25th Legislature(2007-2008)

Bill Text 25th Legislature

00                             HOUSE BILL NO. 318                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to the location of the convening of the legislature in a special session;                              
02 and providing for an effective date."                                                                                   
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 15.13.072(d) is amended to read:                                                                   
05            (d)  A candidate or an individual who has filed with the commission the                                      
06       document necessary to permit that individual to incur election-related expenses under                             
07       AS 15.13.100 for election or reelection to the state legislature may not solicit or accept                        
08       a contribution while the legislature is convened in a regular or special legislative                              
09       session unless the solicitation or acceptance occurs                                                              
10                 (1)  during the 90 days immediately preceding an election in which the                                  
11       candidate or individual is a candidate; and                                                                       
12                 (2)  in a place other than the                                                                          
13                      (A)  capital city if the legislature is in regular session; or                             
14                      (B)  municipality or other location of the session if the                                      
01            legislature is in special session.                                                                       
02    * Sec. 2. AS 15.13.072(g) is amended to read:                                                                      
03            (g)  A candidate or an individual who has filed with the commission the                                      
04       document necessary to permit that individual to incur election-related expenses under                             
05       AS 15.13.100 for election or reelection to the office of governor or lieutenant governor                          
06       may not solicit or accept a contribution in the                                                                   
07                 (1)  capital city while the legislature is convened in a regular [OR                                
08       SPECIAL] legislative session; or                                                                              
09                 (2)  municipality or other location of the session while the                                        
10       legislature is convened in a special session.                                                                 
11    * Sec. 3. AS 24.05.100(b) is amended to read:                                                                      
12            (b)  A special session may be held only at a [ANY] location on the                               
13       interconnected state road system [IN THE STATE]. If a special session is called                           
14       under (a)(1) of this section [IS TO BE CONVENED AT A LOCATION OTHER                                               
15       THAN AT THE CAPITAL], the governor shall designate the location in the                                            
16       proclamation. If a special session is called under (a)(2) of this section [IS TO BE                           
17       CONVENED AT A LOCATION OTHER THAN AT THE CAPITAL], the presiding                                                  
18       officers shall agree to and designate the location in the poll conducted of the members                           
19       of both houses.                                                                                                   
20    * Sec. 4. AS 24.10.030 is amended to read:                                                                         
21            Sec. 24.10.030. Chief clerk and senate secretary. Each house shall select                                  
22       from outside its membership a person of known stenographic and administrative                                     
23       ability to serve as chief administrative clerk; a chief clerk in the house of                                     
24       representatives and a secretary in the senate. When nominated and elected in                                      
25       conformity with the uniform rules, they continue to serve for the duration of the                                 
26       legislature at the pleasure of the house to which assigned. Pending the organization of                           
27       a new legislature, they may continue to serve at the request and direction of the                                 
28       legislative council until their respective houses formally reappoint or replace them.                             
29       The chief clerk and senate secretary are responsible for the performance of duties                                
30       provided for by law, the uniform rules, and orders of the house. They may be                                      
31       requested to report to the legislative council for duty for a period not to exceed two                            
01       weeks immediately preceding the convening of the session and shall remain at the                                  
02       location of the session [CAPITAL] until the completion of their work relating to                          
03       that session [IS DETERMINED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE COUNCIL].                                                  
04    * Sec. 5. AS 24.45.041(b) is amended to read:                                                                      
05            (b)  The registration form prescribed by the commission must include                                         
06                 (1)  the lobbyist's full name and complete permanent residence and                                      
07       business address and telephone number, as well as any temporary residential and                                   
08       business address and telephone number in the location of the session [STATE                                   
09       CAPITAL] during a legislative session;                                                                            
10                 (2)  the full name and complete address of each person by whom the                                      
11       lobbyist is retained or employed;                                                                                 
12                 (3)  whether the person from whom the lobbyist receives compensation                                    
13       employs the person solely as a lobbyist or whether the person is a regular employee                               
14       performing other services for the employer that include but are not limited to the                                
15       influencing of legislative or administrative action;                                                              
16                 (4)  the nature or form of the lobbyist's compensation for engaging in                                  
17       lobbying, including salary, fees, or reimbursement for expenses received in                                       
18       consideration for, or directly in support of or in connection with, the influencing of                            
19       legislative or administrative action;                                                                             
20                 (5)  a general description of the subjects or matters on which the                                      
21       registrant expects to lobby or to engage in the influencing of legislative or                                     
22       administrative action;                                                                                            
23                 (6)  the full name and complete address of the person, if other than the                                
24       registrant, who has custody of the accounts, books, papers, bills, receipts, and other                            
25       documents required to be maintained under this chapter;                                                           
26                 (7)  the identification of a legislative employee or public official to                                 
27       whom the lobbyist is married or who is the domestic partner of the lobbyist;                                      
28                 (8)  a sworn affirmation by the lobbyist that the lobbyist has completed                                
29       the training course administered by the commission under AS 24.45.031(a) within the                               
30       12-month period preceding the date of registration or registration renewal under this                             
31       chapter, except that this paragraph does not apply to a person who is a representational                          
01       lobbyist as defined under regulations of the commission;                                                          
02                 (9)  a sworn affirmation by the lobbyist that the lobbyist has not been                                 
03       previously convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude; in this paragraph, "felony                            
04       involving moral turpitude" has the meaning given in AS 15.60.010, and includes                                    
05       convictions for a violation of the law of this state or a violation of the law of another                         
06       jurisdiction with elements similar to a felony involving moral turpitude in this state.                           
