ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL  NOVEMBER 21, 2017  10:53 AM    MEMBERS PRESENT    Representative Sam Kito, Chair  Senator Bert Stedman, Vice Chair  Representative Matt Claman  Representative Bryce Edgmon  Representative David Guttenberg  Representative Charisse Millett  Representative Dan Ortiz  Representative Harriet Drummond, Majority Alternate  Representative David Eastman, Minority Alternate  Senator John Coghill  Senator Anna MacKinnon    MEMBERS PRESENT ON TELECONFERENCE    Representative Louise Stutes  Senator Cathy Giessel  Senator Pete Kelly  Senator Peter Micciche    MEMBERS ABSENT    Senator Lyman Hoffman    OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT    Representatives LeDoux, Spohnholz, and Saddler; Senator  Wilson    AGENDA    APPROVAL OF AGENDA  EXECUTIVE SESSION  OTHER COMMITTEE BUSINESS    SPEAKER REGISTER  10:52:55 AM    I. CHAIR SAM KITO called the Legislative Council meeting to  order at 10:53 a.m. in Room 519 (House Finance) of the  State Capitol. Present at the call were Representatives  Claman, Edgmon, Guttenberg, Millett, Ortiz, Drummond  (alternate), Eastman (alternate), and Kito; Senators  Coghill, MacKinnon, Costello (alternate), and Stedman.  Present on teleconference were Representative Stutes;  Senators Giessel, Kelly, and Micciche. Senator Hoffman was  absent.    NOTE FOR THE RECORD: there were technical difficulties with the teleconference system. The roll call reflects members present once the difficulties were resolved.   CHAIR KITO removed two items from the agenda prior to the  motion to approve: The Records Policy and the Legal  Priority Policy an ad hoc working group would be  established for both with the Chair requesting any members  interested in serving on either subcommittee to contact his  office.    10:55:34 AM  Legislative Council took a brief at-ease to resolve  teleconference issues.    11:00:48 AM  CHAIR KITO called Legislative Council back to order. Roll  was called again at the Chair's request. Chair Kito  repeated the removal of two agenda items as noted above:  The Records Policy and the Legal Priority Policy. Ad hoc  working groups will look at both policies and make  recommendations to the full Council.    II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA    11:02:34 AM  VICE CHAIR STEDMAN moved that Legislative Council approve  the agenda as amended.    A roll call vote was taken.    YEAS: Claman, Edgmon, Guttenberg, Millett, Ortiz, Stutes,  Coghill, Giessel, Kelly, MacKinnon, Micciche,  Costello, Stedman, Kito    NAYS: None    The motion passed 14-0.    11:03:28 AM  Legislative Council took a brief at-ease to discuss the  format for the rest of the meeting.    11:14:15 AM  CHAIR KITO called Legislative Council back to order.    III. EXECUTIVE SESSION    VICE CHAIR STEDMAN moved that Legislative Council go into  executive session to consider matters made confidential by  the Legislative Council Records Policy under Uniform Rule  22(b)(2) and 22(b)(3); as always, Legislators not on  Council were invited to remain in the room. The following  staff were asked to stay in the room: Skiff Lobaugh, Human  Resource Manager and Doug Gardner, Legal Services Director.    Legislative Council went into executive session.    4:30:11 PM  Legislative Council came out of executive session.    A roll call was taken. Present at the call were  Representatives Claman, Edgmon, Guttenberg, Millett, Ortiz,  Drummond (alternate), Eastman (alternate), and Kito;  Senators Coghill, MacKinnon, Costello (alternate), and  Stedman. Present on teleconference were Senators Giessel,  Kelly, and Micciche. Representative Stutes and Senator  Hoffman was absent.    4:32:26 PM  VICE CHAIR STEDMAN moved that Legislative Council allow  access to the Legislative Affairs Agency Human Resource  Manager Skiff Lobaugh to review video recordings as  necessary to conduct an internal investigation. Skiff  Lobaugh is authorized during the course of performing his  duties as HR Manager to allow this video to be viewed in  his presence as appropriate and consistent with the best  human resource practices. This authorization applies  through the next Legislative Council meeting.    A roll call vote was taken after a brief at-ease.    YEAS: Claman, Edgmon, Guttenberg, Millett, Ortiz,  Drummond, Coghill, Giessel, MacKinnon, Micciche,  Costello, Stedman, Kito    NAYS: None    The motion passed 14-0.    4:34:14 PM  VICE CHAIR STEDMAN moved that Legislative Council approve  Senator Wilson's request for access to materials made  confidential by the Legislative Council Records Policy, and  that he may have counsel present if desired.    A roll call vote was taken.    YEAS: Claman, Edgmon, Guttenberg, Millett, Ortiz,  Drummond, Coghill, Giessel, Kelly, MacKinnon,  Micciche, Costello, Stedman, Kito    NAYS: None    The motion passed 14-0.    4:35:38 PM  CHAIR KITO called a brief at-ease.    4:48:11 PM CHAIR KITO called Legislative Council back to order and  asked Senator Stedman to describe the next item and make  the associated motion.    VICE CHAIR STEDMAN said that the concept is to move some  funds in current Fiscal Year 18 from LB&A, House Operating  Budget, and House and Senate Finance to Legal and Research  Services and Administrative Services.    