February

02-24-00

1. Representative John Harris, during his floor speech Friday, describes the details of his HB 203. The measure revises statutes pertaining to the State's Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund to make the program more attractive and useful to farmers.
   = John Harris, 48 K
2. Representative Harris concludes his floor speech on HB 203.
   = John Harris, 61 K

02-24-00

1. Senate President, Drue Pearce discusses Senate Bill 176, which would allow for single-gender health clubs. Senator Pearce explains why this bill preserves privacy and not discrimination.
   = Drue Pearce, 42 K

02-23-00

1. House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Representative Pete Kott, during floor comments Wednesday describes HB 230 for memebers. Wednesday, the Alaska House unanimously passed HB 230. The measure permits police and fire dispatchers at retirement to have the option of converting their service as dispatchers to service as peace officers.
   = Pete Kott, 63 K
2. Representative Kott continues his floor speech to detail the cost savings and advantages to Alaska if the bill, HB 230, is implimented into law.
   = Pete Kott, 79 K
3. House Finance Member, Representative Bill Williams, comments during his floor speech on HB 340. The measure designates the Ketchikan Indian Corporation (KIC) as a Regional Housing Authority. Wednesday, the Alaska House Wednesday passed the measure which was sponsored by Rep. Williams.
   = Bill Williams, 89 K
4. House Labor & Commerce Committee Chairman, Representative Norman Rokeberg, talks about his motivations for introducing HB 67. The measure mandates that courts must consider the safety of victims in sexual assault and other sexual offense cases. The Alaska House of Representatives passed HB 67, Wednesday.
   = Norman Rokeberg, 15 K
5. Rep. Rokeberg gives an example of how the system judicial didn't work correctly for one of his constituents.
   = Norman Rokeberg, 67 K
6. Rep. Rokeberg continues with his constituent example.
   = Norman Rokeberg, 37 K

02-21-00

1. House Finance Vice-Chairman, Representative Con Bunde, comments on the passage of his HB 236 from the House Monday. The measure would give teachers who work more than 50-percent of the time, but not full-time, retirement service credit based on time worked.
   = Con Bunde, 24 K
2. Representative Bunde continues to talk about the details of his part-time credit measure, HB 236.
   = Con Bunde, 44 K
3. Representative Bunde continues to talk about HB 236 and lists the benefits his part-time credit measure would have for the state's educational system.
   = Con Bunde, 33 K
4. House Labor and Commerce Chairman, Representative Norman Rokeberg, describes his legislation, HB 190. The legislation protects Alaska investors from sales abuses that have appeared elsewhere in the country in connection with viatical settlement contracts.
   = Norman Rokeberg, 35 K
5. Representative Rokeberg further describes HB 190 and how it protects investors. The measure unanimously passed the House Monday.
   = Norman Rokeberg, 56 K
6. Representative Rokeberg states that the measure adds viatical settlements to the list of items covered by the Division of Insurance before sales contracts are signed, and to the Division of Banking, Securities, and Corporations at the time the provider begins to market the investment.
   = Norman Rokeberg, 37 K

02-18-00

1. Senate President, Senator Drue Pearce, comments on the impact of recently announced scholarships for graduate students pursuing an advanced degree in political science, public administration, public policy or related fields.
   = Drue Pearce, 20 K

02-16-00

1. Senator Dave Donley comments on legislature he recently introduced at a Wednesday press conference. The measure, SB 268, would increase the mandatory term of imprisonment to 99 years for those convicted of first degree murder during a robbery.
   = Dave Donley, 34 K
2. Senator Dave Donley talks about his motivations for introducing his mandatory sentencing measure. "The recent spate of murders of restaurant workers and taxi drivers has to be stopped," said Senator Donley. "It is unacceptable that these murderers could serve as few as 14 years in prison, after good time is deducted, for such senseless and horrifying murders.
   = Dave Donley, 33 K
3. Community and Regional Affairs Committee Co-Chairman, Representative Carl Morgan, Wednesday discusses legislation he introduced. The measure, HJR 56, would remove wildlife management issues from the ballot initiative process in Alaska. "In 1998 the citizens of Utah and Minnesota passed similar amendments to their state constitutions to protect wildlife in their states," said Morgan.
   = Carl Morgan, 70 K
   

02-09-00

1. Senator Jerry Ward, Co-Chair of the Legislature Commission on Privatization and Delivery of Government Services, talks about the testimony today before a joint session of the Senate and House Finance Committees to hear about the results of the Privatization Task Force.
   = Jerry Ward, 36 K
2. Representative John Cowdery, Co-Chair of the Legislature Commission on Privatization and Delivery of Government Services, explains his views on the testimony today before a joint session of the Senate and House Finance Committees.
   = John Cowdery, 28 K
3. Representative John Cowdery talks about legislation that will be introduced that will inherently determine which activities are government activities and which are not.
   = John Cowdery, 15 K

