Senate Bipartisan Working Group

( JUNEAU) – After weeks of careful and thoughtful analysis, the Senate Resources Committee moved Gov. Sarah Palin's Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (SB 104) to the next committee of referral, the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sen. Charlie Huggins (R – Rural Mat-Su/Chugiak) chairs the Senate Resources Committee.

"I am proud of the hard work my colleagues on the Resources Committee put into reviewing AGIA," said Huggins. "All seven of us worked weekends and evenings and made some important amendments to the bill that help the administration pick a successful applicant that can lead to a natural gas pipeline that benefits all Alaskans."

The Senate Resources Committee made some important amendments to the AGIA bill:

• The Alaska Legislature will have up to 60 days to review and approve a gas pipeline application.
• A project labor agreement. This requires the licensee to hire Alaskans for any pipeline project and was recommended by the Palin administration.
• Strengthened language in the bill to achieve lower tariffs and a higher wellhead value that results in higher state revenue.

The AGIA bill will have its first hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow, Wednesday, April 4 th at 2:45 p.m.

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