With 97% reported Joe Miller Still Leads Murkowsi

     

Miller, Joe	REP	45,909	51.09%
Murkowski, Lisa	REP	43,949	48.91%

Miller will  run against Sitka, Democrat Scott McAdams for the US Senate.  Will the Democrats try to get him to step down so a better known Democrat can run?  I'm not sure what conditions would have to be met for them to do that.  And it would be even more embarrassing if Miller to win anyway.

No surprise:  Don Young versus Harry Crawford for US House.

Berkowitz 48%    French 38% for Democratic Governor candidate.

Parnell, 43,764  49.49%
Walker, Bill 30,019  33.95%
Samuels, 12,420   14.05%

Lt. Gov   Rep. Treadwell (53%)  v. Dem Benson (65%0)


Con Bunde's old Senate Seat  Anchorage hillside will be a woman - Giessel (47%) (R) v. Reiser (D)

Peggy Wilson keeps her  SE House seat 52% to 47%

I'll post this now and then finish adding the other close races.


[Updated:


Steve Thompson wins Jay Ramras open Fairbanks house seat with 54%.



The closest raise was to fill John Harris' Valdez House Seat on the Republican side:

Feige, Eric A.	REP	666	33.57%
Fellman, Pete	REP	658	33.17%
Haase, Don	REP	660	33.27%

Carl Gatto keeps his Matsu seat with 54% of the vote.  And Mark Neuman keeps his with 65%.

Bill Cook won the Rep spot in Nancy Dahlstrom's old seat with 39% in a three way race.  Lindeke won as the only Dem.

Rep. Charisse Miller got 75% of the vote in her Anchorage seat.  Rep. Bob Lynn got 69% to keep his.

Appointed Rep. Neal Foster got 57% to keep his Nome seat.

Measure 1 to severely limit lobbying by governments and nonprofits lost 63% No to 37% Yes.
Measure 2 to require parent notification of a minor's abortion won 55% Yes to 45% No.]


All the results from the elections website are below

State of Alaska 2010 Primary Election August 24, 2010 Unofficial Results

08/25/10 03:56:12

Registered Voters 487456 - Cards Cast 134102 27.51%

Num. Report Precinct 438 - Num. Reporting 429 97.95%

US SENATOR (ADL) ADL Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 429 97.9 % Times Counted 40596/487456 8.3 % Total Votes 29837 Haase, Fredrick LIB 4730 15.85% Kern, Jacob Seth DEM 5781 19.38% McAdams, Scott T. DEM 14802 49.61% Vondersaar, Frank J. DEM 4524 15.16%

US SENATOR (R) REP Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 429 97.9 % Times Counted 90618/487456 18.6 % Total Votes 89858 Miller, Joe REP 45909 51.09% Murkowski, Lisa REP 43949 48.91%

US REPRESENTATIVE (ADL) ADL Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 429 97.9 % Times Counted 40596/487456 8.3 % Total Votes 32062 Crawford, Harry T. DEM 32062 100.00%

US REPRESENTATIVE (R) REP Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 429 97.9 % Times Counted 90618/487456 18.6 % Total Votes 86444 Cox, John R. REP 5220 6.04% Fisher, Sheldon REP 20365 23.56% Young, Don REP 60859 70.40%

GOVERNOR (ADL) ADL Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 429 97.9 % Times Counted 40596/487456 8.3 % Total Votes 38483 Berkowitz, Ethan A. DEM 18718 48.64% French, Hollis S. DEM 14964 38.88% Toien, William S. LIB 1367 3.55% Wright, Donald R. AI 3434 8.92%

GOVERNOR (R) REP Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 429 97.9 % Times Counted 90618/487456 18.6 % Total Votes 88423 Heikes, Gerald L. REP 355 0.40% Hlatcu, Merica REP 499 0.56% Little, Sam REP 1366 1.54% Parnell, Sean R. REP 43764 49.49% Samuels, Ralph REP 12420 14.05% Walker, Bill REP 30019 33.95%

36% of the Vote In - Miller leading Murkowski 51%-48%

[Update 10:27:  looking at the 9:47 count, Anchorage has large percentages reported (58%- 77%) but with some very low ones like the Mt. View district.  Districts with low reporting:
Kodiak 0%; Bethel 0%;  Kotzebue 4%; Nome 11%;  Dillingham 9%;  the giant rural district 6 that includes Tok   3%;  Juneau 20%. Ketchikan 22%.  These probably bode well for Murkowski, but who knows?]

It's not clear which precincts aren't in yet.    No votes from Anchorage District 20 - Mountain View area legislative race.  Kodiak races have nothing. Juneau only has about 2 of 9 precincts in Egan's race.  Some other SE Alaska votes are missing or lower percent than overall.  Some Anchorage races are 58% and 68%.
Below are all the results as of 9:36pm from the election site.

State of Alaska 2010 Primary Election August 24, 2010 Unofficial Results

08/24/10 21:36:00

Registered Voters 487456 - Cards Cast 66051 13.55%

Num. Report Precinct 438 - Num. Reporting 159 36.30%

US SENATOR (ADL) ADL Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 159 36.3 % Times Counted 19183/487456 3.9 % Total Votes 13838 Haase, Fredrick LIB 2340 16.91% Kern, Jacob Seth DEM 2528 18.27% McAdams, Scott T. DEM 6867 49.62% Vondersaar, Frank J. DEM 2103 15.20%

US SENATOR (R) REP Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 159 36.3 % Times Counted 45740/487456 9.4 % Total Votes 45375 Miller, Joe REP 23251 51.24% Murkowski, Lisa REP 22124 48.76%

US REPRESENTATIVE (ADL) ADL Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 159 36.3 % Times Counted 19183/487456 3.9 % Total Votes 15139 Crawford, Harry T. DEM 15139 100.00%

US REPRESENTATIVE (R) REP Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 159 36.3 % Times Counted 45740/487456 9.4 % Total Votes 43641 Cox, John R. REP 2679 6.14% Fisher, Sheldon REP 10509 24.08% Young, Don REP 30453 69.78%

GOVERNOR (ADL) ADL Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 159 36.3 % Times Counted 19183/487456 3.9 % Total Votes 18222 Berkowitz, Ethan A. DEM 8822 48.41% French, Hollis S. DEM 7446 40.86% Toien, William S. LIB 627 3.44% Wright, Donald R. AI 1327 7.28%

GOVERNOR (R) REP Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 159 36.3 % Times Counted 45740/487456 9.4 % Total Votes 44674 Heikes, Gerald L. REP 175 0.39% Hlatcu, Merica REP 248 0.56% Little, Sam REP 721 1.61% Parnell, Sean R. REP 21895 49.01% Samuels, Ralph REP 6140 13.74% Walker, Bill REP 15495 34.68%

LT GOVERNOR (ADL) ADL Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 159 36.3 % Times Counted 19183/487456 3.9 % Total Votes 16987 Benson, Diane E. DEM 11102 65.36% Brown, Jeffrey D. LIB 1601 9.42% Moreno-Hinz, Lynette DEM 902 5.31% Powers, J. J. "Jack" DEM 3382 19.91%

LT GOVERNOR (R) REP Total Number of Precincts 438 Precincts Reporting 159 36.3 % Times Counted 45740/487456 9.4 % Total Votes 41864 Burke, Eddie REP 5231 12.50% Lupo, Bob REP 961 2.30% Ramras, Jay REP 13302 31.77% Treadwell, Mead REP 22370 53.43%

Alaska Legislative Races - 26% Uncontested

The Lt. Governor's office is in charge of elections and on his website is the list of people who have signed up to run in the August primaries.  The deadline was June 1 and I got this on June 2, but there are some who are still pending certification. 