02-08-00

1. Representative Fred Dyson discusses how HCR 11 encourages efforts to be made within the criminal justice system and at the legislative level to combat substance abuse, with the goal of reducing recidivism. "Alaskans pay a high price when alcohol and substance abuse treatment services are not available. These significant impacts increase costs to communities for hospitals, courts, policing, and entitlement programs for the delivery of health and social services. They also contribute to the need for more correctional facilities in Alaska."
   = Fred Dyson, 49 K
2. Representative Fred Dyson explains the human aspect of HCR 11 and how this legislation will encourage people to "want" to cure themselves of substance abuse and live a healthier life.
   = Fred Dyson, 31 K
3. Representative Fred Dyson, Chairman of the Children's Caucus, a bi-partisan caucus whose purpose is to inform legislators, through various presenters, about a particular issue relating to children, explains the up and down sides of the information presented today by the Department of Health and Social Services.
   = Fred Dyson, 64 K

02-07-00

1. House Labor and Commerce Committee Chairman, Representative Norman Rokeberg, Monday discusses HB 345, which he introduced to require the State of Alaska to make payments to the Alaska Comprehensive Health Insurance Association (ACHIA). "Having the State oversee any such plan, as any private employer would, means there would be checks and balances to protect the employer, the employee, and the health care practitioners," Rokeberg said. "The ultimate goal is improved coverage and lower costs for all employees."
   = Norman Rokeberg, 39 K
2. House Labor and Commerce Committee Chairman, Representative Norman Rokeberg, continues to outline changes his HB 345 would make. The measure would also require that, as contracts expire, all State employees be placed under one health plan. "There is strength in numbers, while breaking-off different employee groups decreases the opportunities for keeping premium levels at a stable and more affordable level," Rokeberg said.
   = Norman Rokeberg, 51 K
3. House Finance Committee, Vice-Chair, Representative Con Bunde, describes during Monday's floor session, what his HB 105 would do. The measure sets out requirements for licensing speech-language pathologists in Alaska. Alaska is currently one of only six states that do not require speech-language pathologists to have a license. The House passed the measure 27-6 and now it moves to the Senate for consideration.
   = Con Bunde, 75 K
4. House Transportation Committee Chairman, Representative Andrew Halcro, comments during House floor session on his legislation, HB 272, which passed the House 29-5 Monday. The bill changes State law to encourage the development of needed affordable housing for low-income families. Rep. Halcro details how recent changes in Anchorage property tax assessment practices work against the federal low income housing program.
   = Andrew Halcro, 73 K
5. House Transportation Committee Chairman, Representative Andrew Halcro, further describes how his measure, HB 272, would affect the local funding of federal low-income housing programs.
   = Andrew Halcro, 38 K

02-04-00

1. Representative Rokeberg discusses HB 222, sponsored by the House Judiciary Committee, which would prevent creditors from foreclosing on partnerships.
   = Norman Rokeberg, 48 K
2. Senator Robin Taylor outlines why he supports SJR 35. The measure would codify that a vote of the people is required before the PFD fund can be changed.
   = Robin Taylor, 36 K

02-03-00

1. House Finance Co-Chair, Representative Gene Therriault, declares the proper funding of the University of Alaska remains a priority for the Republican-led House Majority.
   = Gene Therriault, 23 K
2. House Finance Co-Chair, Representative Gene Therriault, says the Majority, which is responsible for actually formulating the budget, welcomes constructive input from all factions, including the Democratic Minority.
   = Gene Therriault, 16 K

02-02-00

1. Senator Dave Donley discusses his SB 242 Wednesday. This measure would mitigate the effects of the pending 10-mill municipal tax cap initiative by proposing to use existing state oil and gas property tax revenue to fund the state's Revenue Sharing and Municipal Assistance programs.
   = Dave Donley, 42 K
2. Senator Dave Donley discusses how SB 242 would return the increased oil and gas revenues that the state receives back to the municipalities if the proposed $10 mil. tax initiative does pass in November.
   = Dave Donley, 21 K

02-01-00

1. Senator Loren Leman discusses his SB 235 Tuesday. This measure will allow the Alaska Railroad to improve safety and efficiency of its operations by upgrading and realigning its track to reduce 70 sharp curves between Anchorage and Wasilla.
   = Loren Leman, 30 K
2. Senator Loren Leman explains the specifics and costs of his SB 235.
   = Loren Leman, 25 K