ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL    FEBRUARY 12, 2020  5:00 PM    MEMBERS PRESENT  Senator Gary Stevens, Chair  Representative Louise Stutes, Vice Chair  Senator Tom Begich  Senator John Coghill  Senator Cathy Giessel  Senator Lyman Hoffman  Senator Bert Stedman  Senator Natasha von Imhof  Representative Bryce Edgmon  Representative Neal Foster  Representative DeLena Johnson  Representative Jennifer Johnston  Representative Chuck Kopp  Representative Steve Thompson      MEMBERS ABSENT      OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT      AGENDA  APPROVAL OF MINUTES  RATIFICATION OF CHARITY EVENTS  COMMITTEE BUSINESS  CONTRACT APPROVALS      SPEAKER REGISTER  Jessica Geary, Executive Director, Legislative Affairs Agency  JC Kestel, Procurement Officer, Legislative Affairs Agency  5:00:18 PM    I. CALL TO ORDER    CHAIR STEVENS called the Legislative Council meeting to order  at 5:00pm in the State Capitols Senate Finance Committee  Room. Present at the call were: Senators Begich, Coghill,  Giessel, Hoffman, Stedman, Stevens, von Imhof; Representatives  Edgmon, Foster, Johnson, Johnston, Kopp, Thompson, Stutes.    14 members present.      II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES    A. December 18, 2019    5:01:30 PM  VICE-CHAIR STUTES moved and asked unanimous consent that  Legislative Council approve the minutes dated December 18,  2019, as presented.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were corrections or additions to  those minutes. Seeing none, the minutes were approved.      III. RATIFICATION OF CHARITY EVENTS    A. 2020 Girl Scouts of Alaska Annual Auction  B. 28th Fahrenkamp-Kelly Classic Charity Putting Tournament  C. 57th Annual Legislative Skits  D. 5th Annual Juneau's Got Talent  E. Juneau Co-op Preschool Winter Feast  F. Juneau Animal Rescue 7th Annual Silent Auction  G. 2020 Kenai River Sportfishing Association Events     5:01:49 PM  VICE-CHAIR STUTES moved and asked unanimous consent that  Legislative Council ratify the Chairs sanctioning of the  following charitable events per AS 24.60.080 (a)(2)(B): 2020  Girl Scouts of Alaska Annual Auction; 28th Fahrenkamp-Kelly  Classic Charity Putting Tournament; 57th Annual Legislative  Skits; 5th Annual Juneau's Got Talent; Juneau Co-op Preschool  Winter Feast; Juneau Animal Rescue 7th Annual Silent Auction;  2020 Kenai River Sportfishing Association Events.    CHAIR STEVENS objected for purpose of discussion. He has  sanctioned these events and verified they are 501(c)(3)  organizations. He asked if there was any discussion. Seeing  none, he removed his objection and stated that the events have  been ratified.    IV. COMMITTEE BUSINESS    A. FY19 Legislature Audit    CHAIR STEVENS noted this is not an action item, there will be  no vote, but Council has an opportunity to hear from the  Executive Director and ask questions.    JESSICA GEARY, Executive Director, Legislative Affairs Agency,  explained that by statute the Legislature has an annual  independent audit of its financials. The auditor was Elgee  Rehfeld who won that contract through a competitive RFP  (Request for Proposals) process. It was a clean audit with no  exceptions, which is ideal. She said she was happy to answer  any questions.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were questions; there were none.    B. FY21 Legislature Budget    CHAIR STEVENS asked for a motion.    5:04:12 PM  VICE-CHAIR STUTES moved that Legislative Council per AS  24.20.130 approve the FY21 Legislative Council Proposed budget  and transmit it to the House and Senate Finance Committees for  their review and action.    CHAIR STEVENS objected for purpose of discussion and asked Ms.  Geary to please explain the budget and address any questions.    JESSICA GEARY, Executive Director, Legislative Affairs Agency,  said that before members is the Legislative Council FY21  proposed budget and budget narrative. She said there were no  substantive changes since being delivered to your offices last  week.    Ms. Geary explained that in preparing the budget, she met with  the Presiding Officers, Rules Chairs, and the Finance Co- Chairs or their staff to discuss the budget. There are no  changes from last year. Within the budget request are two  RDUs, which are appropriations, and there is another RDU  within the Legislature that is the Legislative Budget & Audit  Committee whose budget was already passed directly to the  Finance Committees. Once they have this budget, they will have  the entire Legislative budget and be able to get to work.    The entire budget is listed in the Overview Tab in the front  of the budget that was distributed. We made some structural  changes last year which made it easier to do business this  year, but unfortunately had to keep those pages in the budget  book, so you will see there are still pages for the House and  Senate Per Diem Allocations, both ninety day and thirty day,  and there is also Information and Teleconference. Those must  remain in this year but will be removed next year. Again,  there are no increments in our request. Our FY20 Management  Plan equals FY21 Governors Figures which equals our FY21  request. There is a small surplus in State Facilities Rent  which will be offered up to the Finance Committees as a  reduction. She said she was happy to answer any questions.