Five of the 20 Senate seats only have one candidate - that's 25%, all incumbents, who are running unopposed.  Two Democrats and three Republicans. 

[Update:  an ADN Alaska Digest piece today listed 14 unopposed candidates.  I had sixteen.  On double checking the Lt. Gov's website it seems one I had thought was unopposed has an opponent (Kurt Olson), but one the ADN did not list is on the list still as unopposed (Lindsey Holmes.)]


Twelve  [Eleven] of the 40 House seats are unopposed - 30 27%, all incumbents.  Six Democrats and five Republicans.  This is a little misleading though.  Three of the Democrats running unopposed - Regie Joule (Kotzebue), Bob Herron (Bethel), and Bryce Edgmon (Dillingham)- are from rural Alaska and they joined the Republican majorities on the grounds that as minority members they can't get the projects their districts desperately need.

All three seats from Juneau (one Senate and two House) are unopposed.  I'm sure their media markets are not real happy that the candidates won't need a lot of advertisements. 

Below I've cut and pasted the list from the Lt. Governor's website.  I've highlighted the unopposed Republicans in red, the unopposed Democrats in blue, but I've made the House Democrats who joined the majority Republicans purple.  (The Senate was evenly split 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats.  All the Democrats and most of the Republicans joined in a coalition to form the majority.  There were four minority Republicans who did not join the coalition.  Of the minority, only Sen. John Coghill is on the list of candidates.) 

State Senate District B

* Dennis Egan (Democrat) - Incumbent

3156 Pioneer Avenue
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 586-6136

State Senate District D

* Pete Higgins (Republican)
3875 Geist Rd, Ste E-126
Fairbanks, AK 99709

* Joe J. Thomas (Democrat) - Incumbent
879 Vide Way
Fairbanks, AK 99712
Phone: (907) 590-4648

State Senate District F

* John B. Coghill (Republican) - Incumbent

PO Box 58003
Fairbanks, AK 99711
Phone: (907) 488-7886

State Senate District H

* Charlie R. "Charlie" Huggins (Republican) - Incumbent

3375 Edgewater
Wasilla, AK 99654
Phone: (907) 373-6419

State Senate District J

* Ron Slepecki (Republican)
8649 Cross Pointe Loop
Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone: (907) 222-0939

* Bill Wielechowski (Democrat) - Incumbent
1300 Farrow Circle
Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone: (907) 333-2806

State Senate District L

* Johnny Ellis (Democrat) - Incumbent
1231 W. Northern Lights Blvd
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: (907) 276-4633

* Richard M. Wanda (Republican)
PO Box 211986
Anchorage, AK 99521
e-mail: richardwandaforstatesenator@yahoo.com



State Senate District N

* Ed Cullinane (Democrat)
7232 Hunter Circle
Anchorage, AK 99502
Phone: (907) 830-9755

* Lesil McGuire (Republican) - Incumbent
2022 Kimberly Lynn Cir
Anchorage, AK 99515
Phone: (907) 351-8060


State Senate District P

* Catherine A. "Cathy" Giessel (Republican)
12701 Ridgewood Road
Anchorage, AK 99516
Phone: (907) 345-5470

* Jennifer B. Johnston (Republican)
11090 Hideaway Lake Drive
Anchorage, AK 99507
Phone: (907) 346-1087

* Mark W. Moronell (Republican)
www.moronellforalaskasenate.com

* Janet L. Reiser (Democrat)
PO Box 244993
Anchorage, AK 99524
Phone: (907) 903-3041

State Senate District R

* Gary L. Stevens (Republican) - Incumbent

PO Box 201
Kodiak, AK 99615
Phone: (907) 486-4205

State Senate District S

* Lyman F. Hoffman (Democrat) - Incumbent

PO Box 763
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone: (907) 543-3583

END OF SENATE RACES - BEGINNING OF HOUSE RACES


State Representative District 1

* Kyle B. Johansen (Republican) - Incumbent
PO Box 8601
Ketchikan, AK 99901
Phone: (907) 617-5537

* Ottar Mobley (Democrat)
PO Box 19185
Thorne Bay, AK 99919
Phone: (703) 678-8737


State Representative District 2

* Steven A. Samuelson (Republican)
PO Box 2188
Petersburg, AK 99833
Phone: (907) 723-3664
e-mail: StevenSamuelson@gmail.com
Candidate's web site: http://www.StevenSamuelson.com

* Reber P. Stein (Democrat)
2323 Sawmill Creek Rd
Sitka, AK 99835
Phone: (907) 747-3960

* Peggy Wilson (Republican) - Incumbent
PO Box 2211
Wrangell, AK 99929
Phone: (907) 874-3020

State Representative District 3

* Beth Kerttula (Democrat) - Incumbent

10601 Horizon DR.
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 463-5440

State Representative District 4

* Cathy Muñoz (Republican) - Incumbent

2101 Jordan Avenue
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 723-8089 e-mail: cathym@riemunoz.com
Candidate's web site: http://www.cathymunoz.org


State Representative District 5

* Robert W. Beedle (Democrat)
PO Box 16
Cordova, AK 99574

* William A. "Bill" Thomas Jr. (Republican) - Incumbent
PO Box 942
Haines, AK 99827
Phone: (907) 766-3365


State Representative District 6

* Alan Dick (Republican) - Pending Certification

* Rex L. Goolsby (Republican)
PO Box 814
Tok, AK 99780
Phone: (907) 883-8218

* Woodie W. Salmon (Democrat) - Incumbent
PO Box 21
Chalkyitsik, AK 99788


State Representative District 7

* Mike Kelly (Republican) - Incumbent
1625 Wolverine Lane
Fairbanks, AK 99709

* Bob Miller (Democrat)
1355 Silverberry Dr.
Fairbanks, AK 99712
Phone: (907) 460-8683
e-mail: miller4statehouseak@gmail.com


State Representative District 8

* David Guttenberg (Democrat) - Incumbent
PO Box 80731
Fairbanks, AK 99708
Phone: (907) 388-0194

* David M. "Dave" Talerico (Republican)
PO Box 521
Healy, AK 99743
Phone: (907) 683-2469


State Representative District 9

* Scott Kawasaki (Democrat) - Incumbent
2008 Carr Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Phone: (907) 590-0315

* Joseph A. Michel (Republican)
PO Box 61219
Fairbanks, AK 99706
Phone: (907) 347-9636


State Representative District 10

* John S. Brown (Democrat)
814 Austin Street
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone: (907) 452-5870

* Urban E. Rahoi (Republican)
1001 Lakeview Terrace
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone: (907) 456-6967 or (907) 509-2803

