2016-01-21                     Senate Journal                      Page 1635
SB 151                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 151 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act relating to criminal and civil history                                                                        
          requirements for individuals and entities licensed or                                                                 
          certified by the Department of Health and Social                                                                      
          Services; relating to the centralized registry for                                                                    
          certain individuals or entities that are licensed or                                                                  
          certified by the Department of Health and Social                                                                      
          Services or are eligible to receive payment from                                                                      
          certain programs of the department; and providing for                                                                 
          an effective date."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Health and Social Services                                                          
and Judiciary Committees.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, zero, Department of Health and Social Services                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated January 18:                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Meyer:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                

2016-01-21                     Senate Journal                      Page 1636
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill relating to the criminal history,                                                        
civil history, and the centralized registry for certain individuals or                                                          
entities that are licensed or certified by the Department of Health and                                                         
Social Services or are eligible to receive payment from certain                                                                 
programs of the Department of Health and Social Services.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
In 2005, AS 47.05.310 - AS 47.05.390 were enacted. The purpose of                                                               
these statutes was to centralize and formalize the process by which the                                                         
Department of Health and Social Services conducted criminal                                                                     
background checks for entities and individuals who sought to be                                                                 
licensed providers or who are paid, in whole or in part, by the                                                                 
Department of Health and Social Services to provide services to                                                                 
individuals in the care and custody of the Department of Health and                                                             
Social Services. Additionally, the Department of Health and Social                                                              
Services was authorized to create a centralized registry so the State                                                           
could rely on certain civil findings to bar persons from owning,                                                                
operating, and being an administrator of certain licensed facilities.                                                           
Over the ensuing years, certain gaps in the statutes were identified,                                                           
and this legislation is designed to clarify and amend current statutes to                                                       
fix those gaps. The changes proposed by the bill are simple                                                                     
amendments to ensure proper application and fairness under the                                                                  
system.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
In order to protect our vulnerable citizens yet offer appropriate due                                                           
process and confidentiality protections to individuals, I urge your                                                             
prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Bill Walker                                                                                                                     
Governor