07    * Sec. 6. AS 24.60.030(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
08            (a)  A legislator or legislative employee may not                                                            
09                 (1)  solicit, agree to accept, or accept a benefit other than official                                  
10       compensation for the performance of public duties; this paragraph may not be                                      
11       construed to prohibit lawful solicitation for and acceptance of campaign contributions,                           
12       solicitation or acceptance of contributions for a charity event, as defined in                                    
13       AS 24.60.080(a)(2)(B), or the acceptance of a lawful gratuity under AS 24.60.080;                                 
14                 (2)  use public funds, facilities, equipment, services, or another                                      
15       government asset or resource for a nonlegislative purpose, for involvement in or                                  
16       support of or opposition to partisan political activity, or for the private benefit of                            
17       [EITHER] the legislator, legislative employee, or another person; this paragraph does                             
18       not prohibit                                                                                                      
19                      (A)  limited use of state property and resources for personal                                      
20            purposes if the use does not interfere with the performance of public duties and                             
21            either the cost or value related to the use is nominal or the legislator or                                  
22            legislative employee reimburses the state for the cost of the use;                                           
23                      (B)  the use of mailing lists, computer data, or other information                                 
24            lawfully obtained from a government agency and available to the general                                      
25            public for nonlegislative purposes;                                                                          
26                      (C)  the legislative council, notwithstanding AS 24.05.190, from                                   
27            designating a public facility for use by legislators and legislative employees for                           
28            health or fitness purposes; when the council designates a facility to be used by                             
29            legislators and legislative employees for health or fitness purposes, it shall                               
30            adopt guidelines governing access to and use of the facility; the guidelines may                             
31            establish times in which use of the facility is limited to specific groups;                                  
01                      (D)  a legislator from using the legislator's private office [IN                                   
02            THE CAPITAL CITY] during a legislative session, and for the 10 days                                          
03            immediately before and the 10 days immediately after a legislative session, for                              
04            nonlegislative purposes if the use does not interfere with the performance of                                
05            public duties and if there is no cost to the state for the use of the space and                              
06            equipment, other than utility costs and minimal wear and tear, or the legislator                             
07            promptly reimburses the state for the cost; an office is considered a legislator's                           
08            private office under this subparagraph if it is the primary space in the location                        
09            of the session [CAPITAL CITY] reserved for use by the legislator, whether or                             
10            not it is shared with others;                                                                                
11                      (E)  a legislator from use of legislative employees to prepare                                     
12            and send out seasonal greeting cards;                                                                        
13                      (F)  a legislator from using state resources to transport                                          
14            computers or other office equipment owned by the legislator but primarily used                               
15            for a state function;                                                                                        
16                      (G)  use by a legislator of photographs of that legislator;                                        
17                      (H)  reasonable use of the Internet by a legislator or a legislative                               
18            employee except if the use is for election campaign purposes;                                                
19                      (I)  a legislator or legislative employee from soliciting,                                         
20            accepting, or receiving a gift on behalf of a recognized, nonpolitical charitable                            
21            organization in a state facility;                                                                            
22                      (J)  a legislator from sending any communication in the form of                                    
23            a newsletter to the legislator's constituents, except a communication expressly                              
24            advocating the election or defeat of a candidate or a newsletter or material in a                            
25            newsletter that is clearly only for the private benefit of a legislator or a                                 
26            legislative employee; or                                                                                     
27                      (K)  full participation in a charity event approved in advance by                                  
28            the Alaska Legislative Council;                                                                              
29                 (3)  knowingly seek, accept, use, allocate, grant, or award public funds                                
30       for a purpose other than that approved by law, or make a false statement in connection                            
31       with a claim, request, or application for compensation, reimbursement, or travel                                  
01       allowances from public funds;                                                                                     
02                 (4)  require a legislative employee to perform services for the private                                 
03       benefit of the legislator or employee at any time, or allow a legislative employee to                             
