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Contact Information:
Toll Free:(800) 665-2689
In the Homer Area:(907) 235-2921
Via Mail or in Person: 345 W. Sterling Hwy., Suite 102B
Homer, Alaska 99603
Fax:(907) 235-4008
Website:
Email:
Greetings from Juneau and Homer. It has been a short but hectic week. I attended the joint Senate/House Resource Committee’s hearing in Kenai on Friday. We
are looking for ideas from industry and the public on ways to stabilize and increase oil and gas production in the Cook Inlet basin. As you know, the gas shortage is
fast eroding the value-added industrial complex at Nikiski. The Agrium fertilizer plant will close in October, and liquefied natural gas production will cease in 2009 if
more gas is not secured. The loss of the industrial property tax base will profoundly affect the entire Peninsula in addition to the loss of hundreds of good jobs and
local suppliers. Touring the facilities gave us a better perspective than reading a report. Several ideas were presented which may develop into partial solutions. I
was able to get home for the weekend and had meetings with a number of constituents. If you missed me this week and would like to meet personally, call my office
to schedule some time during the Easter weekend break.
Congratulations to the people of Homer on an excellent job securing financing for the new library. I don't have space here to acknowledge everyone involved with
the project, but the great public design process, the Board and Friends of the Library, the City Council, the individual pioneers, contributors and grantors, and the
vote of the residents for a local loan or bond, all deserve our recognition and thanks. I will continue to work to secure additional help for the project in the
legislature.
Coastal Zone Management
On January 28th the state received a letter from the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration detailing the federal government's position on the state’s proposed changes to the Alaska Coastal Management Plan (ACMP). OCRM specified
major areas of the revised Alaska plan that would need to be revisited by the state before OCRM can make a preliminary approval decision. This included the
scope and content of Coastal District Plans, the application of Coastal District Policies, and the clarity of ACMP policy on Habitat. We have scheduled a hearing
for February 24th in House State Affairs in order to hear from the state, the feds, and the districts on this issue. Given the uncertainty over the future of the revised
state plan, the committee wants to determine if it is reasonable to expect the districts to rewrite their plans by the July 1, 2005 date mandated by HB 191.
Legislation extending this deadline has been introduced and assigned to the committee.
Fishing Issues
SB 93 will raise commercial fishing permit and vessel license fees to help pay for the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission’s budget. The bill will be heard in the
Senate Labor and Commerce Committee at 1:30 pm on Tuesday. Contact your local Legislative Information Office if you are interested in testifying. Visit the
following link for further information. .
State Affairs Committee
The main topic this week was the large Elections bill (HB 90). We walked through the entire bill with Laura Glasier, Director of the Division of Elections, and had
public testimony before beginning to amend the bill. We will continue to hear this bill on Thursday, February 17th along with HB 98, a bill that would increase the
salary schedule for certain nonunion public employees to bring their salaries in line with public employees covered by collective bargaining.
On Tuesday, February 15th we will continue our discussion of the PERS/TRS issue. This meeting will be open to public testimony.
Resources Committee
HB 130, the University Lands Bill, provides for the conveyance of approximately 260,000 acres of state land to the University of Alaska as required under existing
law. The existing law has a long selection process that would have cost about $17 million, which will be saved by HB 130. Major parcels under consideration for
conveyance include 90,000 acres in the Nenana Basin, 51,820 acres in the Tanana Valley State Forest southwest of Fairbanks, 12,500 acres near the town of
McCarthy, 40,000 acres spread throughout Southeast, 6,680 acres near the Poker Flats Special Use Area, and 2,880 acres near the Kodiak Rocket Range.
Proposed for conveyance include 44 investment properties in Southeast, 14 investment properties in other areas throughout the state including a tract near Willow
formerly reserved for the Willow Capital Site, 12 educational properties, and one large property with oil and gas potential. To date the committee has received
approximately 50 letters from concerned citizens throughout the state, particularly in Southeast and Kodiak.
There is not any land in this conveyance on the Kenai Peninsula because municipalities have selected most Peninsula land during previous transfers. We will be
taking testimony on the bill again today at 1 pm and on Wednesday. If you would like to participate in the teleconferenced hearings, please get in touch with your
local Legislative Information Office.
HESS
Three important pieces of legislation introduced by the governor were moved out of committee this week: HB 95, HB 105 and HB 106. HB 95 clarifies the Division
of Public Health’s legal authority in responding to critical public health emergencies. This includes the Department’s ability to quarantine, conduct tests and screening
of individuals, and collect relevant data. The bill attempts to balance individual rights with the Department’s ability to operate effectively and efficiently in extreme
cases. HB 105 extends Medicaid coverage to include preventative and restorative dental services. Current Medicaid coverage only includes emergency dental,
which often results in pulled teeth. HB 106 permanently establishes the Senior Care program, which provides a $120 per month cash benefit and increases
prescription drug benefit for eligible seniors.
Ways and Means
Overviews were postponed this week to hear our first bill, HB 71. The bill extends the dates for available tax credits on oil and gas exploration leases on the Alaska
Peninsula. HB 71 moved out of committee with an attached memorandum from Representative Weyhrauch addressing some concerns raised during the hearing.
The bill will eventually travel through Resources where I will be able to deal with those concerns.
Following Bills
All bills can be found on the State's Bill Action and Status Inquiry System (BASIS). You can see what committee a bill is in, when it will be heard, how committee members voted, and much more. Don't forget that you can view all bills relating to your areas of interest by selecting "Subject Summary" from the menu on the right. You can access BASIS through the link below.
Live on the Web
Most committee hearings can be seen and heard on Gavel to Gavel, which is broadcast on both local access TV and on the internet. You can also access online archives from their website. .
Contact Us
If you would like to speak to me regarding a specific issue, it is helpful to first get in touch with the member of my staff handling related issues. You can click on their email addresses to send them a note, or just give us a call at the office. Please provide your full name, address and phone number on any correspondence with the office. Your time and effort are much appreciated.
Louie Flora
State Affairs, Resources, Fisheries, HB 25
(907) 465-4963
louie_flora ''@'' legis.state.ak.us
Katie Shows
Health Education and Social Services, HB 20, HB 24
(907) 465-2028
katie_shows ''@'' legis.state.ak.us
Ian Laing
Ways and Means, HB 50
(907) 465-2689
ian_laing ''@'' legis.state.ak.us
Rep. Paul Seaton
House District 35
(800) 665-2689
rep_paul_seaton ''@'' legis.state.ak.us # # # |