* Vivian M. Stiver (Republican)
523 2nd Ave
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone: (907) 347-2102

* Steve M. Thompson (Republican)
PO Box 70843
Fairbanks, AK 99707
Phone: (907) 374-4806


State Representative District 11

* Sean P. Rice (Democrat) - Pending Certification

* Tammie Wilson (Republican) - Incumbent
571 Canoro Road
North Pole, AK 99705
Phone: (907) 590-7602


State Representative District 12

* Bert L. Cottle (Democrat)
PO Box 1049
Valdez, AK 99686
Phone: (907) 835-3700

* Eric A. Feige (Republican)
PO Box 1208
Chickaloon, AK 99674
Phone: (907) 351-2360
e-mail: ericfeige4akhouse12@gmail.com
Candidate's web site: ericfeige4akhouse12.org

* Pete Fellman (Republican)
HC 60 Box 4200
Delta Junction, AK 99737
Phone: (907) 895-4090

* Don Haase (Republican) - Pending Certification


State Representative District 13

* Don Benson (Republican)
PO Box 4059
Palmer, AK 99645
Phone: (907) 745-4913

* Carl Gatto (Republican) - Incumbent
PO Box 2894
Palmer, AK 99645
Phone: (907) 232-3060
e-mail: carljgatto@gmail.com
Candidate's web site: carlgatto.com

* David J. Parks (Republican)
PO Box 1683
Palmer, AK 99645
Phone: (907) 982-5420


State Representative District 14

* Wes Keller (Republican) - Incumbent
PO Box 875910 #267
Wasilla, AK 99654
Phone: (907) 376-6115


State Representative District 15

* Stephen Jacobson (Republican)
2685 N. Alma Drive
Wasilla, AK 99654
Phone: (907) 357-1189
Candidate's web site: www.jacobson4statehouse15.com

* Mark Neuman (Republican) - Incumbent
13768 W. Maplewood Drive
Wasilla, AK 99654
Phone: (907) 354-0800


State Representative District 16

* Bonnie Nelson (Democrat) - Pending Certification

* Bill Stoltze (Republican) - Incumbent
PO Box 464
Chugiak, AK 99567
Phone: (907) 688-5754 or 745-5772


State Representative District 17

* Anna I. Fairclough (Republican) - Incumbent

PO Box 771112

Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: (907) 694-7090


State Representative District 18

* Nancy A. Dahlstrom (Republican) - Withdrew
PO Box 771094
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: (907) 694-4929

* Bill Cook (Republican)
19328 Monastery Dr. #A
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: (907) 694-1010

* Dan Kendall (Republican)
PO Box 770616
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: (907) 696-7066

* Martin J. Lindeke (Democrat)
16111 Cline Street
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: (907) 622-4216

* Dan Saddler (Republican)
PO Box 771811
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: (907) 696-5492


State Representative District 19

* Gabrielle LeDoux (Republican)
PO Box 102293
Anchorage, AK 99510
Phone: (907) 677-8159
e-mail: voteledoux@gmail.com
Candidate's web site: www.voteledoux.com

* Pete F. Petersen (Democrat) - Incumbent
8633 Turf Ct.
Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone: (907) 522-6870


State Representative District 20

* Max F. Gruenberg Jr. (Democrat) - Incumbent
4801 Kenai Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99508
Phone: (907) 337-1688

* Scott A. Kohlhaas (Libertarian)
6701 E. 6th Ave. #24
Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone: (907) 337-3171
e-mail: scott@scottforhouse.org
Candidate's web site: www.scottforhouse.org


State Representative District 21

* Robert E. Clift (Libertarian)
6402 Hampton Drive
Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone: (907) 337-9679

* Barbara E. Norton (Democrat)
6130 Country Lane Circle
Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone: (907) 222-2540
e-mail: cnmbarb@gmail.com
Candidate's web site: barbaranortonforstatehouse.com

* Lance Pruitt (Republican)
2954 Brittany Place
Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone: (907) 929-4934
Candidate's web site: www.lancepruitt.com

State Representative District 22

* Sharon M. Cissna (Democrat) - Incumbent

PO Box 141892
Anchorage, AK 99514
Phone: (907) 272-8662

State Representative District 23

* Les Gara (Democrat) - Incumbent

PO Box 202259
Anchorage, AK 99520
Phone: (907) 250-0106


State Representative District 24

* Robert Benton (Republican) - Pending Certification

* Berta Gardner (Democrat) - Incumbent
1405 Matterhorn
Anchorage, AK 99508
Phone: (907) 223-9330


State Representative District 25

* Harley Brown (Libertarian)
2104 Cleveland Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99517
Phone: (907) 744-7646

* Mike Doogan (Democrat) - Incumbent
PO Box 91876
Anchorage, AK 99509

* Thomas M. Higgins (Republican)
3402 Dorbrandt St. #36
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: (907) 575-3297

State Representative District 26

* Lindsey Holmes (Democrat) - Incumbent

4149 Hood Ct.
Anchorage, AK 99517


State Representative District 27

* Robert L. "Bob" Buch (Democrat) - Incumbent
3160 W 71st Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99502

* Mia Costello (Republican)
5512 Yukon Charlie Loop
Anchorage, AK 99502
Phone: (907) 770-1702


State Representative District 28

* Jodie Dominguez (Democrat)
205 E. Dimond Blvd. #288
Anchorage, AK 99515
Phone: (907) 248-2111

* Craig W. Johnson (Republican) - Incumbent
12200 Timberlane Dr.
Anchorage, AK 99515
Phone: (907) 349-4307


State Representative District 29

* Chris Tuck (Democrat) - Incumbent
8220 Barnett Drive #2
Anchorage, AK 99518
Phone: (907) 223-6474

* Kris Warren (Republican)
900 W. 86th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99515
Phone: (907) 344-5914


State Representative District 30

* Charisse E. Millett (Republican) - Incumbent
2860 Beluga Bay Circle
Anchorage, AK 99507
Phone: (907) 227-7673

* Jeannette O. Reddington (Republican)
4460 Mars Dr.
Anchorage, AK 99507
Phone: (907) 947-0308

* Lynda L. Zaugg (Democrat)
PO Box 232401
Anchorage, AK 99523
Phone: (907) 440-2849


State Representative District 31

* Bob Lynn (Republican) - Incumbent
4400 Trapline Dr.
Anchorage, AK 99516-1538
Phone: (907) 346-4447

* Guadalupe "Lupe" Marroquin (Democrat)
PO Box 111956
Anchorage, AK 99511
Phone: (907) 338-9448
e-mail: lupemarroquinforstatehouse@gmail.com

* Steve Pratt (Republican)
3115 Seawind Dr.
Anchorage, AK 99516
Phone: (907) 345-0032


State Representative District 32

* Mike Hawker (Republican) - Incumbent
PO Box 111329
Anchorage, AK 99511
Phone: (907) 346-2844

* Matthew Moore (Democrat) - Pending Certification

* Christian M. Rawalt (Republican)
PO Box 112872
Anchorage, AK 99511
Phone: (907) 727-8097


