ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON SB 172  May 1, 2006 5:05 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Gene Therriault, Chair Senator Con Bunde Senator Kim Elton Representative Paul Seaton, Chair Representative Kevin Meyer Representative Les Gara MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR SENATE BILL NO. 172 "An Act relating to the presentation of initiatives and referenda on the ballot." MOVED CCS SB 172 OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 172(FIN) am H "An Act relating to election pamphlets and to the presentation of initiatives and referenda on the ballot; relating to review of applications for certification of initiatives; relating to the circulation and subscription of recall petitions; and providing for an effective date." MOVED CCS SB 172 OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION BILL: SB 172 SHORT TITLE: INITIATIVE\REFERENDUM\RECALL\PAMPHLET SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) THERRIAULT 04/13/05 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 04/13/05 (S) STA 04/19/05 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 211 04/19/05 (S) Moved SB 172 Out of Committee 04/19/05 (S) MINUTE(STA) 04/20/05 (S) STA RPT 4DP 04/20/05 (S) DP: THERRIAULT, WAGONER, HUGGINS, DAVIS 04/25/05 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) 04/25/05 (S) VERSION: SB 172 04/26/05 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 04/26/05 (H) STA, JUD 05/05/05 (H) STA RPT HCS(STA) 4DP 2NR 05/05/05 (H) DP: LYNN, GATTO, ELKINS, SEATON; 05/05/05 (H) NR: GARDNER, GRUENBERG 05/05/05 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 05/05/05 (H) Moved HCS SB 172(STA) Out of Committee 05/05/05 (H) MINUTE(STA) 05/07/05 (H) JUD AT 3:30 PM CAPITOL 120 05/07/05 (H) -- Meeting Postponed to 12 noon 5/8/05 -- 05/08/05 (H) JUD AT 12:00 AM CAPITOL 120 05/08/05 (H) BAN LAWSUITS AGAINST FIREARMS INDUSTRY 05/09/05 (H) JUD AT 0:00 AM CAPITOL 120 05/09/05 (H) 02/03/06 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 120 02/03/06 (H) Scheduled But Not Heard 02/06/06 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 120 02/06/06 (H) Moved HCS SB 172(JUD) Out of Committee 02/06/06 (H) MINUTE(JUD) 02/08/06 (H) JUD RPT HCS(JUD) NT(TECHNICAL) 6DP 1AM 02/08/06 (H) DP: COGHILL, WILSON, ANDERSON, KOTT, GRUENBERG, MCGUIRE; 02/08/06 (H) AM: GARA 02/13/06 (H) FIN REFERRAL ADDED AFTER JUD 03/08/06 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM HOUSE FINANCE 519 03/08/06 (H) Heard & Held 03/08/06 (H) MINUTE(FIN) 03/24/06 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM HOUSE FINANCE 519 03/24/06 (H) Moved HCS SB 172(FIN) Out of Committee 03/24/06 (H) MINUTE(FIN) 03/27/06 (H) FIN RPT HCS(FIN) NT 4DP 3NR 1AM 03/27/06 (H) DP: HAWKER, FOSTER, WEYHRAUCH, MEYER; 03/27/06 (H) NR: KELLY, STOLTZE, MOSES; 03/27/06 (H) AM: KERTTULA 04/19/06 (H) BEFORE THE HOUSE 04/19/06 (H) VERSION: HCS SB 172(FIN) AM H 04/20/06 (S) CONFERENCE COMMITTEE APPOINTED 04/20/06 (S) THERRIAULT (CHAIR), BUNDE, ELTON 04/21/06 (H) RECEDE MESSAGE 04/21/06 (H) CONFERENCE COMMITTEE APPOINTED 04/21/06 (H) SEATON (CHAIR), MEYER, GARA WITNESS REGISTER Joe Balash, Staff Senator Gent Therriault Alaska State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information related to SB 172 ACTION NARRATIVE CHAIR GENE THERRIAULT called the Conference Committee meeting on SB 172 to order at 5:05:08 PM. Present were Representative Les Gara and Chair Paul Seaton and Senator Kim Elton, Senator Con Bunde and Chair Gene Therriault. Representative Kevin Meyer arrived at 5:06 PM. SB 172-INITIATIVE\REFERENDUM\RECALL\PAMPHLET    5:05:37 PM CHAIR THERRIAULT announced that the Conference Committee for SB 172 was the business before the committee. He directed attention to the packets and compared the bill version that went to the House floor with the amendment that was passed there and advised that he has come to understand that the definitional section on page 2, lines 5-7 was inadvertently omitted when the floor amendment was run. It's generally agreed that the language ought to appear in the bill, so if the committee agrees that inserting the definition of "section" gets it to the point of agreement, then a vote to request limited free powers could be taken. The committee could sign a letter to that effect and then take that action in one meeting. When the presiding officers read the letter requesting limited free powers and they are granted, the next step will be to adopt the conference committee report exercising the powers. SENATOR CON BUNDE said, "So moved." CHAIR THERRIAULT announced that there was no objection to the motion to request limited free powers and it was so ordered. CHAIR THERRIAULT asked for a motion to adopt a conference committee substitute to include the definitional section. SENATOR BUNDE said, "So moved." CHAIR THERRIAULT restated Senator Bunde's motion to adopt the Conference Committee Substitute (CCS) for SB 172 that would add the definitional section. 5:07:38 PM JOE BALASH, Staff to Senator Therriault, advised that the motion must be contingent. The action would be contingent upon limited free powers being granted. SENATOR BUNDE amended his motion as outlined by Mr. Balash. CHAIR THERRIAULT restated that Senator Bunde motioned to adopt CCS SB 172 contingent upon being granted powers to take the action. 5:07:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE LES GARA asked for clarification that the request would be for powers of limited free conference. CHAIR THERRIAULT said yes and then mentioned the three fiscal notes: the Division of Elections submitted a fiscal note for $677,600 to cover the cost of the additional pages that would be added to the ballot; A fiscal note for $91,000 [$97,00] is for the addition of an official election pamphlet for a primary election when there is an initiative; and the Department of Law submitted a $42,500 fiscal note to pay increased staff costs so that the review of petition language can be finished within 60 days. There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Therriault adjourned the meeting at 5:09:24 PM.