2019-07-08                     House Journal                      Page 1219
     CONFERENCE CS FOR SS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 40                                                                                 
     "An Act making appropriations for the operating and capital                                                                
     expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental health                                                             
     program; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Also transmitted was a copy of the following letter dated June 8 to Ms.                                                         
Mary Jane Michael, Chair, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority:                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
"Dear Ms. Michael:                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Pursuant to the requirements of AS 37.14.005(c), this letter and the                                                            
enclosed reports describe how the funding contained in HB 40 (the                                                               
FY20 Mental Health budget) and SB 19 (the Capital Bill) differ from                                                             
the FY20 Mental Health Trust Authority's (Authority) funding                                                                    
recommendations for the State's integrated comprehensive mental                                                                 
health program. While the statute requires reporting only on general                                                            
fund expenditures, information regarding expenditures of Authority                                                              
receipts is also included in the attached reports.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Operating Appropriations (report #1)                                                                                          
For mental health operating program funding, the Agency Summary                                                                 
report compares the FY20 Mental Health Trust Authority operating                                                                
budget recommendations to the Governor's request and to the                                                                     
appropriations passed by the legislature.  Note that, for comparison                                                            
purposes, Authority recommendations include FY20 salary                                                                         
adjustments and base transactions requested by the Governor. This                                                               
brings the FY20 total Authority recommendations to $235.7 million.                                                              
The Governor requested $211.2 million, and the Conference                                                                       
Committee's budget totaled $219.6 million.  The Conference                                                                      
Committee budget is $8.4 million above the Governor's request, an                                                               
increase of 4 %.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Governor's Request (report #2)                                                                                                
An enclosed Transaction Compare report shows differences between                                                                
Authority recommendations and the Governor's request. The                                                                       
differences between the two (excluding executive branch travel                                                                  
reductions) are as follows:                                                                                                     
     • Department of Administration                                                                                           
         Legal and Advocacy Services/ Public Defender Agency - the                                                              
         Trust recommended $372.7 more of GF/MH than the                                                                        
         Governor's request;