VICE CHAIR STEDMAN moved that Legislative Council approve  the transfer of funds as follows: from the Legislative  Budget & Audit Committee, $145,000; from House Operating  Budget, $189,000; from Senate Finance Committee, $168,000;  and from House Finance Committee, $98,000; for a total of  $600,000, to be transferred to Legal and Research Services  and Administrative Services in a two-thirds, one-third  split: $400,000 to Legal and Research Services and $200,000  to Administrative Services.    4:49:45 PM  There was a brief at-ease in the middle of the motion to  ensure correct language.    4:50:29 PM  CHAIR KITO called the Legislative Council back to order.    SENATOR MICCICHE asked for confirmation of his  understanding that the legislative budget was not  increasing by one penny, that this was simply a re- distribution of funds.    CHAIR KITO said that his understanding was that the funds  were anticipated lapse, which meant it will not be a net  increase, it will be a transfer.    A roll call vote was taken.    YEAS: Claman, Edgmon, Guttenberg, Millett, Ortiz,  Drummond, Coghill, Giessel, Kelly, MacKinnon,  Micciche, Costello, Stedman, Kito    NAYS: None    The motion passed 14-0.    CHAIR KITO said that he was in the process of establishing  a Sexual Harassment and Other Harassment Policy working  group. He said he proposed that this working group be made  up of Legislative Council members because if travel was  necessary, that travel would be provided through the  Chair's office. He said he anticipated and hoped that there  would be a draft policy recommendation as members come into  session in January. As a subcommittee, three members will  be appointed from each body. The Committee will be staffed  by Human Resource Manager Skiff Lobaugh and Chair Kito's  Legislative Council staff Crystal Koeneman for support. In  response to a question by Representative Guttenberg, Chair  Kito noted he did not need a motion to establish a  Legislative Council subcommittee.    SPEAKER EDGMON said he wanted it on the record that the  intent is to move forward in an expeditious manner.    4:54:06 PM  Legislative Council took a brief at-ease at Senator  MacKinnon's request.    4:54:28 PM  CHAIR KITO noted that there were other members that joined  the Legislative Council meeting during the executive  session and they were: Representatives LeDoux, Spohnholz,  and Saddler. Representative Stutes also participated in the  executive session as her schedule allowed.    In response to a question by Representative Claman, Chair  Kito noted that there would be three members from each  body, for a total of six members on the Sexual Harassment  and Other Harassment subcommittee.    CHAIR KITO noted for the record and for members that there  was some confusion created by information passed around for  various agenda items; as such, in order for clarification,  for communication, for the ability for the public to  understand what Council is doing, all the information that  comes before Legislative Council members needs to come  through the Chair's office. His office will make sure the  information is available on BASIS and make sure it is  appropriately distributed to members. If there is  information they receive such that there wasn't time to  post to BASIS, the Chair will have to pull those items from  the agenda. In order to follow appropriate protocols and  notifications, all agenda item information must go through  the Chair's office.    SENATOR MICCICHE requested that, in working with the Human  Resource Manager Skiff Lobaugh, the proper terminology was  used with regard to the subcommittee, in order that the  public would hear the correct terms. He also noted that he  had received at least two texts from members of the press  and bloggers to please remind every member that we are  dealing with a personnel issue and that the subject of  executive session is to be kept confidential.    CHAIR KITO agreed and reminded everyone that all issues  discussed in executive session remain in executive session.    SENATOR MACKINNON stated that the matters Council has  discussed, that they've spent hours inside of executive  session, are important to the legislative body and are  taken very seriously by all who participated since 10:30  this morning. She thanked the Chair and his staff for  allowing Council a short break to get something to eat and  come back to the table. The issues that are before Council  are extremely serious and the matter that Council voted on  was very serious. She wanted to put on the record that  while she understands freedom of speech and the request fro  the press to understand everything that was happening,  there are laws in place for reasons, to protect individuals  and she believed that everyone agreed with that sentiment.  She thanked everyone for their professionalism regarding  the conversations they've had.    CHAIR KITO thanked all the members for working with his  staff to find at time when they could all meet, and for a  full committee representation.    There being no further business before the committee,  Legislative Council adjourned at 5:00 p.m.    4:59:20 PM