SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE April 21, 1993 9:20 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Loren Leman, Chairman Senator Mike Miller, Vice Chairman Senator Robin Taylor MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Jim Duncan Senator Johnny Ellis COMMITTEE CALENDAR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 59(MLV) "An Act making a special appropriation to the Department of Natural Resources for refunds to certain veterans who purchased state land and for reimbursement to the University of Alaska for the veterans' land discount applied to land transferred to the University of Alaska; and providing for an effective date." HOUSE BILL NO. 98 "An Act naming the Black Veterans Recognition Bridge on the Alaska Highway over the Gerstle River." HOUSE BILL NO. 148 "An Act exempting the University of Alaska from the administrative adjudication provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act; and providing for an effective date." PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION HB 59 - No previous action to record. HB 98 - See Transportation minutes dated 4/8/93. HB 148 - See HESS minutes dated 4/16/93. WITNESS REGISTER Representative Eldon Mulder State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Prime Sponsor of HB 59 Representative Bettye Davis State Capitol Juneau, AK 99811-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Prime Sponsor of HB 98 Elizabeth Roberts, Staff to Representative Bettye Davis State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Offered information on HB 98 Wendy Redman, Vice President for University Relations University of Alaska 910 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-2388 POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 148 ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 93-30, SIDE A Number 001 The meeting of the Senate State Affairs Committee was called to order by Chairman Loren Leman 9:20 a.m. SENATOR LEMAN introduced CSHB 59(MLV) (APPROP: VETS' LAND DISCOUNT REFUND) as the first order of business. REPRESENTATIVE ELDON MULDER, prime sponsor of HB 59, explained the legislation makes a special appropriation to the Department of Natural Resources for refunds to veterans who purchase state land between April 1, 1983 and July 6, 1984. It also reimburses the University of Alaska for veterans' land discounts that apply to land that was transferred to the university as a result of a lawsuit settlement with the state. SENATOR TAYLOR moved that CSHB 59(MLV) be passed out of committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered. Number 075 SENATOR LEMAN introduced HB 98 (BLACK VETS' RECOGNITION BRIDGE,ALASKA HWY) as the next order of business. ELIZABETH ROBERTS, staff to Representative Bettye Davis, said the legislation is a bill that recognizes the eight months of labor that the black veterans put in on the Alcan Highway. She said every bit of the Alcan Highway, in Alaska, was built by the black veterans. They spent eight months in hideous conditions, and they finished the road in record time. HB 98 will name the bride over the Gerstle River the Black Veterans Recognition Bridge. REPRESENTATIVE BETTYE DAVIS, prime sponsor of HB 98, urged the committee's favorable consideration and passage of HB 98. She also noted the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities' strong support for the legislation. SENATOR MILLER moved that HB 98 be passed out of committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered. Number 168 SENATOR LEMAN brought HB 148 (EXEMPT U OF AK FROM APA PROCEDURES) before the committee as the final order of business. WENDY REDMAN, representing the University of Alaska, said in 1977 the legislature put the university under the state fiscal procedures act and under the state accounting act. At the same time, the university was put under the adjudications of the APA, and all of the legislative testimony from that time indicated that that section would have no effect on the internal management of the university or on the internal grievance procedures. However, a Supreme Court ruling said the language was not precise and that the law needed to be fixed. Ms. Redman said that the adjudications of the APA are very cumbersome quasi-judicial processes that are extremely expensive. HB 148 is an attempt to get the law straight and to get the exemption clarified just as every other agency in the state has been exempted. SENATOR LEMAN noted there was a Senate HESS Letter of Intent, and he outlined three suggested technical changes to it. He moved that those changes be adopted. Hearing no objection, the motion carried. He also moved the adoption of the Letter of Intent. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered. SENATOR TAYLOR moved that HB 148 and the accompanying Letter of Intent be passed out of committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered. Number 243 There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 9:33 a.m.