2020-03-18                     House Journal                      Page 1926
HB 206                                                                                                                        
The following letter dated March 16 was received at 10:42 a.m.,                                                                 
March 17:                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
"Dear Speaker Edgmon:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
On this date, I have signed, with line-item vetoes, the following bill                                                          
passed during the second session of the Thirty-First Alaska State                                                               

2020-03-18                     House Journal                      Page 1927
Legislature, and am transmitting the engrossed and enrolled copies to                                                           
the Lieutenant Governor's Office for permanent filing:                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 206(FIN)                                                                               
     "An Act making appropriations for the operating and capital                                                                
     expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental health                                                             
     program; making supplemental appropriations; and providing for                                                             
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Chapter No. 2, SLA 2020                                                                                                    
     [Effective Date: See Chapter]                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
The following reductions were made to the Mental Health Capital and                                                             
Operating budget. The Department of Health and Social Services,                                                                 
Division of Behavioral Health, Behavioral Health Treatment and                                                                  
Recovery Grants, were reduced by $70,200 Unrestricted General Fund                                                              
(UGF) because the work can be accomplished with existing funding;                                                               
this item was not a recommendation of the Mental Health Trust. The                                                              
Department of Law, Civil Division Except Janus, was reduced by                                                                  
$100,100 UGF which does not reflect a desire to reduce the program,                                                             
but a rejection of the proposed appropriation structure; this item was                                                          
not a recommendation of the Mental Health Trust. Finally, in the                                                                
Department of Revenue for the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation,                                                               
$2,000,000 UGF was reduced from the Mental Health Beneficiary and                                                               
Special Needs Housing project to bring the funding level in line with                                                           
historical funding for this program.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
In addition to covering the FY2021 Mental Health budget, this bill                                                              
also contains critical supplemental authorization for FY2020 necessary                                                          
to respond to COVID-19. After my vetoes, the total enacted amount of                                                            
this bill, inclusive of the FY2020 supplemental COVID-19 funding, is                                                            
$240.7 million comprised of $169.5 million of Unrestricted General                                                              
Funds, $45 million of Designated General Funds, $17.2 million of                                                                
other funds, and $9 million of federal funds. We must work together to                                                          
prioritize State funded programs, and programs funded at the local                                                              
level.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor"