SENATE RESOURCES COMMITTEE February 8, 1993 3:35 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Mike Miller, Chairman Senator Steve Frank Senator Drue Pearce Senator Fred Zharoff MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Loren Leman, Vice Chairman Senator Al Adams Senator Dave Donley COMMITTEE CALENDAR Executive Order 86 - Transfer FRED to ADF&G. Executive Order 83 - Merge State Geographic Board and Historic Sites Advisory Committee into the Alaska Historical Commission in the Department of Natural Resources. PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION EO 86 - No previous action to record. EO 83 - No previous action to record. WITNESS REGISTER Geron Bruce, Special Assistant Department of Fish and Game P.O. Box 25526 Juneau, Alaska 99802-5526 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported EO 86. Kristie Leaf Office of the Governor P.O. Box 11001 Juneau, Alaska 99811-0001 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported EO 83. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 93 - 7, SIDE A Number 001 SENATOR MILLER called the Resources Committee meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. and announced EO 86 to be up for consideration. GERON BRUCE, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, supported EO 86 which would put the FRED Division on the same level as the other two fisheries divisions. It would make the Department as a whole responsible for the performance of the duties of fisheries rehabilitation, enhancement, and development. Number 50 SENATOR ZHAROFF mentioned that the fiscal note indicated $0 cost saving measures or expenses. MR. BRUCE said the primary purpose of the reorganization is to improve program efficiency. He said cost saving has occurred either by transferring the operational cost to the private sector or by putting them on other funding sources in ADF&G. SENATOR ZHAROFF said under EO 86 it looked like most of the decisions would be made in Juneau without consultation or input from west and southwest Alaska. MR. BRUCE said there would be levels of participation from employees of all the different regions of the state as well as from the different kinds of professions. A core group has been appointed that doesn't have anyone from the western region. This group coordinates and sets a general direction. Subgroups will be appointed to work on the details and advise the core group. It is the intention of the Commissioner and the planning team that all regions will be represented in the subgroups. Number 149 SENATOR ZHAROFF said in his region fishing is a mainstay of the economy and there is the threat they are not being adequately represented by the core group. He thought all areas of the state should be consulted on this issue. He questioned the accuracy of the fiscal note. MR. BRUCE said the core group consists of four representatives from the Commercial Fisheries Division, four representatives from Fisheries Rehabilitation, one representative from the Sportfish Division, and one representative from the Commissioner's office. As the process develops, representatives from all areas will be appointed to the subgroups. MR. BRUCE said during the FY 93 deliberations the Department identified $300,000 of initial savings that would result from this recombination. One of the positions was a deputy director in the Commercial Fisheries Division which was taken out of the budget. SENATOR ZHAROFF asked what would happen if they didn't pass EO 86. MR. BRUCE said the Department would limp along with the reduced personnel. Number 233 SENATOR ZHAROFF asked him if this was an attempt by the Department to consolidate the regional offices into Anchorage and to close out the rural offices? MR. BRUCE said that was not the intention at all. The Commissioner wants to retain as much presence as possible in the areas where harvesting is taking place. Number 297 SENATOR MILLER thanked everyone for their participation and announced EO 83 to be up for consideration. KRISTIE LEAF, Office of the Governor, explained that EO 83 combines the State Geographic Board and the Historic Sites Advisory Committee into the Alaska Historical Commission. She said there is wide support for this move. She said the duties and functions of the Board would maintain their status. The membership would decrease from 21 to 10. Number 309 SENATOR ZHAROFF asked if there would be any fiscal savings. MS. LEAF said each of the three Boards are funded through their agency budgets; they don't have a separate budget. Neither agency reduced their budget request. If there was a savings, it would be indirect. Currently about $35,000 is spent to administer the Boards. The savings would come with the cut in number of Board members. Number 348 SENATOR FRANK commented that there is a law on the books requiring a fiscal note to tell how much it costs. It should reflect anticipated savings whether or not it is budgeted. Number 371 SENATOR ZHAROFF said he would like to see the complete picture before voting on the bill. Number 379 SENATOR MILLER thanked everyone for their participation and adjourned the meeting at 4:00 p.m.