Bill > HB7

This bill establishes the Port of Southcentral Alaska Authority, a new public corporation that will manage and operate the Port of Alaska in Anchorage. The authority will be an independent instrumentality of the state's Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, with a board of directors consisting of two state commissioners and seven public members appointed by various local and state entities. The board will be responsible for managing the port's financial and legal obligations on a self-sustaining basis, with the ability to apply for legislative appropriations when necessary. The bill transfers ownership of port properties from the Municipality of Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to the new authority, including specific land parcels and tidelands. The authority will have broad powers, including the ability to issue revenue bonds, enter into contracts, hire personnel, and manage port facilities. The legislation ensures that the authority can operate independently while maintaining public accountability through requirements for annual reports, audits, and legislative approval for major actions like land sales or long-term leases. Notably, the bill specifies that the authority's liabilities will be satisfied exclusively from its own assets, and the state will not be directly liable for its debts. The transfer of the port to this new authority is intended to provide more efficient and focused management of this critical infrastructure asset.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=HB7