State Representative District 33

* Kurt E. Olson (Republican) - Incumbent
317 Diane Lane
Soldotna, AK 99669
Phone: (907) 260-4822

* Richard "Dick" Waisanen (Democrat)
44932 Eddy Hill Drive
Soldotna, AK 99669
Phone: (907) 262-6298


State Representative District 34

* Charles M. "Mike" Chenault (Republican) - Incumbent
PO Box 8154
Nikiski, AK 99635

* Ray G. Southwell (Alaskan Independence)
PO Box 6881
Nikiski, AK 99635
Phone: (907) 776-3384

State Representative District 35

* Paul Seaton (Republican) - Incumbent

PO Box 1564
Homer, AK 99603
Phone: (907) 299-3434
e-mail: Paul@VotePaulSeaton.org
Candidate's web site: http://www.VotePaulSeaton.com


State Representative District 36

* Alan Austerman (Republican) - Incumbent
PO Box 8766
Kodiak, AK 99615
Phone: (907) 486-5930

* Andrew Schroeder (Democrat) - Pending Certification

State Representative District 37

* Bryce Edgmon (Democrat) - Incumbent

PO Box 84

Dillingham, AK 99576
Phone: (907) 842-1729

State Representative District 38

* Bob Herron (Democrat) -Incumbent

PO Box 602
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone: (907) 543-4377


State Representative District 39

* Vincent T. Beans (Democrat)
PO Box 32336
Mountain Village, AK 99632
Phone: (907) 591-2347

* Neal W. Foster (Democrat) - Incumbent
PO Box 1633
Nome, AK 99762
Phone: (907) 250-8375

State Representative District 40

* Reggie Joule (Democrat) - Incumbent

PO Box 1269
Kotzebue, AK 99752
Phone: (907) 442-3452

SB 220 Alaska Sustainable Energy Act Lunch Overview

Senate Resources Committee Co-chairs Senators Bill Wielechowski and Lesil McGuire hosted a pizza lunch as their staffers Michele Sydeman and Mike Pawlowski discussed SB 220 and what they learned during a summer trip around the state - alternative energy projects that worked, state programs people liked, and what's in the current bill.
[This was last week, but it took a while to get the video done.]




The report was quite detailed and I looked in vain for the power point online where they suggested to look.  But here's a link to all the documents up with the bill on BASIS.

I was impressed by the quality of the presentation - it gave a clear overview of the bill and various projects around the state, plus it gave a fair amount of detail.






The first video offers some snippets from the presentation, enough to give you a sense of it.




Given the fast pace of the legislature, where no one seems to be able to put more than a few minutes together before they are interrupted, I was curious how this report and the bill had gotten the quiet time necessary to put something like this together. So, when I saw Sen. Bill Wielechowski in the hallway after the presentation I asked him.




I'd also note that one of the peculiarities of the bi-partisan majority in the Senate is the amount of cooperation between the Republicans and Democrats, as with these two co-chairs, a Democrat (Wielechowski) and a Republican (McGuire).

Senate Judiciary Committee - Campaign Expenditure and Hate Crimes

I'm here because the Committee is supposed to discuss campaign expenditures.

But none of the Senators are here 18 minutes after the starting time. But in the audience you can see (l-r front row) ADN reporter Rich Mauer, newly arrived to take over from Lisa Demer and Rep. Bob Lynn, chair of the House State Affairs Committee which has been holding hearings on House campaign expenditure bills.  Behind Rep. Lynn is AP reporter Jeremy Hsieh. 

1:50 pm Committee Chair Hollis French and Sen. Egan are both here now.  I'll post this now and add to it as things progress. 

(S)JUDICIARY		STANDING COMMITTEE *
Mar 08 Monday 1:30 PM		BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
=+	SB 209	STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS; REGULATIONS	TELECONFERENCED
=+	SB 260	ELECTRIC & TELEPHONE COOPERATIVES' VOTING	TELECONFERENCED
*+	SB 202	HATE CRIMES	TELECONFERENCED
+	SB 284	CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES	TELECONFERENCED
+		Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled	TELECONFERENCED

---

This is pretty messy, I'll post it now, but go through it and clean it up.  Of course you can listen to the actual hearing at Gavel 2 Gavel.    DO NOT RELY ON THIS FOR ANY MORE THAN A ROUGH SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENED.  A number of people spoke faster than I could type.  Think of this as a guide to what you should look for on the audio.


2pm called to order by Sen. French.
Motion on SB 209 - bill moved on.  At ease to sign the bill

 

Sen. Coghill, Chair Sen. French,
Sen Wielechowski (Walking), staffer, Sen. Egan

Back on agenda - SB 260 to allow coops to vote electronically.  Amendment to make sure if they do move to electronic voting, they do not have electronic voting exclusively.  Amended adopted.
Bill moved out of committee.  Another break to sign this one.

SB 214 and HB 6:  CS #6 - Cruelty to Animals
Wielechowski - Combined the two bills together
Welcome Sen McGuire to committee.
Motion to adopt CS version /S.

Staff:  Shelly Morgan, Wielechowski .  bill amended to include hb 138, about acts of animal cruelty, strengthen punishment for animal cruelty and acts of bestiality criminal.  Violent crimes against animals and people will count...

Mike Sica - Rep. Lynn's staff - and we support this. 

Morgan:  All from SB 214 creates felony animal cruelty provision, misdeamnor for first offense and second offense in ten years knowingly killing or using to threaten or terrorize another person.  [Can't keep up.]  Knowingly engaging in sexual conduct with an animal.
She's talking about the levels of offense for each type of conduct.
In almost all situations penalties are higher for crimes against people than against animals.  Except stalking.

Coghill:  Help me understand this.  4th degree assualt, on a human being, where does this set.

French:  4th degree recklessly causing pain.  Could widely range.

Coghill:  Just trying to understand the equivalency.

Sica:  Not talking about pain, but about prolonged.

Coghill:  My only thinking is that we could end up having felonious behavior on animals, where humans do bad things to each other and get pled out, where this may not.  You'll see these less before DA's and judges.

Sen. W:  If you knowing inflict prolonged and severe pain on an animal - lowest form of felony.  If you do this on human being unclassified felony.
I can't keep up.

Coghill:  What's significant about decompression chamber.

Sen. W:  It's been in the statues a long time, a particularly heinous way to kill an animal.  Left over language.  Also killing by use of poison.

French:   Added and adopted on house side.  Amendment 1 is adopted.  We've heard that infllicting pain on animals precedes doing same to people.

Rep. Lynn:  Good example of house and senate working together to craft legislation that protects both animals and humans.  Like 2+2=5.

French:  Thank you for opening your bill to amendment.  We won't get many bills passed this year and yours was well positioned.

Lynn:  Main goal is to protect the community.  For the good of the people of Alaska. 

SEn. W.  I agree.  We won't get many bills passed this session.

Coghill:  Concerned only that it may get misused.  We ask soldiers to do things and we may have police using trained animals to do things that could possibly be called into question.  Can't find anything.  I hope this catches people practicing cruel behavior and is not used by people using animals for noble things.

Bill moved out of committee.  Short at ease.