04       perform services for the private benefit of a legislator or employee on government                                
05       time; it is not a violation of this paragraph if the services were performed in an                                
06       unusual or infrequent situation and the person's services were reasonably necessary to                            
07       permit the legislator or legislative employee to perform official duties;                                         
08                 (5)  use or authorize the use of state funds, facilities, equipment,                                    
09       services, or another government asset or resource for the purpose of political fund                               
10       raising or campaigning; this paragraph does not prohibit                                                          
11                      (A)  limited use of state property and resources for personal                                      
12            purposes if the use does not interfere with the performance of public duties and                             
13            either the cost or value related to the use is nominal or the legislator or                                  
14            legislative employee reimburses the state for the cost of the use;                                           
15                      (B)  the use of mailing lists, computer data, or other information                                 
16            lawfully obtained from a government agency and available to the general                                      
17            public for nonlegislative purposes;                                                                          
18                      (C)  storing or maintaining, consistent with (b) of this section,                                  
19            election campaign records in a legislator's office;                                                          
20                      (D)  a legislator from using the legislator's private office [IN                                   
21            THE CAPITAL CITY] during a legislative session, and for the 10 days                                          
22            immediately before and the 10 days immediately after a legislative session, for                              
23            nonlegislative purposes if the use does not interfere with the performance of                                
24            public duties and if there is no cost to the state for the use of the space and                              
25            equipment, other than utility costs and minimal wear and tear, or the legislator                             
26            promptly reimburses the state for the cost; an office is considered a legislator's                           
27            private office under this subparagraph if it is the primary space in the location                        
28            of the session [CAPITAL CITY] reserved for use by the legislator, whether or                             
29            not it is shared with others; or                                                                             
30                      (E)  use by a legislator of photographs of that legislator.                                        
31    * Sec. 7. AS 24.60.031(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
01            (a)  A legislator or legislative employee may not                                                            
02                 (1)  on a day when either house of the legislature is in regular or special                             
03       session, solicit or accept a contribution or a promise or pledge to make a contribution                           
04       for a campaign for the state legislature; however, a legislator or legislative employee                           
05       may, except in the capital city during a regular session or in the location of the                            
06       session during a special session, solicit or accept a contribution, promise, or pledge                        
07       for a campaign for the state legislature that occurs during the 90 days immediately                               
08       preceding an election;                                                                                            
09                 (2)  accept money from an event held on a day when either house of the                                  
10       legislature is in regular or special session if a substantial purpose of the event is to                          
11       raise money on behalf of the member or legislative employee for state legislative                                 
12       political purposes; however, this paragraph does not prohibit a legislator or legislative                         
13       employee from accepting money from an event held in a place other than the location                           
14       of the session [CAPITAL CITY] during the 90 days immediately preceding an                                     
15       election; or                                                                                                      
16                 (3)  in a campaign for the state legislature, expend money that was                                     
17       raised on a day when either house of the legislature was in a legislative session by or                           
18       on behalf of a legislator under a declaration of candidacy or a general letter of intent to                       
19       become a candidate for public office; however, this paragraph does not apply to                                   
20       money raised in a place other than the location of the session [CAPITAL CITY]                                 
21       during the 90 days immediately preceding an election.                                                             
22    * Sec. 8. AS 24.60.080(c) is amended to read:                                                                      
23            (c)  Notwithstanding (a)(1) of this section, it is not a violation of this section                           
24       for a person who is a legislator or legislative employee to accept                                                
25                 (1)  hospitality, other than hospitality described in (4) of this                                       
26       subsection,                                                                                                       
27                      (A)  with incidental transportation at the residence of a person;                                  
28            however, a vacation home located outside the state is not considered a                                       
29            residence for the purposes of this subparagraph; or                                                          
30                      (B)  at a social event or meal;                                                                    
