Repealed or Renumbered

Repealed or Renumbered

The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities shall prepare a comprehensive long-range plan for the development and improvement of the Alaska marine highway system and shall revise and update the plan at least every five years. The department shall submit the comprehensive long-range plan and revisions and updates of the plan to the legislature.

To the extent that space is available, the commissioner of transportation and public facilities shall provide free transportation on vessels of the Alaska marine highway system for a member of the Alaska National Guard, the Alaska Naval Militia, or the Alaska State Defense Force who is en route to or from drill, training, or other official militia activities.

Article 02. ALSection KA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM FUND AND BUDGET

In Section 19.65.050 - 19.65.100,

(1) 'annual operating cycle' means the annual state fiscal year beginning on July 1 and ending at midnight on the following June 30;

(2) 'gross revenue' means all money, except money refunded to ticket holders and others for unused services, that is generated from the operation of the Alaska marine highway system, including that derived from vessel operations and uses of Alaska marine highway system facilities.

(a) A vessel or facility of the Alaska marine highway system constructed or acquired by the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities under this chapter may be given a name only by law.

(b) A maritime vessel shall bear the name of an Alaska glacier.

(c) A vessel used principally on the inland waterways of the state shall bear the name of a historical vessel which used the rivers of the state.

(d) The new maritime vessel to be delivered to the Alaska marine highway system in 1998 is named the Motor Vessel Kennicott.

(e) The Motor Vessel Fairweather and the Motor Vessel Chenega are authorized names for state ferries first operating as part of the Alaska marine highway system on or after August 8, 2002. The commissioner of transportation and public facilities shall select between the names for the one most appropriate to the route served by the ferry and shall publicly announce the selection.

(f) The Motor Vessel Lituya is the authorized name for the state ferry first operating as part of the Alaska marine highway system to serve between Metlakatla and Ketchikan on or after August 9, 2003.

(a) Commencing with appropriations for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 1991, on an annual basis and under Section 37.07 (Executive Budget Act), the legislature may appropriate amounts from the Alaska marine highway system fund to the Alaska marine highway system.

(b) The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities may request the legislature to appropriate money from the Alaska marine highway system fund to the marine highway system for capital improvements, if

(1) the appropriation under (a) of this section has been made;

(2) the amount in the fund, without regard to the appropriation under (a) of this section, exceeds the total of gross revenue deposited in the fund and the general fund appropriations under Section 19.65.060 (a)(2) by 10 percent; and

(3) the amount requested for appropriation under this subsection does not exceed 50 percent of the balance remaining after the appropriation for annual management and operations is made under (a) of this section.

(c) The unexpended and unobligated balance of money appropriated from the Alaska marine highway system fund lapses into the Alaska marine highway system fund at the end of the fiscal year for which it was appropriated.

(a) There is created, as a special account in the general fund, the Alaska marine highway system fund, into which shall be deposited

(1) the gross revenue of the Alaska marine highway system;

(2) money that is appropriated to the Alaska marine highway system fund by the legislature in an amount that is consistent from year to year and is the amount necessary, after consideration of gross revenue, to provide stable services to the public consistent with the provisions of Section 19.65.050 (b)(4), which appropriations are not one-year appropriations and the balances of which do not lapse under Section 37.25.010; and

(3) any other money that is appropriated to the Alaska marine highway system fund by the legislature, which appropriations are not one-year appropriations and the balances of which do not lapse under Section 37.25.010.

(b) Nothing in this chapter exempts money deposited into the Alaska marine highway system fund from the requirements of Section 37.07 (Executive Budget Act) or dedicates that money for a specific purpose.

(a) The Alaska marine highway system shall account for and remit to the Department of Revenue in accordance with Section 37.10.050 all gross revenue generated from the operation of the Alaska marine highway system during each annual operating cycle. The money shall then be deposited in the Alaska marine highway system fund.

(b) The Alaska marine highway system shall prepare a written report, no later than the 10th day of each regular legislative session, regarding the previous annual operating cycle and notify the legislature that the report is available. The report must identify

(1) gross revenue generated during the previous annual operating cycle;

(2) gross revenue generated during the current annual operating cycle and an estimate of gross revenue for the remainder of the current annual operating cycle;

(3) projections of the gross revenue to be generated during the next annual operating cycle; and

(4) the difference between previous gross revenue estimates prepared under this section and the revenues actually generated.

(c) The Department of Revenue shall prepare a written report, no later than the 10th legislative day of each regular legislative session, regarding the earnings on gross revenue of the Alaska marine highway system that was deposited into the Alaska marine highway system fund during the prior fiscal year and projected earnings on gross revenue of the Alaska marine highway system that is projected to be deposited into the Alaska marine highway system fund for the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year. The Department of Revenue shall notify the legislature that the report is available.

(a) The department shall construct, purchase, or lease ferry terminal facilities at locations it selects for the loading and unloading of passengers and vehicles under their own power, on and off ferries. The department shall repair and maintain these facilities. Construction and purchasing under this subsection are governed by Section 36.30 (State Procurement Code).

(b) The department may connect ferry terminal facilities with local highway systems.

(c) The department may adopt regulations governing the use of ferry terminal facilities by the public that it considers necessary and proper in the public interest. The department may charge a fee for the use of ferry terminal facilities, whether the use is under a permit or otherwise, and whether it is by one or more individuals.

(d) A person may construct a ferry terminal facility upon obtaining the approval of the department as to its location. A ferry terminal facility constructed by a person other than the department is subject to reasonable regulations governing its use that the department considers necessary and proper in the public interest.

(e) A ferry terminal facility may not be constructed without the approval of the department.

(f) A ferry terminal facility in existence and serving the public on January 1, 1959, is not affected by this section.

(g) In this section

(1) 'department' means the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities;

(2) 'ferry' means a vessel used in the common carriage of passengers and self-propelled vehicles in intrastate commerce.

(a) The legislature finds that

(1) the Alaska marine highway system is an essential part of the state transportation system, and that it warrants continued and predictable state support;

(2) many communities' economies are dependent on a steady and stable marine highway system service level;

(3) the state's tourism industry is greatly enhanced by a dependable marine highway transportation network; and

(4) efficient and prudent management of the system will benefit the state's economy and foster economic development.

(b) It is the purpose of Section 19.65.050 - 19.65.100 to

(1) enable the Alaska marine highway system to manage and operate in a manner that will enhance performance and accountability by allowing the system to account for and spend its generated revenue;

(2) provide the management tools necessary to efficiently operate the Alaska marine highway system;

(3) within constitutional constraints, provide for a predictable funding base for system operations; and

(4) provide for predictability and stability in the service level furnished to communities served by the system.

(c) It is the intent of Section 19.65.050 - 19.65.100 to

(1) encourage prudent administration through cost management and accurate budgeting by managers of the Alaska marine highway system;

(2) increase revenue from the operation of the system consistent with the public interest, increase service consistent with sound fiscal policy, and assist the prudent management and operation of the system; and

(3) achieve stability in the level of service communities can anticipate through accurate planning and scheduling.