 April 23, 2002
HB 302 Would Expand Options for Sale of Alaska's Natural Gas (JUNEAU) - With Alaska's largest oil and gas companies unwilling to commit to building a pipeline to bring North Slope natural gas to market, the state should prepare a plan to own a pipeline itself, according to legislation the House passed Monday. HB 302, sponsored by Rep. Jim Whitaker, would create the Alaska Gas Corp., a state-owned company whose first job would be to produce a feasibility study and plan for building a pipeline. The plan would include specific answers to technical, financial, regulatory and market access questions relating to the pipeline, and would be completed by early 2004. "Conservatively, 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas is stranded on the North Slope, and the failure to recognize this vital resource as a valuable commodity is in direct conflict with the state constitution's requirement to maximize use of our natural resources to benefit all Alaskans," Whitaker said. Read the full text of this news release.
HB 182 Makes Dealer-Factory Relationship a Two-Way Street (JUNEAU) - Alaska car dealerships and their customers would each enjoy an added measure of protection against unfair business practices under HB 182, which passed the House Monday. "House Bill 182 restores some balance to the relationship between Alaska's automobile dealers and the manufacturers, and also provides some protections to consumers that have been sorely needed in our state," said Rep. Lisa Murkowski, the bill's sponsor. "It establishes guidelines to protect dealers and consumers alike from abuses within the automobile industry." Read the full text of this news release.
HB 393 Offers Safeguards on Home Business Opportunities (JUNEAU) - Alaskans seeking to boost their income by buying at-home "business opportunities" would have stronger protection against fraudulent practices in that industry under HB 393, sponsored by Rep. Gary Stevens and passed by the House Friday. "Business opportunities, also known as biz ops, are prepackaged small-business deals offered primarily to novice entrepreneurs," Stevens said. "According to the Federal Trade Commission, fraudulent business opportunities bilk consumers nationwide of tens of millions of dollars a year." Read the full text of this news release.
Morgan's HJR 47 Seeks Flexibility in Federal Fuel Standards (JUNEAU) - The House today passed HJR 47, calling on federal and state environmental regulators to exercise common sense and flexibility in imposing a new national mandate requiring use of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel on rural Alaska. "I'm very concerned that imposition of these new standards will place an unfair expense on small communities that don't have the capability to stock multiple grades of diesel fuel, and which would be forced to buy only the new fuel that may cost up to 45 cents a gallon more," Morgan said. Read the full text of this news release.
HB 319 Shares Responsibility for Outdoor Activity Hazards (JUNEAU) - Alaskans and visitors willing to pay for the excitement of outdoor recreation in Alaska would share some of the legal liability for the risks of such activities, under HB 319, which passed the House Friday. Sponsored by Rep. Pete Kott, HB 319 would clarify state insurance law to specify that clients of commercial outdoor recreation businesses accept the inherent risk of such activities and are partially responsible for any damages or injury resulting from such participation. "While outdoor adventure and recreation activities are some of Alaska's major attractions, high liability insurance costs can be prohibitive, especially for smaller businesses offering commercial recreation opportunities," Kott said. "By helping eliminate confusion about who is liable, and in what degree, for injuries that may occur during such activities, House Bill 319 should discourage unfair injury claims that can unreasonably hike insurance rates." Read the full text of this news release.
(JUNEAU) - SJR 31 passed out of the House of Representatives Thursday by a unanimous vote of those present. The vote signified a single bi-partisan voice urging the United States Congress to permit the use of tax-exempt bonds to fund loans for veterans who served after 1976. "Alaska is home to more veterans per capita than anywhere else in the country," said Ward. "Many of these veterans have served and fought for this country in places like Beirut, Panama, the Gulf War and now Afghanistan. They deserve the same opportunity to participate in state and federal veteran loan programs offered to their fathers and grandfathers who fought in places like Europe, the South Pacific, Korea and Vietnam." Read the full text of this news release.
(JUNEAU) - Private drivers won't be the only ones eligible to help Alaska children by buying special Children's Trust license plates, under a bill passed by the House Thursday. HB 509 would authorize the state to sell Alaska Children's Trust license plates for use on commercial vehicles, expanding upon the sales of such plates to owners of private vehicles, said Rep. Lisa Murkowski, who sponsored the bill as chair of the House Labor and Commerce Committee. "A significant number
of private individuals have already purchased these plates, which
provide a significant source of revenue to help the Children's
Trust work to prevent child abuse and neglect," Murkowski
said. "This bill makes the simple change that will allow
Read the full text of this news release.
(JUNEAU) - Alaskan homebuyers seeking some assurance about the condition of a potential new home would have improved confidence in the judgment of professional home inspectors, under legislation sponsored by Rep. Norman Rokeberg and passed by the House Thursday. "Currently, anybody in Alaska can throw up a shingle and call himself a home inspector," said Rokeberg, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. "There's no regulation, there's no registration, and I think this is unfair to the consumers of Alaska. By requiring regulation of home inspectors, House Bill 27 will protect both consumers and the home inspection industry." Read the full text of this news release.
HB 458 Improves Flexibility for Public Employees (JUNEAU) - The state of Alaska would have the flexibility to extend probationary employment periods of public employees past the current 12-month limit, under a bill sponsored by Rep. Bill Hudson and passed unanimously by the House Thursday. "House Bill 458 is primarily
a bill to allow some flexibility to extend probationary periods
as needed," Hudson said. "This bill is necessary to
avoid the courts coming down and putting trooper recruits and
others outside the law, so we need to provide for a little more
Read the full text of this news release.
(JUNEAU) - Earlier last week the Republican led Senate began taking steps to restore full funding to the "Food Safety and Sanitation Program." The first step came in the Department of Environmental Conservation's Senate Finance subcommittee closeout, where roughly $800,000 of General Fund monies were restored to the program. The next step will be to introduce legislation allowing $600,000 currently being counted as general funds, to be shifted into "receipt supported services," restoring the full $1.4 million in funding for food safety inspections while still meeting the budget caps. "Assuring the food we eat and serve to our children is safe is a top priority; holding the line on spending is also very important. We in the Senate Majority were glad to take the lead in finding the balance between the two," said Sen. Dave Donley. Read the full text of this news release.
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