2:19  Back on agenda for SB 202 welcome Sen. Davis

Davis:  Thanks for hearing this bill in a timely manner.  This bill has been around for a while.  I hope I'm the last one to introduce it because it gets adopted.  I know there has to be a way to get this hate crime bill passed.

Tom Obermeyer, aide to Davis:  202 makes any crime more serious or aggravated if motivated by sex, race, religion, national origin, etc.  known as a hate crime.  This ramps up the crime one level if it is a hate crime.
He's speaking very quickly and I can't nearly keep up.

Tom Obermeyer and Sen. Betty Davis testifying before the Committee.

French:  Is this legislation modeled after federal or other state?

Obermeyer:  Does not really follow Matthew Shepherd law.  Our language with the specific words in the Alaska Constitution.

Wielechowski :  Refresher, if we hae it in federal law and state, could they be prosecuted both fed and state?

Obermeyer:  People in the room could answer that.  My experience is that we can go beyond what the feds do, but we can't do less.

J. Kate Burkhart, Ex. Director of Alaska Mental Health Board - we support this if it includes people with mental illness.  Study shows people with mental illness 11 times more likely to be victims of these crimes.  Does provide educational component.  Appreciation for sponsors' work and committee's hearing it.

Marsha Buck,  resident of Juneau, representing board of directors of Alaskans Together for Equality for Alaskans gay, bi, transexual etc.  My daughter has a longterm relationship with another woman, and I care deeply about safety of my daughter, daugher-in-law, and my grandchildren.  We firmly request to amend to include gender perception.  It doesn't matter if the person perceived as different is heterosexual or gay to be a victim.  Also includes Alaskans who are transgender.  Transgender woman recently had nose broken on Anchorage Peoplemover.

French:   Thank you...

Kelly Birkenshaw:  Also on behalf of Alaskans Together for Equality and myself.  We recognize that hate crimes are not limited to our community and appreciate that the bill recognizes that Alaska has no tolerance for these acts.  But the bill leaves out transgender and  i can offer some definitions.

Sen. McGuire:  That would be helpful, to have definitions.

Birkenshaw:  SExual orientation- unique way people perceives own sexual desires ... and gender id is concept of maleness or femaleness - anywhere on the continuum.  SEx = biological characteristics at birth.  Gender id might be perceived as different from the gender assigned at birth.  As a resident of Juneau, breaking up, perceived as too masculine as a child, ... up to 60% of my transgender friends have been victims of violence.  I know how that feels and

Jeff Jessee:  Chief Exec. Officer AK Mental Health Trust Authority - my focus on hate crimes focused on those with mental disabilities.  ... You've heard personal testimony.  I was born with a cleft palate.  I couldn't order a meal in a restaurant until I was 11.  As a kid, I was called names, bullied, mocked, and beat up.  These kids that did that to me, grow up to be the adults who continue that as adults.  Both personaly and on behalf of the trust I urge you to pass this.

David Eastman - online - Served as MP for 6 years in AK.  Based on my law enforcement experience, I want to speak against this.  It will shift focus of harm of victim to mindset of offender.  The only true crime is minimized.  Crime is inherently discriminatory.  I discriminate when I chose to commit a crime against you.  If I commit a crime gainst you because o your age.  if I target you because of obesity or member of the military.  In any of these cases my motive was bad, regardless.  Do we need the government to step in to tell me I'm bad.  More role of church than police or judge.  Govt. isnt' effective in changing morality.  I urge you not to succumb to that temptation.  We move away from equality under the law.  This bill would make some of us more equal than others.  Alaskans lowered in contrast to others.  Further politicizes one aspect of our lives.

Crimes are motivated by hate, a willingness to commit crime against antoher.  By my refusal to treat another person by respect and dignity.  This won't change a person when they get out of prison.

Clement Steiner:  - public defender for state of Alaska.  Practical issues about drafting and effect.  "knowingly directed"  is inconsistent with ... scheme.  More along the lines of specific intent.  Knowing aspect is crime itself, confusing issues and confused as downgrading to a lower mens rea.
2nd concern.  Regarding proof.  Typically, motive is not a crime.  By criminalizing motive you broaden this beyond the act to the person themselves. 

French - if you have specific drafting suggestions send them along.
Coghill - we hage the aggrevator in ....c22 it would be interesting to me how often that has been applied and how handled.  Not exactly the same language.

Mr. Jeff Mittman:  ACLU - ED.  Submitted written testimony.  We appreciate sponsors and it is important that we think it an important statement to make.  People are targeted.  Because of that, we think the phrase gender identity added to the bills.  We have some concerns and PD has raised them as well.  Speech rights have to be recognized as well.  If someone attacks a homosexual, prior evidence should not be introduced because it violates first amendment rights to hold beliefs.  At trial evidence should be introduced as it directly relates to the crime, but not associational evidence.

Close testimony and hold for future hearing.

SB 284:  Campaign Expenditures.  Meat in two sections 4 and 11.
Disclosure:  writing on a piece of paper and disclosing to APOC
Disclaimers:  putting words in the ad that tells the public who is pushing this piece of legislation.

Obviously not going to move today.

Coghill:  I like a lot, but would like to challenge a few by way of amendment.  Drafter here, Mr. Bullard.  Thanks for being available.  Also John Ptacin available.

Matt Wallace from AKPIRG:  ED - Briefly weigh in in support.  Pretty catastrophic decision by SC.  Didn't invent big money problem.  We believe it explains a lot of the cynicism people feel toward politics in general.  CU opened the floodgates.  A lot we can do and SB 284 is just one of those measures.  Pleased with piece that requires disclaimers in campaign ads.  Top five contributors of front groups would be required to be identified.

Marilyn Russell in Fairganks - League of Women Voters president - League supports the bill.  LWV goals:  insure public's right to know  2.  combat corruption and un?? influence  3. ??  and 4.  ???  It is vital that Alaska laws to add campaign disclosures.... Citizens should know who is spending money in support of candidates.  Loophole of this magnitude is unexceptable and should be remedied before the elections.

Close public testimony.

Wed. We hae AG for confirmation hearing.  Some questions to him today.  Adjourned. 3:02

University Caucus Formation Love Fest

 University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton addressing

the new University Booster Caucus

At 4pm Wednesday in the Senate Finance Committee room the University of Alaska Caucus was officially formed.   I've been looking at all the caucuses listed in the schedules of meetings and trying to put together a post about them.  Basically, these caucuses are formed by legislators who are interested in supporting a particular issue.  Some of the caucuses include:

• Anchorage Caucus
• Bush Caucus
• Fish Caucus
• Majority and Minority Caucuses

And now the University Booster Caucus joins these.


The three chancellors, Fran Ulmer, UAA;  John Pugh, UAS;  and Brian Rogers, UAF.

Everyone said nice things about each other and it was a different atmosphere from most of the other meetings I've been to.  But then that is what the caucus is supposed to do - promote the university. 

I guess I should add, that I am a professor emeritus (fancy word for retired but still connected to) at UAA and I know some of these people. 

I support the cause of higher education in theory, but would love to see the practice more efficient and effective.  I do hold the UAA Chancellor in high regard. 

