Bill to Exempt Some Municipal Boards from Open Meetings Act Moves from Committee

JUNEAU – The Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee (CR&A) has taken action towards exempting municipal boards, commissions and committees from certain provisions of the Alaska Open Meetings Act.  Under its original form, SB 48, sponsored by Senator Gene Therriault (R-North Pole), exempted road service boards from the open meetings requirement to allow members the ability to expeditiously respond to unpredictable weather conditions.  The CR&A committee adopted a new version of the bill expanding  the exemption to include all municipal boards, commissions, and committees meeting solely to administer and manage existing policy.  A public meeting must still be noticed and held if the agenda includes policy matters such as contract negotiations or setting service area tax rates.

“The committee substitute makes a distinction in the Open Meetings Act between the meetings of boards or committees that are strictly administrative, as opposed to ones which discuss and set public policy,” Therriault said.  “If we have a road washout due to flooding, road commission members need the ability to decide how to deal with the problem without being in violation of the open meetings act.”

SB 48 also clarifies an abnormality in state law regarding the definition of a “meeting.”  Currently, meeting requirements for advisory bodies are more stringent than those for policy setting bodies.  SB 48 places the same open meetings requirements on advisory bodies as are on government agencies authorized to establish public policy.

SB 48 has been referred to the Senate Transportation Committee.

# # #

Bunde Introduces Bill to Turn Down Salary Increases for Legislators, Top Administration Staff

JUNEAU – Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage, has introduced legislation (SB 106) to disapprove the recommendation of the Alaska State Officers Compensation Commission, which would increase the salaries of legislators and top state officials. If the recommendations are not disapproved through legislation and signed by the Governor by March 30, 2009, the raises will automatically take effect.

“I firmly reject the notion that higher legislative salaries will provide for more ethical and honest legislators,” Bunde said. “However, good arguments can be made for or against increasing legislative salaries. This bill is a vehicle that will allow those discussions to occur and the legislature the opportunity to vote on the recommendations.”

The compensation commission, created under HB 417 last year, released its findings and recommendations last fall. Under those recommendations, the Governor’s annual salary would remain at $125,000; the Lt. Governor’s salary would remain at $100,000; commissioners’ salaries would be set at $135,000; and legislators’ salaries would rise to a uniform $50,400, while long-term per diem for legislators would be stopped.

Bunde said the commission’s report is an “all-or-nothing” decision for the Legislature, but that the salaries should not take effect without a thorough public discussion, which his bill would facilitate when it is heard in committee.

SB 106 was referred to the Labor & Commerce, Judiciary, and Finance committees.

# # #