Faced with the challenge of Alaska’s on-going fiscal gap, the Majority continued its work to make State government smaller, more efficient, and more accountable. During the 21st Alaska Legislature, the Majority passed legislation that achieved these goals.

Improving Government Functions

• HB 40 combines the Department of Community and Regional Affairs with the Department of Commerce and Economic Development into a single Department of Community and Economic Development.
• HB 428 requires the State to pay interest on child support payments it mistakenly orders.
• SB 33 establishes the Commission on Privatization and Delivery of Government Services to study the possibility of privatizing state government functions to save money and provide higher quality services for Alaskans.
• SB 107 eliminates the Alaska Tourism Marketing Council. It also consolidates all marketing formerly done by the Council and the Alaska Division of Tourism, and calls for contracting with a single qualified trade association to market Alaska as a tourism destination.
• SB 133 repeals the Alaska Public Utilities Commission (APUC) and transfers its duties to the new Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA).
• SB 229 makes changes to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska allowing for the use of mediators for hearings and requiring the use of hearing officers.

• SB 286 clarifies the State Attorney General’s duties to defend the Alaska Constitution, limits the AG’s ability to settle cases, and gives the Legislature the authority to appropriate settlement funds.
• SJR 27 makes it possible for the legislature to place both constitutional revisions and amendments before Alaskans for a vote, and prohibits courts from changing their wording.

Monitoring public funds

• HB 112 establishes the Alaska Public Building Fund, into which occupants of state-owned buildings would pay “rent.” The Legislature could appropriate funds from this account to pay operating, maintenance, and other costs of state-owned buildings.
• HB 361 makes changes to State procedures to ensure the appropriateness of fee levies and to make State departments more accountable for efficient delivery of services.
• SB 134 repeals the existing Oil & Gas Conservation Tax and institutes a stable funding source for the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission.
• SB 169 and SB 281 define the missions and measures for implementation of results-based budgeting, the practice of establishing objective performance measures for state agencies, so lawmakers can evaluate how effectively these agencies are spending state money.