The caucus members are listed as
Co-chairs:  Sen. Johnny Ellis; Sen Joe Thomas;  Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom; Rep. Anna Fairclough

Members:  Sens. Bettye Davis, Dennis Egan; Hollis French;  Linda Menard;  Joe Paskvan;  Gary Stevens; & Bill Wielechowski
Reps.  Les Gara; Berta Gardner; Carl Gatto; David Guttenberg; Lindsey Holmes; Scott Kawasaki; Mike Kelly; Beth Kertulla; Cathy Munoz; Pete Petersen; Jay Ramras; & Chris Tuck

Although the Chancellors mentioned how the University has branches all over the state, this caucus is clearly heavy with the Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau legislators. 

2009 Disclosures Part 2 - What's the Difference Between Good and Bad Travel?

As a faculty member, I went on state paid trips once or twice and sometimes even three times a year.  I went to conferences to present papers generally.  Those gave me opportunities to get feedback on the work I was doing and to meet and talk with others doing similar research.  I would generally come back from such trips greatly stimulated and with new ideas for research and for teaching.  In some cases I had trips paid for by someone other than the State of Alaska.  For example, I was invited to serve on an international panel studying the ombudsman.  This was sponsored by the International Institute of Administrative Sciences headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.  I went to three, three-day meetings in Brussels paid for by the IIAS over a three year period where we met and discussed research on the Ombudsman and produced a book that was a review of Ombudsman offices and issues around the world.  I had two chapters in that book.

Toward the end of my academic career, I felt it was important that when I went on such trips that I write a travel report.  I thought this would accomplish several goals:

• Force me to take good notes and keep track of the events I participated in (ie what panels I attended at conferences) and people I met with contact information, and references for particularly useful organizations and new ideas.  
• Keep me accountable to my dean and students by documenting how I spent my time and the benefits I got and the university got from the trip.
• Allowed me to share the information I got with other faculty members and students.  

I'm sad to say, not many others followed that model.  But when the University sent me to a conference in Kuala Lumpur, I knew that my travel report would document that I spent my time well and made valuable contacts and leads for further research and relationships for the university and would answer anyone who questioned the trip.  

I say all this because I do believe that travel to conferences and training programs is extremely valuable.  But there are also pitfalls:

• People who use conferences as an excuse to get travel paid for by the state or some other entity.
• People who plan conferences near resorts or relatives or to get mileage.
• People whose travel is paid for by other organizations that will expect something in return from the travelers down the line.  
• People whose travel becomes an opportunity for an interest group to lobby the legislator where others with opposing views have no chance to challenge any misleading facts or interpretations.

I'm sure you can come up with other potential pitfalls.

So, we have good reasons for legislators to travel and we have good reason to be concerned about such travel.  At a minimum, abuse just means that the state pays for travel that has no state benefit.  At the worst, travel leads to legislators being coopted by their patrons and working for the interests of those patrons and not the people of Alaska.  So how might we evaluate such travel?   Let me take a stab at some questions to ask:

If paid for by the State:

• What useful information, contacts, or other benefits for the State of Alaska did the legislator get from the trip?
• To what extent was the purpose of the trip related to issues facing Alaska and the constituents of the legislator?
• Was the meeting or conference one that presented a balanced view of the issue or was it dominated by one perspective?  
• How many trips did a particular legislator take? 
• How has the legislator used what was learned to benefit Alaska?

If paid for by an outside entity:

• All the previous questions are relevant to this as well
• Is the entity one that has a specific private interest in what the legislature does or is it more of a public service type institution that promotes general capacities and knowledge useful to legislators?
• Does the legislator balance viewpoints on different trips?  (If they go to Pebble Mine with the Pebble Limited Partnership, do they also participate in forums from environmental groups?)
• Does the legislator have some expectation of campaign contributions or future work that may be tied to the trip sponsor?  

All of this is difficult to determine.  But ethics laws around the world recognize potential problems and for this reason they require that such travel be disclosed so that the public can scrutinize trips and ask questions of the legislators.

So while I was perusing the 2009 Disclosure Report information that was published last week, I notice one trip that was considerably more costly than other trips.  In fact, it was so expensive that I looked carefully through the list to see if any others were even close to it.  So as I looked through the trips I thought it might be interesting to see how many trips there were which were reported to be over $2000.

At this point, I'll simply list the information as it comes from the Disclosure Report.  I will try to follow up and talk to legislators about their trips and how they share what they learned on the trips with others. 


And I'd warn readers not to assume that any of these trips were not legitimate trips through which the legislator gained valuable experience and knowledge for the State of Alaska.  But also don't assume that everyone on the list went on these trips with the interests of the people of Alaska as their top priority.  Look through the factors above and then if you have questions, call or email the legislator in question so that you don't jump to false conclusions.

OK, so, here's the list.  NOTE:  These trips were NOT paid for by the State of Alaska.  In some cases the influence for those who paid was probably benign.  If they were general public interest organizations with missions to generally improve legislative skills and knowledge, the State probably got a good deal.  But if they were organizations that have some vested interest in the State of Alaska, we probably need to look a bit deeper.  Not assume wrong, but check. (I think I've got all the trips reported that were over $2000, but it is possible I missed some.)

[Note I'm pretty sure the first number (ie 08-28) is the report date and the second number (08-05) is the travel date.  They have 30 days to report.  The Disclosure Report marks the late reports with *.]

08-28 08-05 Sen Wielechowski $2,013.47 CSG [Council of State Governments] West-CSG West Western Legislative Academy; faculty/curriculum expense; Lodging, meals, ground transportation, conference fees; Colorado Springs, CO

*10-01 08-05 Sen Thomas $2,013.47 CSG-West; educational conference on being an effective legislator; leadership team building; decision making, time management, legislative ethics; lodging, meals, ground transportation and conference fees

09-21 09-12 Sharon Kelly  $2,022.48 Rasmusson Foundation; Philanthropy Northwest Annual Meeting; airfare,  lodging, meals, ground transportation, conference fees; Skamia Lodge, OR

06-30 06-22 Rep Joule  $2,069.40 NCSL (National Council of State Legislatures] State Tribal Relations-National Native Issues Conference; airfare, lodging, meals;  San Francisco, CA

01-02 11-17 Sen McGuire $2087.29 CSG [Council of State Governments]; airfare/lodging/meals; teach leg academy classes, host CSG mtgs & Dinners as CSG-West president; Colorado Springs, CO

12-21 12-07 Rep Neuman $2,133.63 Pacific Northwest Economic Region; Energy Horizon Conference #2 to educate Legislators on North American energy infrastructure and delivery system; lodging and webinar credits; San Diego, CA

09-29 08-28 Pete Ecklund  $2,244.50 City of Unalaska; fly-in to visit Unalaska community, meet residents, tour city and view completed projects and project in progress and areas needing improvement; airfare, accommodations and meals [This [and Sharon Kelly] seems to be the only non-legislator[s] on the list with a trip valued at more than $2000. ]

03-17 03-08 Rep Gatto  $2,249.68 Heartland Institute; airfare/meals/hotel; International Climate Change Conf;  New York City, NY

