SENATE RULES COMMITTEE March 20, 1995 12:25 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Mike Miller, Chair Senator Drue Pearce, Vice Chair Senator Bert Sharp Senator Jim Duncan Senator Judy Salo MEMBERS ABSENT All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 19 "An Act relating to the location of the convening of the legislature in regular session." -- APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS FOR CHARLES P. MEACHAM AND RON SOMERVILLE PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION SB 19 - See State Affairs minutes dated 1/26/95. Finance report 3/9/95 Rules minutes dated 3/16/95 ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 95-4, SIDE A CHAIRMAN MILLER called the Senate Rules Committee meeting to order at 12:25 p.m. SRLS - 3/20/95 SSSB 19 (LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TO BE IN ANCHORAGE), which was held over from the March 16 meeting, was back before the committee. There being no discussion, CHAIRMAN MILLER asked for the will of the committee. SENATOR PEARCE moved and asked unanimous consent that SSSB 19 be approved for calendaring. SENATOR DUNCAN objected. The Chairman requested a roll call vote. Senators Sharp, Pearce and Miller voted "Yea" and Senators Salo and Duncan voted "Nay." The Chairman stated the calendaring motion carried. CHAIRMAN MILLER stated the next items on the agenda would be consideration of professional contracts for Charles P. Meacham and Ron Somerville. SENATOR DUNCAN noted that the two contracts were being entered into by both the Senate Rules Committee and the House Rules Committee, and he asked why the project director, in both cases, was reporting to the Speaker of the House. SENATOR PEARCE clarified that there had to be one person as the project director and Kyle Parker, who is legislative assistant to the Speaker of the House, is an attorney as well, and it makes sense to have the same person overseeing both projects as project director. She added that Mr. Parker is in constant communication with her office as well. SENATOR SALO asked for an explanation of the contract amount of $25,000 for each individual. SENATOR PEARCE explained that $25,000 is the maximum amount for each contract, but it doesn't mean the full amount will be paid out. The parties, under the direction of the leadership of both bodies, will work on a host of issues, but primarily they refer to state/federal fish and wildlife issues. Mr. Meacham will continue working on the United States/Canadian and State/Yukon salmon treaties, as well as the Pacific Fisheries Management Act. Issues to be addressed by Mr. Somerville will be coordination of the Endangered Species Act legislation and the Magnuson reauthorization in Washington, D.C. The individuals will not be doing policy for the State of Alaska, but will be working with leadership in keeping the Legislature apprised of what is happening as these acts move forward. SENATOR SALO asked if Mr. Somerville is working on subsistence issues, and SENATOR PEARCE answered that he is not. CHAIRMAN MILLER asked for the will of the committee on the contract for Mr. Meacham. SENATOR PEARCE moved that the contract for Charles P. Meacham, in the amount of $25,000, be approved by the Senate Rules Committee. Hearing no objection, CHAIRMAN MILLER stated the contract was approved. SENATOR DUNCAN stated he was going to oppose the contract for Ron Somerville because of the areas Mr. Somerville has been involved in in the past and the controversy that surrounded that. He added he believes the contract probably generates more controversy than the benefits it would bring. SENATOR PEARCE moved that the contract for Ron Somerville, in the amount of $25,000, be approved by the Senate Rules Committee. SENATOR DUNCAN objected. The Chairman requested a roll call. Senators Pearce, Sharp and Miller voted "Yea" and Senators Duncan and Salo voted "Nay." CHAIRMAN MILLER stated the contract was approved. There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 12:25 p.m.