31                 (2)  discounts that are available                                                                       
01                      (A)  generally to the public or to a large class of persons to                                     
02            which the person belongs; or                                                                                 
03                      (B)  when on official state business, but only if receipt of the                                   
04            discount benefits the state;                                                                                 
05                 (3)  food or foodstuffs indigenous to the state that are shared generally                               
06       as a cultural or social norm;                                                                                     
07                 (4)  travel and hospitality primarily for the purpose of obtaining                                      
08       information on matters of legislative concern;                                                                    
09                 (5)  gifts from the immediate family of the person; in this paragraph,                                  
10       "immediate family" means                                                                                          
11                      (A)  the spouse of the person;                                                                     
12                      (B)  the person's domestic partner;                                                                
13                      (C)  a child, including a stepchild and an adoptive child, of the                                  
14            person or of the person's domestic partner;                                                                  
15                      (D)  a parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, or uncle of the person;                                 
16                      (E)  a parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, or uncle of the person's                                
17            spouse or the person's domestic partner; and                                                                 
18                      (F)  a stepparent, stepsister, stepbrother, step-grandparent, step-                                
19            aunt, or step-uncle of the person, the person's spouse, or the person's domestic                             
20            partner;                                                                                                     
21                 (6)  gifts that are not connected with the recipient's legislative status;                              
22                 (7)  a discount for all or part of a legislative session, including time                                
23       immediately preceding or following the session, or other gift to welcome a legislator                             
24       or legislative employee who is employed on the personal staff of a legislator or by a                             
25       standing or special committee to the location of the session [CAPITAL CITY] or in                             
26       recognition of the beginning of a legislative session if the gift or discount is available                        
27       generally to all legislators and the personal staff of legislators and staff of standing and                      
28       special committees; this paragraph does not apply to legislative employees who are                                
29       employed by the Legislative Affairs Agency, the office of the chief clerk, the office of                          
30       the senate secretary, the legislative budget and audit committee, the office of victims'                          
31       rights, or the office of the ombudsman;                                                                           
01                 (8)  a gift of legal services in a matter of legislative concern and a gift                             
02       of other services related to the provision of legal services in a matter of legislative                           
03       concern;                                                                                                          
04                 (9)  a gift of transportation from a legislator or a legislative employee to                            
05       a legislator or a legislative employee if the transportation takes place in the state on or                       
06       in an aircraft, boat, motor vehicle, or other means of transport owned or under the                               
07       control of the donor; this paragraph does not apply to travel described in (4) of this                            
08       subsection or travel for political campaign purposes; or                                                          
09                 (10)  a contribution to a charity event from any person at any time; in                                 
10       this paragraph, "charity event" has the meaning given in (a)(2)(B) of this section.                               
11    * Sec. 9. AS 44.99.007 is amended to read:                                                                         
12            Sec. 44.99.007. Emergency transfer of seat of government. When, due to an                                  
13       emergency resulting from the effects of enemy attack or an imminent enemy attack, it                              
14       becomes imprudent, inexpedient, or impossible to conduct the affairs of state                                     
15       government at the normal location of the state capital or to hold a legislative session                       
16       at the location designated under AS 24.05.090 or AS 24.05.100(b), the governor                                
17       shall, as often as the exigencies of the situation require, declare by proclamation an                            
18       emergency temporary location or locations for the seat of government or for the                               
19       session at a place or places, inside or outside the state, that would not normally be                         
20       considered military target sites and that the governor may consider advisable under the                           
21       circumstances. The governor shall take [SUCH] action and issue [SUCH] orders as                                   
22       may be necessary for an orderly transition to the emergency temporary location or                                 
23       locations. The temporary location or locations shall remain the emergency seat of                                 
24       government or location of the legislative session until the emergency is declared to                          
25       be ended by the governor and the seat of government or session is returned to its                             
26       normal location.                                                                                                  
27    * Sec. 10. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).