Greetings from Juneau. The first session of the 23rd Alaska State Legislature began two weeks ago with seventeen new lawmakers and a new administration. Much of the first two weeks of the session has been spent getting departmental overviews of the various state departments and their functions.

Governor Frank Murkowski gave his first State of the State address on Thursday, January 23rd, outlining his agenda for a smaller, more efficient government. The governor is also renewing efforts in developing Alaska's resources and focusing more attention on accountability and delivery of services. I look forward to hearing more about how the governor will accomplish his goals as the session progresses.

Committee Assignments:

This year I will be serving as a member of the House Finance Committee. So far, the Finance Committee has been hearing operation overviews from various state agencies as we prepare their budgets. I will be chairing the subcommittees that will develop the Administration and Natural Resources budgets.

My work on the Finance Committee will take up a great deal of time, however, I will still actively follow those issues important to District 36; particularly education, fisheries and transportation.

Salmon Task Force:

After many months of work, the Legislative Salmon Task Force, comprised of lawmakers and representatives of the fishing industry, has recommended a dozen bills aimed at boosting Alaska's salmon fisheries through various means. For more details on the Task Force, check the United Fishermen's Association website at www.ufa-fish.org.

One bill that is part of the package calls for extending the Salmon Task Force to March, 2005. Should this bill not pass, the Task Force will complete its work next month. Although the task force has made a great deal of progress already, I think a lot of work remains as we consider ways to ensure the economic viability of the salmon industry. I hope my fellow lawmakers will give swift approval to continuing the Task Force.

Personal Legislation:

I have filed seven bills so far this session, including HB 26, which would increase the state's contribution to the base student allocation through the Foundation Formula by $118 to $4,128 per student unit. An increase in state funding is much needed by school districts throughout Alaska as they cope with inflation, rising insurance costs and other factors. The bill will be heard first in the Special Committee on Education; the date has yet to be announced. I look forward to sharing information on this and other legislation as the session continues.

You can check the progress of mine, or any other bills on the Internet at:

http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/start.asp, or contact my office.

Kenai - Kodiak Caucus:

Reapportionment of the House and Senate districts has placed my House District 36 (Kodiak Island and several communities in the Lake and Peninsula Borough) with District 35 (Homer and Seward) under Alan Austerman's Senate District R. That move has resulted in the creation of the Kenai-Kodiak Caucus with the House and Senate Districts from the remainder of the Kenai Peninsula. The Kenai-Kodiak Caucus will be holding regular meetings to discuss their position on various issues.

I am pleased to be working with Senator Austerman again this year on issues affecting District 36. Alan's leadership and support was invaluable during my first term and resulted in a lot of positives for the district. That strong working relationship that existed between the House and Senate offices the last two years will continue this session.

District 36 Office Staff:

Staffing my Juneau office this session are Yvonne Davis, Katrina Matheny and Doug Letch.

This is Yvonne's second session with my office. In addition to often being the first voice you hear on the phone, she will handle scheduling, constituent concerns and a variety of other issues. This is her second session with my office.

A veteran staffer, Katrina will serve as my Finance Committee aide, and will also assist in fisheries issues. This is Katrina's third session with my office. Katrina also staffs my Juneau office year-round.

Among Doug's duties are assisting me with personal legislation, constituent issues, and communications. This is Doug's third year with my office after many years in public broadcasting in Kodiak and other Alaskan communities.

Getting in Touch With Your Elected Officials:

You can reach my Juneau office at: 1-800-821-4925. My fax number is: 465-3517. You can contact me by mail at:

Representative Gary Stevens
Alaska State Capitol
Room 502
Juneau, AK 99801-1182

My e-mail address is:

You can contact Senator Alan Austerman Toll Free at: 1-800-865-2487. Senator Austerman's fax number is: 465-4956.

Governor Murkowski's office can be reached by calling 465-3500. The Governor's fax number is: 465-3532.

Keeping Track of the Legislature:

There are a variety of ways you can follow the deliberations in Juneau. Cable television subscribers can watch the proceedings on Gavel to Gavel, which can also be viewed live at: http://www.ktoo.org/gavel/.

Again this year, we will be holding Constituent Teleconferences. The dates and times for those conferences are still being finalized and will be announced.

Another valuable resource for following the political process is the Kodiak Legislative Information Office (LIO) at 112 Mill Bay Rd. Their phone number is 486-8116. The LIO is your source for information on bills and resolutions, the place to send Public Opinion Messages (POMS), offer testimony on bills and more.

Don't Forget the PFD Deadline:

Applications for the 2003 Permanent Fund Dividend are now available. Please make sure to double check for accuracy all the information you provide and sign and return the form by the March 31st deadline to be eligible.

If you did not receive one in the mail, you can obtain an application booklet at the post office, or fill out the form on line at: http://www.pfd.state.ak.us/

Visiting Juneau:

If your travel plans include Juneau, please make it a point to stop by my office: room 502 in the Capitol Building. Recent District 36 visitors to the Capitol include Paul Buie, Walt Ebell, Duncan Fields, Jason and Emily Quinn, and Jerome Selby of Kodiak, and Dave Wilder of Port Alsworth.

The Capitol Report:

I would like to thank the Kodiak Daily Mirror for providing me this space for The Capitol Report. I hope you will find this information useful.

If you would like to receive my e-mail news updates, please give Doug Letch a call, or e-mail him at: .

# # #