LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL December 18, 2000 1. ROLL CALL  The Legislative Council meeting was called to order at 3:05 p.m. by Senator Mike Miller, Legislative Council Chair, in the Anchorage LIO Conference Room and via teleconference. The roll was taken. In attendance were Council members Miller, Donley, Tim Kelly, Leman, Torgerson (via teleconference), Hoffman, Cowdery, Ogan (via teleconference), Gail Phillips (via teleconference), Porter, and Rokeberg. Council members Barnes and Berkowitz were absent. Staff present via Juneau teleconference were Varni, Ibesate, Lobaugh and Schofield and Gore (via teleconference). 2. APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 12, 2000 MEETING MINUTES    Representative Porter moved the minutes of the October 12, 2000 meeting be approved. YEAS: Miller, Donley, Hoffman, Tim Kelly, Leman, Torgerson, Cowdery, Ogan, Gail Phillips and Porter NAYS: None ABSENT: Barnes, Rokeberg and Berkowitz The motion was approved 10 - 0. 2. APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 20, 2000 MEETING MINUTES    Representative Porter moved the minutes of the October 20, 2000 meeting be approved. YEAS: Miller, Donley, Hoffman, Tim Kelly, Leman, Torgerson, Cowdery, Ogan, Gail Phillips and Porter NAYS: None ABSENT: Barnes, Rokeberg and Berkowitz The motion was approved 10 - 0. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE PROCUREMENT POLICY #1  Pamela Varni, Executive Director Legislative Affairs Agency explained the proposed amendment to the Legislative Procurement Procedures consistent with Title 36 of the Executive Branch Procurement Procedures. The Legislature passed legislation concerning amendment number 1 and LAA proposes adding a limited liability company under the procurement procedures regarding Alaska bidders. Amendment to read: . . . is a limited liability company organized under AS 10.50 and all  members are residents of the state,  or is a partnership under AS 32.05  or AS 32.11[,] and all partners are residents of the state. Senator Hoffman moved to approved amendment number 1. No discussion YEAS: Miller, Donley, Hoffman, Tim Kelly, Leman, Torgerson, Cowdery, Ogan, Phillips and Porter NAYS: None ABSENT: Barnes, Rokeberg and Berkowitz The motion was approved unanimously 10 - 0. 4. AMENDMENT TO THE PROCUREMENT POLICY #2  Pamela Varni, Executive Director Legislative Affairs Agency explained this amendment, (a) A legislative contract is not transferable, or  otherwise assignable, without the [WRITTEN] consent of the procurement  officer, and in the case of a contract for a committee, a majority of  the members of the committee. However, a contractor may assign money  receivable under a contract after due notice to the procurement  officer. This amendment would take out the need to have written consent from a majority of Legislative Council members on sole source justification statements and other procedures by just getting the procurement officer to sign off on them. Representative Cowdery moved to approved amendment number 2. Discussion followed by Representative Ogan regarding liability. Through discussion it was determined that this amendment does not change the vote on the contract. YEAS: Miller, Donley, Hoffman, Tim Kelly, Leman, Torgerson, Cowdery, Ogan, Phillips and Porter NAYS: None ABSENT: Barnes, Rokeberg and Berkowitz The motion was approved unanimously 10 - 0. 5. CLARIFICATION OF THE RIP POLICY  Skiff Lobaugh, Human Resource Manager, explained the current rehire policy on RIP employees. It was the intent not to hire Legislative RIP employees for 5 years after the date they went into retirement under the retirement incentive plan. The RIP policy is binding for legislative employees who retired but not for those who have reitred from the Executive Branch. In order to avoid disparate treatment the policy has been not to rehire RIP employees. There are many individuals who are interested in hiring RIP employees so LAA is looking at clarification on the policy intent. Proposal 1 would remove the intent language from the RIP policy and this would allow all retirees who retired under RIP to be rehired under Chapter 4 sect 30.b.2. Proposal 2 would extend the intent language to cover all employees who retire under a specific RIP bill and would not allow the Legislative Hiring Managers to take advantage of the reemployment of RIP employees. Senator Miller clarified the two proposals to state; 1. Allow the Legislative Hiring managers to hire under the RIP re- hire policy or; 2. not to hire under the RIP policy. Discussion followed by Representatives Ogan and Porter and Senators Tim Kelly and Leman. Senator Donley moved to accept proposal number 1 YEAS: Miller, Donley, Hoffman, Tim Kelly, Leman, Torgerson, Cowdery, Ogan, Phillips, Porter and Rokeberg NAYS: None ABSENT: Barnes and Berkowitz The motion was approved unanimously 11 - 0. 6. FYI - RESPONSE FROM AG'S OFFICE ON ADMIN ORDER 186.   TRIBES AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS.    Reply from Bruce Botelho, Attorney General, regarding the letter to Governor Knowles dated October 19, 2000. The reply letter is included in the Legislative Council packet. 7. Unfinished Business - Office Allowance Senator Tim Kelly moved to increase the office allowance available to each Legislator based on the subcommittee findings on postage increases. With the advent of the new redistricting plan he moved that the legislative office allowance be increased from $6000 for each legislator to $8000 for a single member house district and $10,000 for double member senate districts. Discussion by Representatives Rokeberg and Ogan and Senator Leman followed. It was determined that the increase of $160,000 would not increase appropriations. There are sufficient funds in the current legislative budget to cover the increase in the office allowance. YEAS: Miller, Donley, Hoffman, Tim Kelly, Leman, Torgerson, Cowdery, Phillips, and Porter NAYS: Ogan and Rokeberg ABSENT: Barnes and Berkowitz The motion was approved 9 - 2. 8. Unfinished Business - Home District Computers  Senator Leman suggested to have Legislative Council look into approval of a policy to allow 1 computer to be left in all interim offices. He suggested a subcommittee be formed to do a feasibility study on the issue because it is disruptive not to have access to a computer for three weeks it takes to move from interim offices to the Capitol. Meeting was adjourned at 3:35 a.m.