2020-02-05                     Senate Journal                      Page 1659
SB 174                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 174 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act making supplemental appropriations,                                                                           
          reappropriations, and other appropriations; amending                                                                  
          appropriations; capitalizing funds; making                                                                            
          appropriations under art. IX, sec. 17(c), Constitution                                                                
          of the State of Alaska, from the constitutional budget                                                                
          reserve fund; and providing for an effective date."                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 3:                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Giessel:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill relating to supplemental                                                                 
appropriations for the State’s operating and capital budgets for Fiscal                                                         
Year (FY) 2020. This budget totals $262.6 million Unrestricted                                                                  
General Funds (UGF), $12.8 million Designated General Funds                                                                     
(DGF), $6.6 million Other State Funds, and $204.7 million Federal                                                               
Funds.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
This bill provides funding to cover the State’s share of the emergency                                                          
response activities associated with wildfires; extreme weather                                                                  
condition road repairs, and earthquake repairs; time sensitive Medicaid                                                         
supplemental funding; funding for critical public safety and health                                                             
program costs; and funding for additional Alaska Marine Highway                                                                 
System operations and vessel maintenance expenses. Further, this bill                                                           
repeals $4.4 million in UGF tied to old capital projects that have                                                              
available balances according to each agency’s capital appropriation                                                             
status report.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
I look forward to working with you to ensure timely passage of this                                                             
critical funding.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor