By GREG DART
For The Star

Legislation in Alaska is introduced and evaluated on a two-year cycle. Following the conclusion of the regular legislative session last week, all the bills introduced in the past two years were either passed by the Legislature or effectively died.

The following is a wrap-up of all the legislation introduced by Chugiak-Eagle River's seven lawmakers in the past two years and its ultimate fate.

Passed

None

Not passed

House Bill 84 would have extended Alaska's Suicide Prevention Council.

HB 104 would have changed Alaska's laws regarding the advertising of seat belt use.

HB 122 would have offered relief for financial commitment on items such as vehicle leases, fishing and hunting licensces, insurance premiums, utilities and education expenses to military members deployed to a combat zone.

HB 270 would have stiffened requirements for disclosing breaches of security that involved personal information.

HB 282 would have rendered valuation made in assessing property for oil and gas use inadmissible for other uses.

Passed

HB 64 extends the Board of Public Accounting until 2009.

HB 183 allows candidates for office to reimburse other candidates for shared campaign expenses within a five working day period. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

HB 219 permits law enforcement agencies to prosecute as a felony assaults that involve strangulation or suffocation.

HB 249 increased the maximum amount of E911 surcharge that can be collected.

HB 274 establishes rules to regulate the state's accounting industry. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

HB 318 (co-sponsored by Rep. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage and Rep. Jim Holm, R-Fairbanks), limits the use of eminent domain in the state to exclude taking of property for economic development or recreation. It was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

House Joint Resolution 4 urges the U.S. Congress to pass legislation allowing explorative oil drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge.

Not passed

HB 248 would have amended the rules on what kind of information can be released during investigations regarding correctional officers.

HB 264 would have amended laws regarding who must register as a concert promoter.

HB 265 would have imposed a $5 tax on anyone between age 16 and 60 who does not have a hunting or fishing tag who uses a commercial boat, bus, airplane or other carrier.

HB 278 would have established a bonding program to finance the state's retirement program.

HB 281 would have established a state capital project corporation.

House Concurrent Resolution 29 would have requested that the Department of Natural Resources develop a management plan for the Pebble copper deposit.

HJR 2 would have established a gas endowment fund similar to the state's Permanent Fund.

Passed

HB 414 allows parents of minors to consent for law enforcement officials' interception of their children's communication. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

HCR 6 re-establishes the state's information infrastructure task force.

House Resolution 8 established a task force regarding Alaska gaming policy to study gaming in the state, is awaiting the governor's signature.

Not passed

HB 199 would have exempted rental trucks with a weight greater than 8,500 pounds from Alaska's vehicle rental tax if the vehicle is used for the transportation of personal property.

HB 272 would have allowed the establishment of card rooms.

HB 276 would have stiffened penalties for the sale of tobacco to minors and more stringently regulate businesses that sell tobacco.

HB 283 would have increased four-fold the per diem compensation to members of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors.

HB 465 would have established new marine safety and security procedures.

HB 477 would have increased penalties and investigation of embezzlement or theft from a charitable gaming operation.

HJR 33 would have requested the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services to seek authority and funding from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to allow Alaska veterans to seek and be covered for medical expenses at both public and private facilities in the state.

Passed

HB 54 amends laws regarding bail hearings to make it mandatory when asking for a follow-up hearing to do so at least 48 hours in advance and provide a written explanation of what new information could change the hearing's outcome.

HB 102 eliminates the need for three years of post-graduate work experience for those who attended a foreign medical school if they could provide another type of proof of competency.

HB 131 amends statutes to add theft of access devices (credit cards, ATM cards, social security numbers, etc.) to the list of items that constitute second-degree theft as well as apply stiffer sentences for using an access device to commit theft.

HB 307 establishes a Knik River Public Use Area.

HB 316 extends by one year the Board of Governors of the Alaska Bar Association.

HB 471 amends the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority to expand its powers, including giving the authority exclusive oversight to establish fees and tolls for a proposed bridge. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

Not passed

HB 48 would have amended the FRANK Initiative to require a public vote on the costs of building a new capitol building anywhere in the state.

HB 55 would have amended language in 11 rules of Alaska criminal procedure, appellate procedure and administration in an attempt to strengthen crime victims' rights.

HB 132 would have amended statutes to charge those involved with defrauding an elderly person with a more severe charge.

HB 160 would have made illegal the use of state money to influence the outcome of a ballot proposition.

HB 306 would have allowed the release of a section of Hatcher Pass to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Stoltze withdrew the bill from consideration.

HB 329 would have allowed temporary releases for some people being held on bail for the birth of their child or a death in their immediate family.

HB 339 would have changed the state's definition of victim and changed parole board hearing procedures.

HB 390 would have limited the maximum allowable fee imposed by a local government to appeal property taxes.

HB 391 would have limited the maximum allowable increase for property assessments.

HB 472 would have amended regulations for the management of sustainable fisheries.

Passed

Senate Bill 87 makes not wearing a seat belt a primary offense.

SB 95 allows officials to use reasonable force to collect a DNA sample from convicted felons who are required to give a sample by law and refuse to do so.

SB 134 tasks the Alaska Police Standards Council with creating specific standards and protocol for the investigation of sexual assaults in the state.

SB 218 increases the minimum and maximum prison terms for some sexual crimes and requires that paroled sex crime convicts be subject to periodic polygraph tests.

Not passed

SB 6 would have allowed vehicle owners to keep their license plates upon sale of their vehicle.

SB 7 would have prohibited vehicle registration by anyone who has outstanding parking or other tickets.

SB 100 would have increased the maximum collection of E911 surcharges on telephone bills. (The house companion bill was signed into law.)

SB 107 would have implemented a $10 sport fish export tag for every 50 pounds of sport fish taken from the state by nonresidents.

SB 112 would have imposed a tax on residents in Regional Education Attendance Areas to pay for local capital and operating schools costs.

SB 166 would have imposed a $5 tax on anyone between age 16 and 60 who does not have a hunting or fishing tag and who uses a commercial boat, bus, airplane or other carrier for the purpose of viewing wildlife.

SB 193 would have allowed cities to exempt property taxes for people under the poverty level.

SB 196 would have required convicted sex offenders and kidnappers who were released from prison to wear a tracking device for the rest of their lives.

SB 205 would have exempted economic development from the allowable reasons that the state could exercise eminent domain.

SB 206 would have increased the penalty for failing to appear when subpoenaed for a felony case.

Passed

SB 12 restricts the financial relationship between the state and countries that support or ignore slavery. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

SB 20 considers some crimes against a pregnant woman to be crimes against the fetus as well. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

SB 22 adds birthing centers to the types of care eligible for Medicaid coverage. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

SB 54 makes it mandatory for officers to alert sexual assault victims in writing to their rights and available resources, as well as make other changes concerning sexual assault offenses. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

SB 135 applies broader standards to the crime of third-degree assault to include some crimes that do not require medical attention.

SB 274 removes limits on who can attend auctions for firearms that are seized by the state (currently, only firearm dealers are allowed at the auctions). The bill awaits the governor's signature.

Did not pass

SB 10 would have made minors jointly responsible with their parents for the cost of vandalism they committed.

SB 11 would have required hospitals to disclose discount rates given to nongovernmental groups.

SB 37 would have amended Alaska Statutes to state that the commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services cannot require the embalming of bodies that it is transporting unless it is known the deceased had a communicable disease or that federal law makes it mandatory.

SB 47 would have increased the penalty for failing to report child abuse to proper authorities from a class B misdemeanor to a class A misdemeanor.

SB 59 would have exempted those who are serving as diplomats in the U.S. Foreign Service from some Permanent Fund Dividend residency requirements.

SB 80 would have provided a sunset date for each state department on a 10-year cycle unless an audit was performed showing the department was meeting its purpose.

SB 94 would have given options to state employees enrolled in the state health plan to enroll in a private health savings account.

SB 123 would have made it a Class A Felony to sell, buy or trade humans for the purpose of labor or sex in the state.

SB 162 would have expanded public school health reporting guidelines to include percentage of overweight or obese students, making examination of that data criteria for development of health education programs and collecting the same information about the Legislature.

SB 167 would have allowed correspondence study students in public school districts to use private funds to purchase study materials from a religious institution for school use as long as they are aligned with state school performance standards such as developing writing and reading skills.

SB 201 would have clarified state law to allow using defensible force, including lethal force, to protect a person or their property after someone makes unlawful entry into their home. Dyson withdrew the bill from consideration.

SB 279 would have established a set of missions and desired results for state departments as a means for evaluating their effectiveness.

SB 281 would have clarified laws to make it allowable for any school district to enroll any student within the state.

SB 283 would have established an Alaska energy task force.

Senate Joint Resolution 1 would have amended the state constitution to enact an appropriation limit to cap annual appropriations.

SJR 4 would have amended the state constitution to split the Constitutional Budget Reserve account into two accounts: the first a main fund to be capped at $5 billion and the second a deferred maintenance fund.

SJR 7 would have amended the state constitution to make the position of attorney general an elected position.

SJR 10 would have announced support of the Bush administration's federal marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would make homosexual marriage illegal nationwide.

Huggins

Passed

SB 90 declares Oct. 18 Alaska Territorial Guard Day.

SB 129 makes it a Class A Misdemeanor to file a wrongful notice of "lis pendens," which is "a notice filed on public records for the purpose of warning all persons that the title to certain property is in litigation," according to the bill.

SB 158 exempts state construction contracts from a city or municipality sales or use tax.

SB 174 excludes loaner cars from automobile dealership's service departments from the vehicle rental tax.

SB 209 allows military members under the age of 21 in clubs whenever alcohol is not present and patriotic service organizations (i.e. VFW, American Legion) at anytime regardless of whether alcohol is being served. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

SB 216 makes unlawful evasion a felony for anyone being held on a felony charge and a misdemeanor for anyone being held on a misdemeanor charge, as well as does away with most temporary releases for those in jail. The bill awaits the governor's signature.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 21 formally encourages residents of the state to visit the Vietnam veteran memorial dubbed "The Moving Wall" during its scheduled tour to several sites throughout the state between May and July 2006.

Not passed

SB 91 would have allowed the state to pay life insurance premiums for up to $250,000 worth of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage for members of the Alaska National Guard deployed to a combat zone.

SB 182 would have authorized the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to create a new cemetery and establish a fund for that purpose.

SB 183 would have allowed for existing state right of way encroachments to remain if they do not jeopardize a pending improvement project. The house companion bill was signed into law.

SB 189 would have required proof of U.S. citizenship to obtain a state driver's license.

SB 197 would have established a Knik River Public Use Area. The house companion bill was signed into law.

SB 202, would have eliminated state liability for tort claims arising from use of a state boat ramp.

SB 280 would have allowed insurance policy forms to be released in foreign languages so long as the English version remained the official form.

SB 290 would have allowed for state reimbursement of life insurance premiums for Alaska National Guard troops deployed to a combat zone.

SJR 14 would have urged Congress to make permanent the repeal of the federal estate and generation-skipping transfer tax that it passed on a temporary basis in 2001 until 2010.

SJR 15 would have urged Congress to ban lawsuits against firearm manufacturers when a gun is used in a crime.

Reach the reporter at news@alaskastar.com.

Visit www.legis.state.ak.us for a full version of all legislation introduced in the past two years.

This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, May 18, 2006.