06-29 06-07 Sen Stevens $2,280.03 Republican State Leadership Committee 2009 National Meeting, Nashville, TN; airfare, meals, ground transportation

01-12 01-01 Sen Davis  $2,397.71 Women in Gov’t; airfare/meals/transp/hotel; 15th annual state directors and Biennial first term leg’s conf; Tampa FL

*11-20 09-11 Sen Meyer  $2,500 Council of State Governments; attended Toll Fellowship Program Leadership Training in Lexington, KY; airfare, lodging, meals and conference fees

10-01 09-20 Rep Olson $2,500 National Association of Insurance Commissioners; annual meeting; airfare,  lodging and meals; Maryland/Washington, DC

12-30 12-08 Sen Stedman $2,689.11 PNWER Energy Horizon Institute; webinars, conference and teleconferences in San Diego, CA; educate legislators on the North American energy infrastructure and  delivery system

07-16 06-05 Rep Holmes  $2,700 National Strategy Institute-Bilateral political exchange designed to foster international democracy and understanding; lodging, meals, ground transportation and museum entrance fees; Seoul, Korea

10-26 10-10 Sen Davis $2,982.84 Women In Government; International Legislative Trip-4th Annual Global Partnership on women’s health and women in government; airfare, lodging, meals and ground transportation; Paris, France and Brussels, Belgium

*08-18 07-12  Sen Menard  $3,333.90 State Legislative Leaders Foundation-Emerging Political Leaders Program class tuition; airfare,
lodging, meals, ground transportation, conference fees; Charlotteville, VA

08-04 07-11 Rep Holmes  $3,901.08 State Legislative Leaders Foundation-Emerging Political Leaders Program-designed to Cultivate and enhance leadership skills in future leaders; airfare, lodging, meals, ground transportation, books, reading material, tuition and fees; Charlottesville, VA

07-31 07-08  Sen Stevens  $3,990.39 Senate Presidents Forum-Renewable Energy Summer Forum; airfare, lodging, meals,  ground transportation; Berlin, Germany

06-09 05-16 Rep Holmes  $4,245.63 Aspen Institute-Catto Fellowship meeting on global environmental & energy issues;  airfare, lodging, meals, ground transportation, and conference fees; Wye, Maryland

04-07 03-25 Rep Holmes  $4,435.20 Aspen Institute; airfare/lodging/meals/conference fees; attend the Catto  Fellowship meeting/conference; Aspen CO

11-02 10-04 Sen Stevens  $5,293 Senate President’s Forum; US/Russian Relations: An in-depth discussion on the  politics and economy of Russia; airfare, lodging, ground transportation and  visa/consulate fee; St. Petersburg, Russia

11-20 10-27 Rep. Johnson  $17,974 Saudi Arabian Government; NCSL requested Speaker of House to send an Oil and Gas representative to participate in a study tour. This was a trade mission to Saudi Arabia with the goal of increasing relations between USA and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; airfare, lodging, meals and ground transportation; Riyadh, Damman, and Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Senate Judiciary on Citizens United v. FEC

[Picture:  John Ptacin (left) and Alpheus Bullard, before the meeting]

Senate Judiciary Committee
Thomas Stewart Building -  Beltz 105
1:30 pm

Meeting started promptly at 1:30pm.  [I took notes directly on the laptop today. Not sure posting this so raw is a good idea. Read this with the CAUTION that these are my notes as I listened and I couldn't always hear or keep up.  Sometimes I had to end sentences best as I could.  Question marks sometimes mean I wasn't sure what was said.]




 You shouldn't attribute anything written here to anyone.  Consider this as a way to get a sense of the discussion.  After this, I'll try to post what I think were the key points.

Tom Dosik [Did not attend had  death in family] and John Ptacin, Alaska Department of Law

Kathryn Kurtz and Alpheus Bullard
Legislative Legal Services

Bullard:  First Amendment Case deals with political speech by corporations.  Not about contributions.  Only dealing with independent expenditures by corps.  Previously, a great deal depended on who the speaker was.  Significant in this case that SC has ruled that a Speaker's corporate identity is not longer an allowable distinction.

Upheld various disclosure provisions.  Rationale struck down ability to suppress speech on the basis of the speaker's corporate identity, this bears on our own laws.  Those statutes are not repealed, they are void. 

Ptacin, Dept. of Law, and I represent APOC.
What laws are not affected:  independent contributions to a candidate are not affected.  Corps and Unions inability to make direct contributions is unaffected.  Didn't interpret Alaska law, but it is affected.  States in this area, do not have greater lattitude than congress to abridge the freedom of speech.

Essentially, it did overturn one aspect - ban on any corp or labor union contribution to independent expenditures leading up to elections.  Not about candidate contributions.  Defined first amendment rights of corps.  Court ruled not reason to cut down freedom of speech rights of corps.  Court is looking at specific expression and not who is making the expression.  In this case making a communication electioneering speech is political speech and that's a high level right???   Govt. tried to make three arguments:  1.  Anti distortion of great wealth that has corrosive and distorting impact on the message.  No longer an argument.  2.  Anti-corruption argument and court didn't agree on this either.  3.  Shareholder protection - shareholders powerless to stop the spending of the money.  Also down.   Without a compelling reason to curtail speech the government's case turned down.

Affects Alaska law, preparing things internally now.

1:44 pm

Kathryn Kurz

Chair Hollis French:  Which state laws are now void?
Ptacin:  15.13.067A & 15.13.135  Disallow Corps and Labor Unions from making independent expenditures.  Are expenditures alwasy political speech.  Some definitions include political speech, some not.  Determining extent to which there are probls with current statutes.

Did we have same limitations as feds?
Ptacin:  Our law contemplates a ban on all independent expenditures.  Not exactly the same as Feds.  Trying to determine.

French:  We've gone from total ban to what is now a total free for all?
Ptacin:  I look at disclosure and I look at indpendent expenditure.

 [Left to right on the panel:  Sen. John Coghill; Sen. Bill Wielechowski; Chair Sen. Hollis French; Sen. Dennis Egan;  Sen. Lesil McGuire.  The three attorneys - Kathryn Kurtz, Alpheus Bullard, and John Ptacin - are seated at the table in front.]


Bullard:  Allow some corps under Alaska law to make expenditures - non-profits, so not all corps.  Window opened is not as large...

French:  Any corp doing business in Alaska is free to spend money for or against ....

Bullard:  Hard to anticipate how things will be interpreted by our courts.

French:  Will it take a specific legal action by a corp or do you deem it void by virtue of Citizens United.

