Legislature(2007 - 2008)CAPITOL 106
02/05/2008 03:00 PM House HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB324 | |
| HB325 | |
| Traumatic Brain Injury and Military Veterans | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 324 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 325 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 325-TEACHERS/HEALTH CARE PROFESS HOUSING LOAN CHAIR WILSON announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 325, "An Act relating to the teachers' and nurses' housing loan program in the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation; and providing for an effective date." 3:28:03 PM BRYAN BUTCHER, Director, Governmental Affairs & Public Relations, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), Department of Revenue, stated that HB 325 would provide zero down payment loans to qualified teachers and health care professionals. This program originated five years ago as an incentive program to retain teachers and nurses in communities in Alaska by eliminating the required down payment to buy a home. The program has been operating for four and one-half years and three hundred and seventy-three loans have been approved; there has only been one foreclosure. Mr. Butcher explained that this very successful program is approaching its sunset date and needs to be extended. In fact, the governor's office asked that the program be expanded to include health care professionals and to eliminate the sunset clause. 3:30:49 PM CHAIR WILSON asked for a breakdown between teachers and nurses. 3:30:56 PM MR. BUTCHER said that the attachment contains a list of loans by community; the teacher's loans are indicated by an "e" and the nurse's loans are indicated by a "h." He added that the loans add no additional risk to AHFC or to the state. 3:31:56 PM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER asked who is included in "health care professionals" besides nurses and doctors. MR. BUTCHER described a different program for teachers and health care professionals in rural areas and that works with school districts and communities to build housing. He stated that the definition will be the same for both programs. 3:33:04 PM PAUL KAPANSKY, Director, Mortgage Operations, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC),Department of Revenue, remarked: As Bryan was referring to, a, our grant program, we have health professional housing, is defined as housing for any person who is licensed or board certified by the State of Alaska, in a health profession, holds a state certification in a health occupation, or is an administrator of a hospital or clinic, or employed as an aide, attendant, assistant, counselor, or technician in a health field. Occupancy of the household is limited to health professionals and family members. 3:34:10 PM CHAIR WILSON asked whether hospital administrators should qualify for the loans. She suggested limiting the qualification to areas of shortages. 3:34:48 PM MR. BUTCHER stated that income limitations were considered; however, AHFC loans are not attractive to borrowers who can qualify for standard loan programs. Therefore, the benefit of this program is mainly to young borrowers and first-time homeowners who can not afford a down payment. 3:36:24 PM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER expressed her concern about the expansion of the eligibility definition. She explained that aides and attendants may not have an investment in their health care career in the way that a nurse or dental hygienist would, and suggested the need for ongoing participation in the health care field. 3:37:12 PM MR. BUTCHER acknowledged that determining this information would be too labor intensive for AHFC's mortgage department. He reminded the committee that this program only helps borrowers buy a home with regular interest rates on the loan. 3:37:58 PM CHAIR WILSON shared her experience of working with health care aides, and supported their eligibility. 3:38:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH asked whether the bill was before the committee. 3:38:54 PM CHAIR WILSON stated that HB 325 was before the committee. 3:39:09 PM NANCY DAVIS, Registered Nurse, Coordinator for Nurse Recruitment and Retention, Division of Public Health, Department of Health & Social Services, stated her support for HB 325, paraphrasing from a prepared statement, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: I want to share with you how the AHFC Teacher and Nurses' Housing Loan Program has been helpful in our recruitment and retention efforts. Public Health Nursing has used the AHFC Teacher and Nurses' Housing Loan Program as a recruitment incentive since its inception (2003). AHFC information is routinely provided to all nurses inquiring about employment opportunities-with brief descriptions of the Teachers and Nurses Housing Loan Program as well as two attractive Rural resident loan options. In our current revisions to our state Web site, we will offer a "Helpful Link" to the AHFC Housing loan information In my long career of recruiting and hiring nurses in Alaska it has always been important to feature incentives for nurses to come to our State to meet the patient care needs and the employer needs that exceed our own in-state nursing graduates. Incentive for nurses to live and work in rural areas is a real bonus. Now in the recruiting environment of today, with the smaller number of applicants available, the global and local nursing shortages, and the highly competitive job market for all kinds of health workers, any and all incentives become important for attracting a workforce to meet our health care needs. Additionally, with the large student loan debt of today's workforce, attractive and safe mortgage options are even more important for establishing in an Alaska community. I may never know whether the nurse uses those loan programs, but I do know that the reaction to our state offering specific housing incentives to nurses makes a positive impression on the applicant. It says that Alaska values those professionals and is eager to assist them in becoming Alaskans. A Nurse who chooses to purchase a home in one of our communities makes a real commitment to that community as well. JOKE: A mortgage becomes a great retention strategy. If other health professionals can be well served by this housing loan option, and AHFC is able to include additional groups of recipients, it may well help with the recruitment of other health professionals to Alaska. 3:43:23 PM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER asked Ms. Davis for the top reasons that nurses leave the profession. 3:43:43 PM MS. DAVIS said that nurses are aging out of the work force. In addition, nursing is still predominantly a female occupation, but women today have many career choices from higher paying professions with good working conditions. 3:45:17 PM CHAIR WILSON closed public testimony. 3:45:26 PM REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH moved to report HB 325 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 325 was reported out of the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|