 July 09, 2002
House Bill 296 would alter how local option mergers and consolidations of municipalities may be accomplished in a manner that could have an adverse affect on all future merger and consolidation efforts. The bill essentially allows for the smallest populated district or municipality to prevent a merger or consolidation notwithstanding the majority vote in other municipalities voting on the question. "This legislation creates a potential for the 'tail to wag the dog' in any future merger or consolidation election, thus giving more voting power to the minority over the majority," Knowles said. "It has the high potential of rendering consolidations and mergers of municipalities more difficult, if not impossible, under the local option method. This would be contrary to the Alaska Constitution." Senate Bill 180 would create a two-tiered pay scale for state workers, unfairly disadvantaging some current rural employees not covered by collective bargaining without saving the state much money on its payroll. In his veto letter, Knowles said that his Administration and previous Administrations have long advocated for an adjustment to the salary differentials for non-union state employees that parallels the differentials that apply to employees covered by collective bargaining. However, Knowles pointed out that the bill had fatal flaws that rendered the inequalities in pay worse in many ways. "The intent of restructuring our geographic pay differentials is, and should be, to create a balanced, fair system for our employees that can withstand any court challenges," said Knowles. "Our 1985 changes to the differential for collective bargaining units succeeded in this effort. It would be prudent and rational to take the same approach for our non-covered employees rather than this approach which guarantees inequities." Senate Bill 370 would revise the election code to specify the timing of the lieutenant governor's call for a constitutional convention, how delegates are elected, and the place of the convention. While some sections of the bill are positive, Knowles called others "a disservice to Alaskans." Weighing the bill as a whole, he decided that "legislation on this important issue should be subject to more careful consideration and should be closer in spirit to the original call for the constitutional convention of 1955." Knowles also signed a variety of bills into law on Friday. They include: HB 160 requires that hospitals and physicians provide a report to the state registrar whenever an induced termination of a pregnancy is performed. The report protects confidentiality by not including the name of the patient. Each year, the state registrar will compile the information and prepare an annual statistical report. Groups on all sides of the abortion issue supported passage of this bill. HB 180 brings the state into compliance with the Adoption and Safe Family Act of 1997 through licensing for child service providers such as foster homes, residential child care facilities, semi-secure residential child care facilities, secure residential psychiatric treatment centers, child placement agencies, and maternity homes. HB 206 authorizes the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission to establish vessel-based, rather than individual-based, limited entry systems for the Bering Sea Korean hair crab fishery and weathervane scallop fisheries. HB 286 is intended to consolidate commercial salmon fishing fleets through operation of salmon fishery associations and the ability of a person to hold more than one entry permit for a salmon fishery. This "permit stacking" process is a way that salmon fishermen can voluntarily reduce the number of participants as an alternative to state-run buyback programs. HB 287 clarifies the status of limited entry permits under state law as "use privileges" rather than "property" in order to prevent seizure of permits by creditors of permit holders. The bill means that except for child support liens and permits subject to interests held by state lending agencies, entry permits are exempt from creditor claims. HB 288 corrects "taxing authority" and "dedicated fund" constitutional problems in the funding mechanism in current buyback law. The Department of Revenue would collect the assessment from fishermen and deposit it into the state treasury. The legislature may appropriate those funds to the buyback program. The bill eliminates a requirement that a buyback program include vessels and gear as well as permits, and makes explicit that the holder of a permit may voluntarily relinquish the permit. HB 307 extends the date that an applicant must complete certain oil and gas exploratory work to qualify for an exploration incentive credit from July 2004 to 2007. HB 390 reauthorizes the salmon marketing tax for ASMI's marketing program. HB 393 creates a comprehensive program for regulating business opportunities under which the seller agrees to provide products, supplies or services to the buyer, enabling the buyer to start a business. HB 397 provides that drivers of off-highway vehicles such as snowmobiles, aircraft, watercraft and other vehicles as specified by regulation need not have a driver's license regardless of the age of the driver. HB 455 provides a property tax exemption for state lands sold and restricted to agricultural use without the requirement to apply for the exemption. Requires that agricultural land be assessed as to the value of the restricted agricultural purpose. HB 458 changes probationary periods for state employees. -more- HB 470 amends the Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act. HB 471 amends AIDEA program regarding dividend calculation; bulk fuel revolving loan fund and rural development initiative fund. HB 501 allows the Department of Revenue to use unclaimed property to pay court-ordered restitution owed by the owner of the property. Gives priority to child support debts over restitution judgments. HB 508 encourages the Department of Environmental Conservation to distribute paralytic shellfish poisoning testing information by prompt posting on the Internet. The bill also gives DEC a role, along with the Department of Fish and Game, in developing annual operating plans for dive fisheries. HB 515 is this year's version of the missions and measures for departments of state government. HB 517 requires state agencies, before disposing obsolete or surplus property, to reconfigure or erase all functions that would identify it as state property. HB 521 clarifies that municipalities may use tax increment financing in conjunction with general obligation bonds, revenue bonds or other forms of indebtedness to fund public improvements in improvement areas. HB 526 changes the filing deadline for financial disclosure statements for public members and nominees of the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics from March 15 to the day the legislature convenes. Senate Bill 100 allows the state and municipalities to regulate use of "electronic personal motor vehicles" on sidewalks, bike paths, and other pedestrian areas. An "Electronic Personal Motor Vehicle" is defined so that it describes a vehicle produced only by one company, Segway. SB 181 amends the Alaska Housing Finance Commission's small community loan program by limiting the one percent interest rate break program to the first $250,000 of a small community loan. Establishes a new teacher housing loan program for small communities. SB 220 allows licensed hairdressers to practice limited esthetics. SB 279 allows the Department of Fish and Game to issue a complimentary sport fishing license and fishing tag to a visitor who participated as a fire fighter, police officer or emergency medical services provider at the site of the World Trade Center or Pentagon from September 11 through November 11, 2001. SB 339 raises maximum fine a court may impose when sentencing a person convicted of certain criminal offenses. SB 345 clarifies regulatory requirements for statewide correspondence study programs. It includes the Alaska Challenge Youth Academy in the education foundation formula. It allows school-based Medicaid services for students with disabilities and permits the state Medicaid program to cover the cost of rehabilitative services provided in schools to eligible children.
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