Bullard:  When one of our laws is challenged, the court will look, whether the Dept. of Law attempts to enforce....??  Left up to Attorney General to enforce.
Ptacin:  We acknowledge the law us subject to scrutiny.  An opinion on that point is probably coming.
French:  Our opportunity to pass laws is limited to the session.  Timing?
Ptacin:  We've been working on this since the fall.  Attorney General hasn't been asked for an opinion.  Can't speculate when forthcoming.
Wielechowski:  It seems corps exist because the state allows them to.
?:  Corps are a legal fiction.
W:  Could not the state impose restrictions
Bullard:  Lot of kinds of corporations, difficult.
W:  SC said Corps are entitled to free speech, but corps don't exist unless states allow them correct?
Kurtz:  There is something that talks to this:  any corp formed by....  I think the main thing is that the USSC just defined a right to speech for corps in this area and I don't think the State of Alaska can overturn that.
W:  Does the state have to allow corps to exist?
K:  The consequences of that declaration would be lively and interesting.
W:  If a corp exists and had majority of foreign stockholders, would that corp be able to influence elections?
K:  Was addressed by the court - this decision doesn't distinguish between foreign and US corps.
W:  Could the another govt. set up a corp in Alaska and try to influence the law?
K:  Not an expert in corp law, not comfortable answering.
Ptacin:  CU didn't invalidate the law that prohibits foreign corps from speech in candidate elections.  We still need to study and give guidance to the state.  We have to consider do we want to distinguish between foreign and state corps?
Coghill: Breaks a veil ?
Ptacin:  CU (Citizens United) took issue with the PAC /Corp distinction and breaks that down.
Coghill:  Still accountability on how to speak?
Ptacin:  Correct.  Still taking a close look.
Coghill:  Laws still more restrictive than individual and we don't want them to be less restrictive.
Ptacin:  Disclosure laws - look at persons.  Some laws apply to labor unions, some not.
Egan:  I'm not an attorney at all.  Follow up Coghill.
What kind of corps in Alaska can contribute?  527s ok, but.
Ptacin:  Didn't determine that corps can make contributions to candidate directly.
Egan:  Do you expect litigation?
Ptacin:  Hard to say.  I do represent APOC.  No current litigation.
Egan:  Is APOC staff looking at this independently from DoL?
Ptacin:  I work closely with APOC, any advice to AG after talking to apoc.
McGuire:  If we don't enact a law dealing with disclosure expenditures etc. for for-proft corps, we could face an election where for-profts are out there in the dark spending whatever amount of money without disclosing what they are doing?  I don't see anything that prevents disclosure?  If we do anything, we should at least look at disclosure?
Ptacin:  This area does require action by legislature - which disclosures apply to corps.  Which apply to persons and which not.  040.  Labor Unions required to report - D and E.
French:  Every individual, person, non-entity, and group.  You are putting corps under person?  Not individual?
Ptacin:  Correct.
French:  You brought up, Sen McGuire, the one bulwark against this decision - disclosure.
Bullard:  040 J.
French:  take non-group entity out - you're saying it's a non-profit.  Disclosures required electronically or on paper?
I think that would be reported on APOC form, on paper.
French:  I can imagine we'll be looking at quicker disclosure.  They are well healed, great capacity to amass wealth and should disclose as quickly as possible.  Shouldn't put burdent on APOC staff to scan disclosures.
Coghill:  We've set about to do that, work in progress, have not been able to do that.  Heading in that direction.
French:  I think you mean disclosures made by candidates?
I think corps are uniquely able to use the internet.
Kurtz:  Refert to XXXX?  clarifies something.
French:  Leaning towards disclosure.

Covered many of the questions I submitted to you. I guess.
One more Q:  APOC, concern that disclosre for each individual ads - so viewers understand source of the money.  If a group of corps forms "Americans for Jobs"  Is there anything that would prohibit requiring disclosure of specific contributors.
Ptacin:  Law xxx currently bars contributions that aren't ballot measure groups, that merits scruity, but there is a statue that deals with that.  Only spoke about its own entity.  Pure speech from its own pocket.
French:  Concern, any corp can now advocate for .... CU dealt with single entity.  I don't see court limited by that in future case where they form a new corp together to hide the source of the funds used to electioneer.  We want citizens to know who the corps are.
Ptacin:  I think we hae to atake aim and disclaimer and disclosure law.  Spending money from own corp treasury.  CU touched on this ...
W:  If and what we can do about corps.  We allow them to exist.  What kind of limits can we place on them?
Ptacin:  Disclaimer and disclosure laws constitutional.  Laws contemplated in CU are similar to those Alaska imposes.  And foreign corp issue also has federal laws.  It didn't rule on disclosure, just the actual expenditure.
W:  Could we pass a law to say we would not allow corps with foreign majority to campaign?
Ptacin:  We have to look at it.
Kurtz:  Existing statute 13..... does have some of the things you're talking about  135 - we have some of those requirements, but they don't apply to corps because we didn't anticipate corps making expenditure.  We can change those to apply to corps.
French:  So we can now write in the word person on that list.
Kurtz:  Don't know if it would b3 that simple.  We need to be circumspect.
[I'm adding in a bit of video that wasn't ready earlier and fits here I believe]

Kurtz:  You could get a challenge there or the Legislature could pro-actively enact legislation in anticipation.
W:  Our situation now is that corps have more rights and freedom than individuals under Alaska law?
Kurtz:  Not sure.
Bullard:  It's possible you could characterize the situation that way.  It's hard to know how it will be interpreted by the court.
Coghill:  We need to clarify that they dont have more than any individual, though they may be able to speak with a louder voice, but that's been happening anyway in a different venue.  Need to make sure that if they speak, we know who is speaking and the cost of that speech, so they are accountable like every other individual.  If they have the right to speak, which I tend to agree with, then I want to make sure they meet the requirements that others have to comply with.
W:  As I see this, Corps have more rights than people.
2:30  Brief at ease.

2:30 back
McGuire:  Roe v. Wade analogy, we don't know how other states respond, it makes sense to start with non-profit, but is there any place for $ threshold?  Time line makes it difficult.
Kurtz:  That was back in other decision.  Contribution limits, but not expenditure limits.
Coghill:  Thanks for bringing this up so we can discuss this.  F of Speech dear to us all and you can see the tension.  We can't say they can't spend their wealth to speak any way they want.
W:  Courts ruled and probably the worst decision in my lifetime, but it is what it is and I'm concerned that foreign comapnies and shareholders are not allowed to influence elections in Alaska.
Coghill:  We've already be subject to that in many ways through the PAC law.  Not sure we can do that, I'd be willing to look into it.
French:  read two selections from Stevens:  The interests of non resident corporations not in the interest of local citizens.     At bottom the courts opinion is thus a rejection of the common sense of the people . . . strange time to repudiate that common sense.  While the US democracy is imperfect, few would .
[Here, I think, are the quotes from the Stevens dissenting opinion:

"the interests of nonresident corporations may be fundamentally adverse to the interests of local voters. Consequently, when corporations grab up the prime broadcasting slots on the eve of an election, they can flood the market with advocacy that bears “little or no correlation” to the ideas of natural persons or to any broader notion of the public good, 494 U. S., at 660. The opinions of real people may be marginalized."

"At bottom, the Court’s opinion is thus a rejection of the common sense of the American people, who have recognized a need to prevent corporations from undermining self-government since the founding, and who have fought against the distinctive corrupting potential of corporate electioneering since the days of Theodore Roosevelt. It is a strange time to repudiate that common sense. While American democracy is imperfect, few outside the majority of this Court would have thought its flaws included a dearth of corporate money in politics."]