ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE  May 9, 2007 2:26 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Bettye Davis, Chair Senator Joe Thomas, Vice Chair Senator Kim Elton MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator John Cowdery Senator Fred Dyson COMMITTEE CALENDAR  Confirmation Hearing: University of Alaska Board of Regents CONFIRMATION ADVANCED CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 29(FIN) "An Act relating to infants who are safely surrendered by a parent shortly after birth." MOVED CSHB 29(FIN) OUT OF COMMITTEE SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 10 Supporting the reuse of facilities at the Galena Air Base to provide regional educational services. MOVED SJR 10 OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HB 29 SHORT TITLE: SAFE HAVEN FOR INFANTS SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) LEDOUX, GRUENBERG, LYNN, HARRIS, NEUMAN, WILSON, DAHLSTROM, GARDNER, OLSON, DOLL, KERTTULA 01/16/07 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/5/07 01/16/07 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/16/07 (H) HES, JUD 02/08/07 (H) HES AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106 02/08/07 (H) 02/20/07 (H) HES AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106 02/20/07 (H) Moved CSHB 29(HES) Out of Committee 02/20/07 (H) MINUTE(HES) 02/21/07 (H) HES RPT CS(HES) 6DP 02/21/07 (H) DP: CISSNA, NEUMAN, FAIRCLOUGH, GARDNER, ROSES, WILSON 02/21/07 (H) FIN REFERRAL ADDED AFTER JUD 03/12/07 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 120 03/12/07 (H) Moved CSHB 29(JUD) Out of Committee 03/12/07 (H) MINUTE(JUD) 03/14/07 (H) JUD RPT CS(JUD) 4DP 3NR 03/14/07 (H) DP: GRUENBERG, LYNN, DAHLSTROM, RAMRAS 03/14/07 (H) NR: COGHILL, SAMUELS, HOLMES 03/29/07 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM HOUSE FINANCE 519 03/29/07 (H) Heard & Held 03/29/07 (H) MINUTE(FIN) 04/10/07 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM HOUSE FINANCE 519 04/10/07 (H) Moved CSHB 29(FIN) Out of Committee 04/10/07 (H) MINUTE(FIN) 04/11/07 (H) FIN RPT CS(FIN) 7DP 2NR 04/11/07 (H) DP: CRAWFORD, NELSON, FOSTER, HAWKER, THOMAS, KELLY, MEYER 04/11/07 (H) NR: GARA, STOLTZE 05/07/07 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) 05/07/07 (H) VERSION: CSHB 29(FIN) 05/08/07 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 05/08/07 (S) HES, JUD 05/09/07 (S) HES AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 BILL: SJR 10 SHORT TITLE: REUSE GALENA AIR BASE SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) WIELECHOWSKI 05/02/07 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 05/02/07 (S) HES 05/09/07 (S) HES AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 WITNESS REGISTER Christine Marasigan, staff to Representative LeDoux Alaska Capitol Building Juneau, AK POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 29 Kat Pustay, staff to Senator Wielechowski Alaska Capitol Building Juneau, AK POSITION STATEMENT: Presented SJR 10 Eric Drygas, nominee to the UA Board of Regents Fairbanks, AK POSITION STATEMENT: Available for questions ACTION NARRATIVE CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS called the Senate Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee meeting to order at 2:24:31 PM. Present at the call to order were Senators Thomas, Elton, and Chair Davis. CSHB 29(FIN)-SAFE HAVEN FOR INFANTS  SJR 10-REUSE GALENA AIR BASE    CHAIR DAVIS announced CSHB 29(FIN) and SJR 10 to be up for consideration. 2:27:31 PM CHRISTINE MARASIGAN, staff to Representative LeDoux, said that the bill has gone through many previous incarnations, and the current bill before committee will allow a parent to surrender their infant within 21 days of birth without criminal prosecution. CHAIR DAVIS said that the committee would have to call another member back to the meeting to be able to pass out the bill. CHAIR DAVIS called a brief at-ease. 2:29:10 PM CHAIR DAVIS called the meeting back to order so that SJR 10 could be heard. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI explained that he had another meeting to attend, and so would have his staffer present the bill. KAT PUSTAY, staff to Senator Wielechowski, said that the resolution supports the plans of the city of Galena to reuse the former air base as an educational facility. The city economic development council supports using the facilities for such services; she explained the history of the base and said that a boarding school and possibly a military academy could be founded there. 2:32:00 PM CHAIR DAVIS said that the committee could vote immediately on the bill without hearing any testimony unless it was necessary. 2:32:58 PM SENATOR THOMAS asked if the zero fiscal note on the bill will hold true for the next several years. MS. PUSTAY said that state funds won't be needed; it's part of transition funding. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI commented that the bill is only a resolution so there would be no fiscal note. SENATOR ELTON moved to pass SJR 10 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, the motion carried. 2:34:50 PM REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX related HB 29's history, and said that the bill is a good one that hopefully will pass in 2007. CHAIR DAVIS concurred, and asked for the will of the committee. 2:35:40 PM SENATOR THOMAS moved to pass CSHB 29 (FIN), referred to as Version O, from committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. There were no objections and it was so ordered. 2:36:43 PM CHAIR DAVIS called a brief at-ease. ^CONFIRMATION HEARING: UA BOARD OF REGENTS  2:38:38 PM CHAIR DAVIS called the meeting back to order, and asked Mr. Drygas if he had a statement regarding his nomination. ERIC DRYGAS, nominee to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, said that he's passionate about the school and has a degree in education; he's been involved with the university for years as a student and athlete. CHAIR DAVIS thanked Mr. Drygas, and apologized for the wait to testify. She said that the committee would be forwarding his name on for recommendation. There being no further business to come before the committee, she adjourned the meeting at 2:40:23 PM.