Session: State Capitol, Room 427 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-2828 Fax: (907) 465-4779 Interim: 35477 Kenai Spur Highway, Suite 101 B Soldotna, AK 99669 Phone: (907) 260-3041 Fax: (907) 260-3044 345 W. Sterling Highway, Suite 102 Homer, AK 99603 Phone: (907) 235-0690 Fax: (907) 235-4008

Homer Annexation Process

(JUNEAU) -- The Joint House and Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committees (CRA) took action today on the Homer Annexation.

"The Joint Committee had a draft resolution before them, with several "Whereas" clauses of explanation", said Senator Torgerson, Chair of the Senate Committee. "We ending up deleting most of those clauses and voted that both Committees submit Committee Legislation for further discussion".

The process will now be to have the House and the Senate CRA Committees introduce resolutions that will then be referred to their committees for debate. The time frame for this process must be concluded prior to March 7th, which is the constitutionally imposed deadline for a legislative review.

"If the bodies decide to approve the annexation, they simply take no action on the recommendation of the Local Boundary Commission (LBC) and it becomes effective on March 9", Torgerson explained. Conversely, in order to disapprove, the House and Senate must take action to oppose the recommendation of the LBC.

According to Torgerson, one of the committee's concerns is to make certain that the problems of process or policy that the legislature has identified with the annexation process is clearly stated for the benefit of the LBC. "We have the options of stating those concerns in either a Letter of Intent, a Sponsor Statement, or a separate Resolution, jointly or from each respective body", he concluded.

The time and date of the next public meeting on the legislation will be scheduled through the normal committee process for both the House and the Senate.

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| Sen. Torgerson's Page |
| Senate CRA Committee's Page | House CRA Committee's Page |

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