Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532
06/08/2017 11:00 AM Senate CONFERENCE COMMITTEES ON HB 57 AND HB 59
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| = | HB 57 | ||
| = | HB 59 | ||
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(FIN) am(brf sup maj fld)(efd fld)
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
loan program expenses of state government and for
certain programs; capitalizing funds; repealing
appropriations; and making supplemental appropriations
and reappropriations."
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(FIN) am S
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
loan program expenses of state government and for
certain programs; capitalizing funds; repealing
appropriations; making supplemental appropriations and
reappropriations; 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."
and
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 59(FIN)
"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."
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 59(FIN)
"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."
11:01:43 AM
Co-Chair Seaton invited David Teal, Director of the
Legislative Finance Division to join legislators at the
table. He reported that the conference committee would be
addressing open items in HB 57 and HB 59 based on the
motion sheets distributed to members earlier in the day
dated June 8th on the Department of Corrections (DOC) and
the Department of Law (LAW).
Senator Hoffman MOVED to ADOPT the following in the
Department of Correction's budget:
Item 1 Senate
Representative Pruitt OBJECTED.
Co-Chair Seaton indicated the committee would address the
objection item until the end of the items.
Vice-Chair Hoffman continued:
Item 2 Senate
Representative Pruitt OBJECTED.
Co-Chair Seaton relayed that the committee would address
the item at the end.
Co-Chair Hoffman continued:
Item 3 House
Item 4 House
Item 5 House
Item 6 House for both lines
Item 7 Senate for both lines
Co-Chair Seaton indicated Items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were
ADOPTED. [Item 2 had an objection and Co-Chair Seaton
addresses the error below]. He invited Representative
Pruitt to speak to his objection.
Representative Pruitt spoke to his objection. One of the
concerns his caucus had was because the item would add a
division planner position, He thought the discussion took
place in subcommittee for DOC. There had been concern with
adding the position.
Co-Chair Hoffman responded that the senate added the
position, which was funded by designated statutory
receipts. The planner would assist the department with
identifying and addressing justice reform issues
particularly those that spanned several divisions within
DOC as well as coordinating between the state and local
stakeholders. He believed that the position was justified
since it was funded through designated receipts.
Co-Chair Seaton relayed that the committee would take an
'at ease' to discuss the item further.
11:04:38 AM
AT EASE
11:09:50 AM
RECONVEYNED
Co-Chair Seaton RESCINDED his motion for restatement
purposes regarding the items the committee adopted.
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
Co-Chair Seaton restated the motion that Items 3, 4, 5, 6,
and 7 were not objected to and would be adopted.
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to ADOPT Item 1-Senate.
Representative Pruitt OBJECTED.
Co-Chair Hoffman explained that a letter was passed out to
committee members from Senator Coghill (copy on file)
regarding the authority to receive statutory designated
program receipts of $175 thousand, which he had explained
earlier. The letter was back-up to his explanation.
Representative Pruitt MAINTAINED his OBJECTION.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: MacKinnon, Foster, Olson, Hoffmann, Seaton
OPPOSED: Pruitt
The MOTION to ADOPT Item 1-Senate PASSED (House: 2/1 -
Senate: 3/0).
11:11:42 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to ADOPT Item 2-Senate.
Representative Pruitt spoke to his objection to Item 2.
Adopting the senate's version would maintain four
positions. There had been a conversation about the item in
the House Finance Subcommittee. It was determined after
vetting the item that the four positions would not be
accepted. The objections from members of his caucus
remained.
Co-Chair Hoffman explained that the information technology
(IT) positions would be instrumental in extracting the most
potential savings having to do with SB 91 [The omnibus
crime bill adopted in 2016], a critical piece of
legislation adopted by both bodies.
11:13:06 AM
AT EASE
11:17:44 AM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Seaton asked Mr. Teal to explain the justification
for the positions in Item 2 of the conference-able items in
DOC.
DAVID TEAL, DIRECTOR, LEGISLATIVE FINANCE DIVISION,
explained that the four positions were in the Palmer
Correctional Center. With the closure of that facility,
they were transferred to the IT section. The positions were
no longer correctional officer positions but rather they
were IT positions. They were needed to do a number of
projects having to do with prison reforms that accompanied
SB 91. The department felt the positions were essential to
its IT systems.
Representative Pruitt asked if there had been reductions in
DOC. He remembered part of the discussion on SB 91 about
savings resulting from not having as many people in prison
as well as shutting down one of the prisons. He was aware
of the opening of Meadow Creek at Highland Correctional
Facility. He asked if there had been other reductions in
DOC personnel in the previous year.
Mr. Teal suggested taking a recess. He commented that there
had been reductions but he did not know if all of them were
associated with SB 91, or whether there were other
reductions. He could not fully answer the question.
11:20:03 AM
AT EASE
11:22:40 AM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Seaton asked Mr. Teal to provide an explanation.
Mr. Teal responded that the governor's budget had been
reduced by approximately $18 million. However, the net
(because there was a $6.9 million amount added back for
pre-trial) was a reduction of $11 million for DOC in FY 18.
Representative Pruitt appreciated the answer to his
question. At the break, he found out about the discussion
during the subcommittee process. The reason the amendment
had been brought forward and accepted was that DOC could
not explain why they were not currently using the money. He
thanked the committee for the willingness to have the
conversation.
Representative Pruitt MAINTAINED his OBJECTION.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Olson, Foster, MacKinnon, Seaton, Hoffman
OPPOSED: Pruitt
The MOTION to ADOPT Item 2-Senate PASSED (House: 2/1 -
Senate: 3/0).
Co-Chair Seaton indicated that the action closed the
conference-able items in the Department of Corrections.
11:24:47 AM
Senator Hoffmann MOVED to ADOPT the following in the
Department of Law's budget:
Item 1 House minus $81,400 for a new total of
$244,200. This funds the positions at 75% in
recognition that the positions would not be
filled on July 1.
Item 2 Senate
Item 3 House
Item 4 House
Senator Olson requested an "at ease."
11:25:25 AM
AT EASE
11:25:42 AM
RECONVENED
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
Co-Chair Seaton indicated that the action closed the
conference-able items in the Department of Law.
Co-Chair Seaton conveyed that the next Conference Committee
meeting would be held on Friday, June 9, 2017, at 11:30
a.m. The committee would be taking up the conference-able
items in the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs,
the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Revenue,
the Executive Branch-wide Appropriations, and Judiciary.
The meeting information was available on BASIS.
HB 57 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
HB 59 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
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