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were questions. Seeing none,  Speaker Edgmon has intent language.    SPEAKER EDGMON said when he met with Ms. Geary, she  communicated that LAA was billed approximately $12,000 by OMB  for services rendered. Subsequently, there was a verbal  commitment from OMB that this billing practice would not  continue. It seemed appropriate that this might be worthy of  having a discussion on the record to give LAA assurance from  Legislative Council that they are not responsible for paying  the $12,000. He said he is prepared to offer an amendment to  that effect.    CHAIR STEVENS said there is a motion before the Council and  asked Speaker Edgmon for his amendment.    SPEAKER EDGMON moved that Legislative Council direct LAA to  withhold payment for the FY20 invoiced amount of $12,112 for  OMB budget analyst time billed by the Governor's Office and  exclude the billing from the Legislature's FY21 request.    CHAIR STEVENS said there is an amendment to the main motion  and asked if there was discussion.    SENATOR STEDMAN said his concern is that the Governor was  starting to muck around in our budget. We normally stay in our  own back yard. He said he supports this, but his other concern  is we have substantial budgetary time in Legislative Finance  dealing with the difference between the OMB system and our  system and if we are going to play the billing game, we could  probably find a bill bigger than $12,000 to send to him.    SENATOR COGHILL asked if this had done before, has the  Legislature been billed previously.    JESSICA GEARY responded this is the first time we have ever  been billed for OMB analyst time. In fact, OMB does not  analyze our budget, we analyze it and submit numbers to them  which they, in the past, put in their system without  manipulating them.    REPRESENTATIVE KOPP said he sat on the Courts budget  subcommittee and they too bristled at the bill from OMB to  analyze their budget and had a similar view as expressed by  Senators Coghill and Stedman.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were further comments on this  amendment. Seeing none, he requested a roll call vote.    5:10:15 PM  A roll call vote was taken on the amendment.    YEAS: Senators Begich, Coghill, Giessel, Hoffman, Stedman,  Stevens, von Imhof; Representatives Edgmon, Foster, Johnson,  Johnston, Kopp, Thompson, Stutes.    NAYS: None    The motion passed 14-0.    CHAIR STEVENS said before the Council is an amended main  motion. He asked if there was further discussion on the main  motion to approve the Legislative budget. He removed his  objection and asked for a roll call vote.    5:11:19 PM  A roll call vote was taken on the budget.    YEAS: Senators Begich, Coghill, Giessel, Hoffman, Stedman,  Stevens, von Imhof; Representatives Edgmon, Foster, Johnson,  Johnston, Kopp, Thompson, Stutes.    NAYS: None    The motion passed 14-0.      V. CONTRACT APPROVALS    A. Ketchikan Office Space Lease Renewal    5:11:58 PM  VICE-CHAIR STUTES moved that Legislative Council approve  renewal No. 4 of the lease for Ketchikan Office Space in the  amount of $48,272.32.    CHAIR STEVENS objected for purpose of discussion and asked JC  Kestel to provide a brief explanation and address any  questions.    JC KESTEL, Procurement Officer, Legislative Affairs Agency,  explained the original lease agreement between the Legislative  Affairs Agency and Ketchikan Gateway Borough for office space  in Ketchikan was for a five-year term that began March 1, 2012  and terminated February 28, 2017. There were five lease  renewals available under the original lease agreement, each  for a one-year period. We have exercised three of the renewal  options.    Renewal No. 3 of the lease expires on February 29, 2020. The  Legislative Affairs Agency would like approval to proceed with  Renewal No. 4 for the period March 1, 2020, through February  28, 2021. If Legislative Council approves Renewal No. 4, this  will leave one more renewal of the lease available. This lease  renewal exceeds $35,000 in one fiscal year; therefore,  Legislative Council's approval is required.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were any questions.    SENATOR STEDMAN said in defense of the proposed lease, he  would like to remind the Committee how successful it has been  over the years since we relocated the Legislative Information  Office (LIO) from the tourist area downtown, out approximately  one mile to a Borough building which contains Borough offices,  US Senate offices, and a few other offices, so it is a one- stop-shop with ample parking. It has been very convenient for  the public and we have noticed a substantial increase in  public visitation. He encouraged members to support this  renewal. It has served us very well. Both he and the  Representative have offices there, along with the LIO staff.    CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were further discussion or  comments.    He removed his objection and asked for a roll call vote.    5:14:59 PM  A roll call vote was taken.    YEAS: Senators Begich, Coghill, Giessel, Hoffman, Stedman,  Stevens, von Imhof; Representatives Edgmon, Foster, Johnson,  Johnston, Kopp, Thompson, Stutes.    NAYS: None    The motion passed 14-0.      VI. ADJOURN    CHAIR STEVENS said if there is nothing further to come before  the Council, we are adjourned.    5:15:44 PM