Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

House Broadens Participation in Royalty Decisions

Bill Increases Public Participation on Advisory Board

For Immediate Release May 1, 1998 Contact: Rep. Jerry Sanders at (907) 465-4945.

Juneau -- The Alaska House of Representatives Friday passed House Bill 488, which increases public participation in the Alaska Royalty Oil and Gas Development Board. The bill passed the House 37-1.

"Hours of public testimony from the mining, logging, fishing, trucking, and other industries has left little doubt that high fuel prices have a definite retardant effect on the economic development and quality of life in Alaska," said Representative Jerry Sanders (R-Anchorage), who carried the bill on the House Floor. "Currently, three board members are required to have a background in the petroleum industry. By lowering that requirement to one member, the board will become more diversified and all Alaskans will benefit," Sanders said.

House Bill 488 replaces the Commissioner of Revenue with the Commissioner of the Department of Community and Regional Affairs on the board. It raises the number of voting members from five to seven and reduces the number of members with petroleum-related backgrounds from three to one.

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Broadcasters note: Comments are available on the House Majority Line (800) 478-6540.
= Jerry Sanders, 42 K