 June 21, 2002
"EMAC will benefit Alaska by providing immediate access to additional trained and experienced emergency specialists and other emergency resources nationwide during a disaster," Knowles said. "It also provides for prompt reimbursement by the federal government of the costs of emergency resources provided by other states to Alaska in the event of a disaster." Knowles also signed House Bill 52, which increases supervision of criminal offenders who travel across state lines by allowing Alaska to participate in the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision. The compact provides for an interstate commission to coordinate the transfer and supervision of probationers and parolees between states, as well as enforcement mechanisms for states who fail to abide by the rules of the compact. The participation of 35 states was needed in order for the compact to be enacted and with Knowles' signing, Alaska became the 35th state to join the compact. Other bills signed into law by Knowles Wednesday include: House Bill 4 changes a number of penalties related to Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), including increasing the presumptive term of imprisonment from five to seven years for a first felony manslaughter, increasing minimum fines for DWI, and providing for mandatory forfeiture of a motor vehicle, aircraft or watercraft used in the commission of a felony DWI. House Bill 254 ensures that state employee retirement systems remain qualified under IRS tax provisions. House Bill 306 directs the Dept. of Community and Economic Development to issue permits for purchase and use of euthanasia drugs to government animal control agencies. House Bill 344 raises the fee for a non-commercial driver license, identification card and instruction permit to fund the transition to a digital driver license. House Bill 358 gives municipalities the option of exempting from increased property tax land from which timber infested by insects or at risk of infestation is harvested. House Bill 420 repeals a sunset clause placed on temporary water use authorizations so that the Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) can continue to issue temporary use authorizations for short-term use of state-managed water for construction and development projects. House Bill 421 directs DNR to develop standardized procedures for processing water right applications and temporary water use authorizations. The bill also directs DNR to make available to the public on the Internet water applications, permits, and similar documents and clarifies that all temporary water use authorizations are valid only to the extent the water withdrawal and use complies with fish and game permitting requirements. Senate Bill 4 provides an optional exemption from municipal property taxes, not to exceed $10,000, on the assessed value of real property owned and occupied as a permanent place of abode by a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical service provider. Senate Bill 11 provides for compulsory attendance of 6 year olds after 60 days of enrollment. Discretionary withdrawal of students within the first 60 days is allowed. Senate Bill 206 removes some loopholes in the law for use of disabled parking spaces and increases fines to $125 for a person using disabled parking without a permit; to $250 for misuse of a permit or license plate. Senate Bill 226 requires that federal highway projects costing over $10 million be designed to meet 25-year traffic demand forecasts (up from 20 years). Senate Bill 270 extends the Board of Dispensing Opticians for two years, to June 30, 2004. Senate Bill 295 grants the Department of Health and Social Services the authority to share appropriate delinquency history information with child and adult care licensing authorities to remain in compliance with federal and state licensing laws. Senate Bill 299 adds a Southcentral panel to the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board. Senate Bill 319 makes amendments to the Shallow Gas Leasing program that are needed because the program has evolved from its original intended purpose of a small program to provide rural energy, to a large program for commercial production of coal bed methane and other shallow gas. Senate Bill 326 requires the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to evaluate potential benefits and consequences of assuming primacy for wastewater discharge permitting from the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Senate Bill 331 amends district court jurisdiction over civil claims for money damages from current limit that claim not exceed $50,000, to allow in multiple-defendant cases that each defendant's claim not exceed $50,000. Senate Bill 356 provides DEC with the authority to issue general permits for water/waste disposal and requires DEC to use the Internet to post notices regarding permit applications. Senate Bill 359 provides for a $200,000 organization grant involving merger, consolidation or unification of a city and a third class borough. A vote on such a consolidation of the City and Borough of Haines is scheduled on June 25. The bill also provides for a review of the unorganized borough and identifies areas that meet standards for borough incorporation.
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