|
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 on this 85th day of the legislative session. Spring weather is here and flowers have started poking up around the city. I was able to enjoy the annual “legislative shoot” sponsored by the Alaska Correctional Officers Association at the Juneau outdoor shooting range on Saturday. The session has been crammed with important issues and hearings. I cannot imagine how dramatically we would have needed to restrict public input if the 90-day session initiative had been in place. I am having good movement on the fluoride resolution, the recreational land use legislation, and mixing zone restriction in fish spawning areas – none of which would have been possible under the 90-day concept. Both the revision of the mining tax and the distribution of the raw fish tax bills are stuck in process in the House.
It was a pleasure meeting with Bruce Willard from Homer this week, who was here on Farm Service Agency business. Melody Douglas from the School District and Tim Navarre from the Borough shared helpful information as well.
Personal Legislation
HB 415 – Recreational Land Use Liability
moved out of the Judiciary Committee on Friday with one conceptual amendment. This has no affect on the substance of the bill and only changes the title to refer to additional aspects of the legislation.
My office has been contacted with concerns that the bill may confer rights to individuals to use private lands regardless of a landowner’s willingness. The concern stems from the wording "A landowner that directly or indirectly allows a recreational activity..." This extends liability protection to landowners that are aware of recreational activity taking place on their property that have not taken action to deter that use. It is important to note that the bill does not grant recreational users any permission to use private property beyond current statutes.
HB 415 now moves to the Rules Committee where it awaits scheduling for the House floor. I would like to thank all those who were able to call in to testify on the bill. You’re input has made this an easy process.
Mixing Zone Legislation
House Resources will be hearing my Mixing Zone Legislation today. The committee will be considering a version of the bill that allows communities with Village Safe Water projects to retain wastewater discharge permits if fish begin to spawn in their mixing zones after they are initially authorized by DEC. This version of the bill allows placer miners to retain authorization for turbidity mixing zones up to 500 feet downstream of the discharge (water quality standards for turbidity must be met at that point).
HCR 5 – Fluoridation
which encouraging communities to fluoridate their water systems, moved out of the Senate HESS Committee this week. One minor amendment was made to clarify the intent that all future water systems be engineered to incorporate fluoridation if a community so desires. The last major step for this resolution is the Senate Floor.
HB 418 – Mining Taxes
was heard on Monday where we were able to give a short presentation on mining taxes in Alaska. There are many parts of the state’s mining tax structure that are affected by the bill and our presentation was intended to help reduce confusion. The committee held the bill pending further review. Ways and Means Committee is not scheduled to meet this week, but we hope to resume hearing of HB 418 on Monday, April 10th. I included a summary of the recent proposed Committee Substitute in my last newsletter, but you can also visit my website for update information.
State Affairs Committee
requires that the Alaska Legislative Council create a list of specifications for a new legislative hall and then solicit proposals from eligible municipalities to create a new legislative building which will be leased to the State for $1 per year. HB 23 which includes repealing statutory language implemented by the Fiscally Responsible Alaskans Needing Knowledge (FRANK) initiative moved from committee. The FRANK initiative requires that all of the bondable costs for constructing and moving the capitol (including any new private housing because it could qualify for an AHFC loan), be put to a vote of the people.
moved from committee. I offered an amendment that requires groups that contribute to political campaigns to file their reports to the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) electronically and sets criteria for reporting occupation and employer at different contribution levels. The amendment also reduces the amount of face time in a 30-day period that a lobbyist can have before registering with APOC from the current 40 hours down to 16 hours.
improves the Alaska Public Safety Information Network by allowing multiple public safety agencies access to conditions of parole information. This bill moved from committee.
is a resolution in support of federal legislation carried by Representative Young and Senator Murkowski that would grant allotments of up to 160 acres to Native Alaskan Vietnam-era servicemen. The conditions in the federal legislation would allow these veterans, or their representatives, if deceased, to pick allotments on any vacant federal land. I proposed an amendment to exclude National Parks and National Monuments and any prospective natural gas pipeline right-of-way. I am concerned that the federal legislation will be stalled in congress because these provisions could create up to 1200 private, marketable ‘inholdings’ in national parks and monuments within Alaska. I plan to reoffer this amendment on the floor. The other concern is that the allotments could be chosen in the route of the proposed natural gas pipeline. The Trans Alaska Pipeline right-of-way is specifically excluded from allotment in the federal legislation demonstrating the importance of a clear easement. This resolution moved from committee.
Resources Committee
creates a Climate Impact Assessment Commission to report to the legislature on the effects of climate change in Alaska and to come up with recommendations for legislative and budgetary action in response to climate change.
creates the Knik River Public Use Area as a management area under the Department of Natural Resources. This area sees a good deal of Off Road Vehicle (ORV) usage and target shooting as well as non-motorized recreation. The creation of the Public Use Area gives DNR a tool to manage user conflicts. The original version of the legislation drew criticism from non-motorized user groups as heavily favoring motorized uses. I worked with the bill sponsor to include language directing the Commissioner of DNR to manage the area for both user groups. I also amended the bill to delete the requirement that DNR work with the Army Corps of Engineers to identify wetlands. This is in response to the recent wetland mapping that occurred on the Lower Kenai Peninsula that led to almost all of the Homer area being listed as wetland, and causing increased permitting restrictions. My amendment would leave the wetland identification to DNR.
HB 307 moved to the Finance committee.
allows the legislature to appropriate revenue from permit sales to qualified salmon fishery associations that have undertaken a buy-back in a particular fishery if the permits retired in the buy-back are re-issued by the Commercial Fishery Entry Commission. This bill moved out of committee.
Health Education and Social Services Committee
This week in HESS we took up the controversial , repealing the Certificate of Need (CON) requirement for medical clinics. In 1974 the Federal government passed a law requiring medical clinics to obtain a CON, demonstrating that there is a need for their services in the community. The rational behind CON is that hospitals count on revenue from high dollar low risk procedures, such as outpatient surgery and imaging, to offset the costs they incur in providing charity care and performing more expensive and less in-demand procedures. Eight years after CON was enacted the federal government repealed it, and 17 states have followed suit. HB 287 would repeal the CON requirement for all boroughs with a population over 30,000. Advocates of HB 287 believe that without CON clinics will spring up and be able to provide more affordable care for patients. Opponents are concerned that these clinics will 'skim' the more profitable procedures and place hospitals in small communities at risk of financial insolvency.
Following Bills
All bills can be accessed through 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. You can view all bills relating to your specific areas of interest by selecting "Subject Summary" from the menu on the right. Access BASIS through the link below, or by doing a search for "BASIS Alaska".
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 328
(907) 465-4963
Ian Laing
Scheduling, Ways and Means, HB 415, HB 418
(907) 465-2689
Katie Shows
Health Education and Social Services, PERS/TRS, Budget, HCR 5, HCR 28, HB 238
(907) 465-2028
Rep. Paul Seaton
House District 35
(800) 665-2689
# # # |
