Afternoon,

We have been busy this last week with the closing of the finance subcommittees this week.  The subcommittee reports will be forwarded to the full finance committee for their consideration.  I proposed several amendments to slow the growth of our operating budget.  Unfortunately, none of those reductions were accepted.  I am committed to making sure every dollar we spend of the public’s money is scrutinized and accounted.  I also introduced the concept of “short funding” or “Freemanizing” (after our own late Representative Oral Freeman) the operating budget.  Simply put, we would appropriate money to last 9 months and then next session ask them what they did with that before we gave them the final 3 months worth of funding.  We need to ask what are we getting for our money now before we blindly give government more.

I introduced a resolution, on the behalf of local business, to urge federal agencies to amend regulations regarding small vessels that are crucial to the economy of coastal Alaska.  Federal law currently prohibits small vessels in Alaska to carry fuel, cargo and passengers simultaneously and also forbids vessels that carry fuel be constructed with aluminum.  There are settlements, homes, and businesses in Alaska that cannot be served by the large barge companies and we must allow them to be serviced by smaller vessels.  These federal restrictions impede the economy and the must be amended. 

I also introduced a bill that would tighten up the mandatory insurance laws we have here in Alaska.  HB 380 would create an online, up-to-date database that would allow the DMV and law enforcement to check on the validity of a driver’s insurance.  We have laws that require automobile insurance, but these laws are difficult to enforce because of the loopholes in the system.  Drivers can obtain insurance, receive their insurance card, then turn around and cancel their insurance.  The current system does not allow licensing agencies and law enforcement to verify insurance.  HB 380 enables the State of Alaska to enforce laws that are already on the books.

The Arts Council bill, HB 311, was passed out of the Education Committee on Monday.  Its Senate companion, SB 209, is going to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday of next week.  I look forward to an easy passage that allows the State Council on the Arts to continue their good work with our local communities.

The Transportation Committee is very busy.  We’ve heard various bills such as the banning of cell phone use while driving, winter tire requirements, and the creation of a transportation permanent fund.  The latter has taken up a lot of the committee’s time.  It is an interesting idea but I do have some reservations.  I will monitor the plan closely and work with my colleagues to provide safe and reliable transportation infrastructure for Alaska. 

Doug Ward from Alaska Ship & Drydock came to Juneau this week to make a presentation to the Economic Development, Trade, and Tourism committee.   It was a great forum for Ketchikan and I’ve received many compliments from around the state about our operation and support of our State-owned shipyard.  We have worked hard to create a manufacturing industry in Southeast Alaska.

Southeast Conference’s Mid-Session Summit is this week, and I look forward to meeting with folks from the region.  I am also heading to Washington DC for the annual Energy Council meeting.  The Energy Council is made up of 11 energy-producing states, five Canadian provinces, and Venezuela.  I will take the opportunity to meet with all three of our Federal Delegation as well as various administration officials.    

Feel free to contact my office at any time.

Regards,

Good Afternoon:

Senator Lisa Murkowski was in the Capitol on Thursday to give her annual address to the Legislature.  Her message was clear: Alaskans need to be concerned about our economy.  I agree whole heartedly with the Senator.   Alaska is plagued by many Outside threats.   From our own Federal Government in the form of over-reaching EPA regulations that are closing down sectors of our economy to highly-funded radical environmental groups that file lawsuit after lawsuit to stop any sort of development, we are challenged.  I was encouraged by Senator Murkowski’s comments and her efforts to keep Alaskan families prosperous.

This week I had numerous operating budget meetings, as I sit on six finance subcommittees that are preparing to propose their recommendations to the full House Finance committee.  The operating budget, unlike the capital budget which fuels the economy with construction appropriations, is the recurring cost of government operations.   The growth of government concerns me greatly, so I’ve directed my staff to work on amendments to hold down government  growth and spending.  I look forward to the conversation those amendments are sure to start.  We must get back to scrutinizing each and every operating budget appropriation.

This week I met with Margaret McCloy from the Ketchikan Youth Court and the Randall Family from Ketchikan as they work to end Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.  It is always good to have folks from home come and visit my office in the Capitol.

HB 311 passed the House Education Committee this week.  As I mentioned previously on the blog, HB 311 is a bill I sponsored to allow the Alaska State Council on the Arts to adopt their own regulations.  The arts are an important part of the community in District One as well as the economy, so I am happy to sponsor this bill.

I met with folks from Metlakatla this week about the Metlakatla-Ketchikan intertie and the proposed terminal out South for the Lituya.  I strongly support this project and look forward to working with our neighbors in District 5 towards its completion. 

The House Transportation Committee met with its Senate counterpart this week to hear a report on the Alaska Marine Highway System.  I’m impressed with the operations and professionalism of the ferry system.  That doesn’t mean I won’t continue to ask pointed questions and demand accountability.  We have come a long way in a couple of years and we will continue to push for replacement vessels built in our shipyard.

Judy, Sonia and Dave are always here to serve your needs.  You can be assured that when you are talking to them you are talking to me.  I have the best staff in the building.

Stay tuned for the a new post next Friday!

This week was very busy in the Capitol.  The Ketchikan Legislative Liaison Fly-In came to Juneau this week, which kept me and my staff very busy.  The Fly-In is an opportunity for city and borough officials, as well as various community representatives to speak with lawmakers and other state officials.  They had an action-packed schedule that allowed them to meet with a number of different department and administration officials.

Last week the House Energy Committee heard HB 306, which is the State Energy Policy bill.  As I have mentioned before on my blog, the State Energy Policy was created with a variety of interests from the bottom up.  HB 306 is an innovative piece of legislation because it involved a number of different stakeholder groups and agencies, most of who have experience providing energy to Alaskans.  I proposed an amendment to HB 306 to ensure that Alaskan’s energy needs are met before exporting power for profit.  It is important that we provide affordable energy to our own people first before fulfilling the energy needs of other outside interests.  I am not opposed to export projects, but I believe we can revisit that idea once the needs of our communities are met and there is an energy surplus.  This amendment was added to HB 306 and the bill was passed out of committee.  It was referred to the House Resources committee, which Alaska’s public lawmaking process will continue.

Speaking of our public lawmaking process, HB 36 was heard in the House Finance Committee on Monday.  This bill focuses on ballot initiative reform so that Alaska’s laws, whether made by the legislature or made by the people through the citizen’s initiative, are made with integrity and transparency.  Alaskan’s deserve this.  I hope that HB 36 will be heard in House Finance next week, but I will keep you posted.

Last Friday I introduced legislation to strengthen Alaska’s anti-drug laws.  HB 327 would classify “salvia divinorum” a schedule II-A drug.  Salvia is drug similar to mescaline, peyote, and LSD and can be purchased legally in Alaska – it is my feeling that this cannot continue.  This proposed legislation would also require those who buy products containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to be at least 18 years old or have a prescription from a doctor to do so.   DXM is a common ingredient in over-the-counter cough suppressants that teens take in large doses (20 to 30 times the recommended dosage) to get high.  Severe health risks occur because of other ingredients in the cough suppressants such as acetaminophen.   I was approached by constituents in Ketchikan regarding these two substances and was convinced that our anti-drug laws had to be updated to reflect today’s issues and drug abuse trends. 

Best,