REPORT FROM JUNEAU: Week 16
by Senator Loren Leman
April 27, 2001

IN THE STRETCH: Tuesday, May 8 is the deadline for the Legislature to complete its work. This week the number of bills heard in committee and on the floor has increased, and the Senate Finance Committee, through which the majority of bills moves, is now meeting each morning and evening to ensure that priority legislation is heard. It is important to note that this is the first session of this Legislature; bills that do not pass both the Senate and House this year will start the second session still available for consideration.

PRIORITY BILLS: SB 121, my bill to clarify the State Right-of-Way Leasing Act and assist in commercializing North Slope gas, passed the House on Wednesday. On Thursday the Senate concurred with a House amendment and gave it final passage. It will now be transmitted to the Governor for his signature. SB 153, which replaces the current underground storage tank program with a revolving loan fund, moved from the Senate Resources Committee on Tuesday.

Another of my priorities is SB 149, which will help alleviate the teacher shortage by quicker recognition of certified teachers from other states, incentives for retired teachers to return to work and better medical benefits for those who teach for 25 years or reach age 60. The bill moved out of the Senate HESS Committee on Tuesday, from Senate Finance on Wednesday, passed the Senate unanimously on Thursday and will be heard by the House HESS Committee Saturday morning at 10 a.m. I am working hard to get it passed by the House before we adjourn for the year.

CAPITOL CAPITAL: The other major spending bill that must be completed before our work in Juneau is done is the Capital Budget, which funds construction and repair of infrastructure throughout Alaska. Among the major provisions of the $1.3 billion budget are $51 million for Village Safe Water projects, $311 million to maintain and improve airport facilities, and $484 million for roads, bridges and the ferry system. The Finance Committee will meet late Friday night to consider amendments and I expect this bill to be on the Senate floor tomorrow. To review the Capital Budget go to www.legis.state.ak.us and look at SB 29.

REMAINING ISSUES: The large remaining issues include the Operating Budget (the Conference Committee continues to meet to resolve differences between the Senate and House); cruise ship monitoring; authorization for a private medium-security prison in Kenai; expansion of Medicaid coverage to include breast and cervical cancer treatments; and authorization to complete the new Alaska Psychiatric Institute. I expect that legislation for each of these will pass.

VISITORS: I visited last Friday with the girls and leaders of Wrangell Girl Scout Troop 155. We talked about State government and their future goals (photo). This week former Anchorage Mayor George Sullivan stopped to visit about Anchorage Senior Center needs.

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