ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
January 30, 2007
8:03 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Bob Lynn, Chair
Representative John Coghill
Representative Kyle Johansen
Representative Craig Johnson
Representative Andrea Doll
Representative Max Gruenberg
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Bob Roses, Vice Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 109
"An Act relating to the requirement for candidates, groups,
legislators, public officials, and other persons to submit
reports electronically to the Alaska Public Offices Commission;
relating to disclosures by legislators, public members of the
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics, legislative directors,
public officials, and certain candidates for public office
concerning services performed for compensation and concerning
certain income, gifts, and other financial matters; requiring
legislators, public members of the Select Committee on
Legislative Ethics, legislative directors, public officials, and
municipal officers to make certain financial disclosures when
they leave office; relating to insignificant ownership interest
in a business and to gifts from lobbyists for purposes of the
Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act; relating to certain
restrictions on employment after leaving state service for
purposes of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act; and
providing for an effective date."
- HEARD AND HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 37
"An Act establishing the first Saturday of every March as Susan
Butcher Day."
- MOVED HB 37 OUT OF COMMITTEE
OVERVIEW(S): DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; DEPARTMENT OF
MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 109
SHORT TITLE: DISCLOSURES & ETHICS
SPONSOR(s): RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR
01/25/07 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/25/07 (H) STA, JUD
01/30/07 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
BILL: HB 37
SHORT TITLE: ESTABLISHING SUSAN BUTCHER DAY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) GUTTENBERG, KERTTULA, NEUMAN
01/16/07 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/5/07
01/16/07 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/07 (H) STA
01/30/07 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
JOHN BITNEY, Legislative Director
Office of the Governor
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HB 109 as sponsor.
REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GUTTENBERG
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 37 as sponsor.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR BOB LYNN called the House State Affairs Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:03:29 AM. Representatives Johnson,
Gruenberg, Doll, and Lynn were present at the call to order.
Representatives Coghill and Johansen arrived as the meeting was
in progress.
8:04:27 AM
CHAIR LYNN noted that he sent a letter to Governor Sarah Palin
regarding the House State Affairs Standing Committee's formation
of a subcommittee to discuss possible language for an ethics
bill. He discussed the calendar of the day.
HB 109-DISCLOSURES & ETHICS
8:05:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN announced that the first order of business
was HOUSE BILL NO. 109, "An Act relating to the requirement for
candidates, groups, legislators, public officials, and other
persons to submit reports electronically to the Alaska Public
Offices Commission; relating to disclosures by legislators,
public members of the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics,
legislative directors, public officials, and certain candidates
for public office concerning services performed for compensation
and concerning certain income, gifts, and other financial
matters; requiring legislators, public members of the Select
Committee on Legislative Ethics, legislative directors, public
officials, and municipal officers to make certain financial
disclosures when they leave office; relating to insignificant
ownership interest in a business and to gifts from lobbyists for
purposes of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act; relating to
certain restrictions on employment after leaving state service
for purposes of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act; and
providing for an effective date."
8:06:05 AM
JOHN BITNEY, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Governor,
introduced HB 109 on behalf of Governor Sarah Palin. He said
the bill was crafted for the purpose of fulfilling the
governor's campaign promises, including: filing political
campaign reports electronically, asking for more detail in terms
of financial disclosure, banning gifts from lobbyists, and
tightening restrictions regarding who can become a lobbyist
after working for the legislature.
MR. BITNEY explained that the bill would require lawmakers paid
more than $1,000 for work to specify how much they were paid,
how many hours they worked, and describe in detail what kind of
work they did to earn that money. The bill also would require
those lawmakers leaving office to report all financial and
business interests within 90 days upon leaving office.
MR. BITNEY stated that under the bill, those who work for the
executive branch would have standards defining when the value
of their stock or ownership interest in a business is
significant. The bill would set the amount at $5,000.
Regarding the ban on gifts from lobbyists, he noted that gifts
from immediate family or a neighbor at Christmas time, for
example, where there is no intent to influence, would not come
under this language.
MR. BITNEY said the bill tightens the restriction regarding who
can become a lobbyist after leaving service. He drew attention
to Sections 10 and 11. Section 10 addresses whether or not
someone can go to work for compensation after leaving service,
and where the conflict may exist in terms of where that person
is allowed to work. Current language in state law makes an
exception for those who worked on consideration of matters for
legislative bills, resolutions, or regulations, while in public
service. The proposed legislation would not make that
exception. Mr. Bitney noted that current law prohibits certain
officials going into lobbying for up to one year after service,
and he said Section 11 would add the following positions to that
prohibition: deputy commissioners and employees of the governor
who are in a policy-making position. He stated that both
[Sections 10 and 11] are designed to create more confidence in
the public that those in office are looking out for the best
interest of the state and its citizens.
8:14:58 AM
MR. BITNEY noted that the effective date would be July 1, 2007,
for electronic filing, in order to give the Division of
Elections time to implement the system.
8:15:41 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN, regarding Section 11, stated his
concern that the definition of lobbyist and consultant is a grey
area.
[HB 109 was heard and held.]
HB 37-ESTABLISHING SUSAN BUTCHER DAY
8:17:05 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the final order of business was HOUSE
BILL NO. 37, "An Act establishing the first Saturday of every
March as Susan Butcher Day."
CHAIR LYNN stated that he regrets he never met Susan Butcher.
8:17:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GUTTENBERG, Alaska State Legislature,
presented HB 37 as co-sponsor. He indicated that Ms. Butcher's
accomplishments speak to the bill. He stated, "More people have
walked on the moon than have won the Iditarod four times." He
noted that the level of Ms. Butcher's accomplishment was
illustrated by those who spoke at her memorial, including George
Lucas, and Bill and Melinda Gates. He shared anecdotes related
to her life and noted that in the committee packet is an outline
of her greatest accomplishments. The proposed legislation would
honor Ms. Butcher by naming the first Saturday of March - the
traditional starting day of the Iditarod - "Susan Butcher Day".
REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG said he hopes that schools and civic
organizations honor her. He highlighted her accomplishment of
having taken a team of dogs to the summit of Mt. McKinley. He
revealed that he has been a dog musher in the past and is amazed
at what Ms. Butcher did with her dogs. He relayed that the
Iditarod [committee] is planning events this year to commemorate
Ms. Butcher's life, and he asked the legislature to consider
adopting HB 37 as a way of recognizing the woman's
accomplishments and her ability and persistence in doing the
things she did.
8:21:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN said the dignity with which Ms. Butcher
fought her final fight [with cancer] was another remarkable
accomplishment.
8:21:41 AM
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL expressed appreciation of the bill.
8:22:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL moved to report HB 37 out of committee
with individual recommendations and [the accompanying zero
fiscal note].
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG asked that the motion be amended to ask
that the committee move the bill with unanimous "do pass."
CHAIR LYNN asked if there was any objection [to moving HB 37
unanimously, with a recommended "do pass," out of the House
State Affairs Standing Committee]. There being no objection, HB
37 was reported out of committee.
8:22:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN explained that due to weather, the scheduled
overviews would not be heard.
8:22:59 AM
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL offered an update regarding the House
State Affairs Standing Committee's ethics subcommittee.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at
8:23:46 AM.