ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE  February 8, 2001 10:47 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator John Cowdery, Vice Chair Senator Randy Phillips Senator Gene Therriault Senator Johnny Ellis MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Drue Pearce, Chair COMMITTEE CALENDAR  SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 9 Relating to the development and deployment of the National Missile Defense System. APPROVED SJR 9 FOR CALENDARING SJR 12(TITLE AM) Urging the United States Congress to amend the tax code to eliminate the marriage penalty. APPROVED SJR 12 FOR CALENDARING SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 2 Relating to declaring March 2001 as Sobriety Awareness Month. APPROVED SCR 2 FOR CALENDARING PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  SJR 9 - See State Affairs minutes dated 2/6/01. SJR 12 - See State Affairs minutes dated 2/6/01. SCR 2 - See HESS minutes dated 1/29/01. WITNESS REGISTER  Paul Roetman Staff to Senator Leman Alaska State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions about SJR 9 ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 01-2, SIDE A  Number 001 VICE-CHAIR COWDERY called the Senate Rules Committee meeting to order at 10:47 a.m. Present were Senators Phillips, Therriault, Ellis and Cowdery. VICE-CHAIR COWDERY announced SJR 9-NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM  to be up for consideration. SENATOR ELLIS asked if the national missile defense system proposal has been proven to work. MR. PAUL ROETMAN, staff to Senator Leman, sponsor of SJR 9, said there is a design for a national missile defense system but it has not been deployed and is not yet operational. The system as designed may change. SJR 9 shows general support for the concept that all 50 states should be protected from ballistic missiles; it does not endorse a specific system. SENATOR ELLIS noted that Alaska favors a land-based system while President Bush favors a sea-based system. He asked if SJR 9 makes a value judgment about either system. MR. ROETMAN said it does not. SENATOR PHILLIPS moved to calendar SJR 9. There being no objection, VICE-CHAIR COWDERY noted the motion carried. The next order of business to come before the committee was SJR 12- ELIMINATE MARRIAGE TAX PENALTY. There being no questions or discussion, SENATOR PHILLIPS moved to calendar SJR 12. Without objection, the motion carried. The committee took up SCR 2-SOBRIETY AWARENESS MONTH. There being no questions or discussion, SENATOR PHILLIPS moved to calendar SCR 2. Without objection the motion carried. There being no further business to come before the committee, VICE- CHAIR COWDERY adjourned the meeting at 10:50 a.m.