Alaska HB 7: An Act relating to the Port of Southcentral Alaska; establishing the Port of Southcentral Alaska Authority to manage and operate the Port of Southcentral Alaska; and providing for an effective date.

Bill Text

HB0007a -1- HB 7
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0161\A

HOUSE BILL NO. 7

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES MCCABE, Underwood, Rauscher

Introduced: 1/22/25
Referred: Transportation, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to the Port of Southcentral Alaska; establishing the Port of 1
Southcentral Alaska Authority to manage and operate the Port of Southcentral Alaska; 2
and providing for an effective date." 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 4
* Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 5
to read: 6
LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. The legislature finds that it is in the best 7
interests of the state to create an authority with the powers, duties, and functions needed to 8
operate the Port of Southcentral Alaska in Anchorage and manage its seaport, rail, industrial, 9
and other properties in the best interests of the people of the state and to ensure that the 10
authority is exclusively responsible for managing the financial and legal obligations of the 11
Port of Southcentral Alaska. The legislature considers the continued operation of the Port of 12
Southcentral Alaska by the authority as provided in this Act an essential government function 13
of the state. 14

34-LS0161\A
HB 7 -2- HB0007a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

* Sec. 2. AS 30 is amended by adding a new chapter to read: 1
Chapter 19. Port of Southcentral Alaska Authority. 2
Article 1. Establishment and Organization. 3
Sec. 30.19.010. Creation of authority. The Port of Southcentral Alaska 4
Authority is created. The authority is a public corporation of the state and a body 5
corporate and is an instrumentality of the Department of Commerce, Community, and 6
Economic Development, but with separate and independent legal existence. 7
Sec. 30.19.020. Board of directors. (a) The powers of the authority are vested 8
in the board of directors. The board consists of 9
(1) the commissioner of commerce, community, and economic 10
development; 11
(2) the commissioner of transportation and public facilities; and 12
(3) seven public members appointed as follows: 13
(A) one member who has experience as an executive official of 14
an entity that is deemed a citizen of the United States under 46 U.S.C. 50501 15
(sec. 2, Shipping Act, 1916) engaged in the transport of merchandise in the 16
United States coastwise trade and who is a resident of the state, appointed by 17
the governor; 18
(B) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of 19
representatives; 20
(C) one member appointed by the president of the senate; 21
(D) one member appointed by the mayor of the Municipality of 22
Anchorage; 23
(E) one member appointed by the Anchorage Assembly; 24
(F) one member appointed by the mayor of the Matanuska-25
Susitna Borough; 26
(G) one member appointed by the Matanuska-Susitna Borough 27
Assembly. 28
(b) The board members appointed under (a)(3) of this section must have the 29
following qualifications: 30
(1) one member must have at least five years of experience in port 31

34-LS0161\A
HB0007a -3- HB 7
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

management; a person who is not a resident of the state may be appointed under this 1
paragraph; 2
(2) either the member appointed under (a)(3)(B) of this section or the 3
member appointed under (a)(3)(C) of this section must have at least five years of 4
experience as an owner or manager of a business in the state. 5
(c) The board members appointed under (a)(3) of this section serve three-year 6
terms. 7
(d) If a vacancy occurs in the membership of the board, the appointing 8
authority shall appoint a member for the unexpired portion of the term. 9
(e) The board shall create staggered terms for members in its first organizing 10
meeting. 11
Article 2. Management. 12
Sec. 30.19.100. Management by board. The board is responsible for the 13
management of the authority but shall delegate certain powers and duties to the chief 14
executive officer under AS 30.19.120. In managing the authority, the board shall 15
(1) manage the financial and legal obligations of the authority; 16
(2) generally manage the authority on a self-sustaining basis; 17
(3) apply to the legislature for an appropriation with the concurrence of 18
the governor to be used to provide a particular service or project that is not otherwise 19
self-sustaining if a subsidy is required to maintain that service or project; 20
(4) provide for safe, efficient, and economical transportation to meet 21
the overall needs of the state; 22
(5) raise needed capital by issuing revenue bonds of the authority upon 23
approval by the legislature while ensuring that borrowing by the authority does not 24
directly or indirectly endanger the state's own borrowing capacity; 25
(6) ensure that the procurement procedures of the authority meet 26
accepted industry standards; 27
(7) ensure