Rokeberg moved to amend the motion from $200 to $150. Representative Weyhrauch objected. Discussion followed. YEAS: Kott, Rokeberg, Cowdery, Ben Stevens, Gary Stevens, Wagoner, and Davis NAYS: Gatto, Weyhrauch, and Berkowitz Amendment failed 7 - 3. Discussion followed. Representative Weyhrauch moved to increase the Long Term Per Diem Rate from $65 to $150 and withdrew his original motion. Discussion followed. YEAS: Kott, Rokeberg, Cowdery, Weyhrauch, Berkowitz, Gary Stevens, Wagoner, and Davis NAYS: Gatto, and Ben Stevens ABSENT: Coghill, Harris, Therriault, and Wilken Motion passed 8 - 2. 4. COMPUTER AND PRINTER PURCHASE APPROVAL    Curt Clothier, DP Manager asked for Legislative Council's approval to move forward with the purchase of 145 new Gateway computers and 30 new HP Laser printers as outlined in the Legislature's Three-year Technology Plan. Each Legislative office will get one new computer to replace the oldest computer in the office. DP will then work with the Presiding Officers and Rules Chairman to distribute the remaining equipment to replace the oldest computers in the building. As for the printers, 19 will go to the House and 9 will go to the Senate. The rest will be spare printers that will be used when needed. Discussion followed. Senator Cowdery suggested getting laptop computers. Discussion followed. Curt asked for Legislative Council to look into laptop computers as a separate issue. Discussion followed. Representative Gatto questioned the price of the computers and wondered why these particular computers were so expensive. Discussion followed. Representative Gatto requested 19" LCD flat screen monitors as opposed to the 17". Discussion followed. Representative Gatto moved that Legislative Council approve the solicitation, award and expenditure not to exceed $270,000 for computers, 19" monitors and printer upgrades from Legislative Council funds. YEAS: Kott, Gatto, Rokeberg, Weyhrauch, Cowdery, Gary Stevens, Wagoner, and Davis NAYS: Berkowitz ABSENT: Coghill, Harris, Ben Stevens, Therriault, and Wilken Motion passed 8 - 1. 5. 2004 CSG ANNUAL MEETING FINAL HOST COMMITTEE REPORT    Pam Varni, Executive Director gave the final Alaska Host Committee Report for the 2004 CSG Annual State Trends & Leadership Forum & CSG-WEST Annual Meetings held in Anchorage September 25-29, 2004. The conference of over 1,800 delegates was a huge success with the assistance of our Host Committee and Legislative and Executive Branch volunteers. Our state appropriation was repaid by cash and in kind contributions by the private sector. Discussion followed. 6. CONTRACT FOR THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE ALASKA STATUTES    Pam Finley, Reviser of Statues affirmed that the Legislative Affairs Agency has a contract with Lexis-Nexis to publish the Alaska Statutes in print and on CD-ROM. The initial contract period expires at the end of 2006, but the Agency has the option of renewing the contract for a two-year period. The contract requires the Agency to notify the publisher by July 1, 2006 whether it intends to renew or not. Pam recommended that Legislative Council make this decision now, so that if Council decides not to renew, the Agency could begin the RFP process this fall. If Council decides now to renew the contract for two years, it could avoid having to address this issue during what promises to be a busy session. Senator Cowdery moved that Legislative Council approve the two-year extension with Lexis-Nexis. YEAS: Kott, Gatto, Rokeberg, Berkowitz, Cowdery, Gary Stevens, Wagoner, and Davis. NAYS: None ABSENT: Coghill, Harris, Weyhrauch, Ben Stevens, Therriault, and Wilken With no objection the motion was approved.   7. SECURITY UPDATE    Pam Varni, Executive Director gave the Security Update. Discussion followed.   Meeting was adjourned at 11:10 a.m.