Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Disclosures topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ethics committee updates disclosure list, adds DEC reimbursement program and removes a DNR credit
Summary
The Alaska Legislative Ethics Committee updated its annual disclosure list under AS 24.60.050, adding the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Firefighting Substances Disposal Reimbursement Program and removing the Department of Natural Resources’ Oil Sale Exploration Incentive Credits after confirming its prior removal. The Department of Transportation asked to remove its programs pending written justification.
The Alaska Legislature Select Committee on Legislative Ethics reviewed and updated its annual list of state benefit and loan programs that trigger disclosure requirements under AS 24.60.050.
Chair Joyce Anderson told members the Ethics Act requires the committee to publish an updated list each year and to ask state departments to confirm which of their programs should remain on that list. Administrator Kevin Reeve reported agency responses and recommended edits.
Reeve said the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development changed the name of the division that houses its listed programs to the Division of Investments; that was treated as a name-change notification only. The Department of Environmental Conservation requested adding the Firefighting Substances Disposal Reimbursement Program because the department considers that program not generally available to the public; the committee agreed the program will be added to the disclosure list.
Reeve also said the Department of Natural Resources’ program, Oil Sale Exploration Incentive Credits, had been approved for removal in 2022 but remained on the published list by mistake. The committee recorded that the program will be removed from the list and that the packet included minutes documenting the prior decision.
When the Department of Transportation requested removal of all its programs, Administrator Reeve placed Dom Pannone of DOT on speaker. Pannone told the committee the department believes its programs are regulated, transactional, and governed by fixed criteria in regulation, statute, or federal rules (including references to Alaska Title 17 AAC 10). Chair Anderson asked whether any DOT program is awarded on a discretionary basis; Pannone replied the department uses fixed criteria. Anderson asked DOT to complete the department’s review forms for each program and to explain in writing why removal is appropriate; Pannone agreed to return those forms within a week for the committee’s further review.
Why it matters: Programs classified as state benefits or loans must be reported as part of legislator disclosures. The committee’s updates add one program to the disclosure list, remove one already approved for deletion, and require DOT to provide documentation before the committee acts on its request.
Next steps: DEC’s program will be added to the list; the DNR listing will be removed consistent with the committee packet; DOT will submit completed review forms and explanations for follow-up consideration at a future meeting.
