Legislature(2019 - 2020)DAVIS 106

03/17/2020 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

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03:22:26 PM Start
03:22:57 PM Confirmation Hearing(s): State Medical Board
03:48:20 PM HB267
04:21:11 PM HB255
05:18:52 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Delayed to 3:15 pm --
+ Consideration of Governor's Appointees: TELECONFERENCED
State Medical Board - Christopher Gay,
Sarah Bigelow Hood
-- Public Testimony --
*+ HB 267 SHORT-TERM HEALTH CARE INSURANCE TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
*+ HB 255 FOOD STAMPS; WORK REQS; TIME LIMITS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
           HB 255-FOOD STAMPS; WORK REQS; TIME LIMITS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:21:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ZULKOSKY announced  that the final order  of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO. 255,  "An Act  relating to  a waiver  of work                                                               
requirements  or  time limits  in  the  food stamp  program;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:21:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ELISE  SORUM-BIRK, Staff,  Representative Andy  Josephson, Alaska                                                               
State Legislature,  on behalf of Representative  Josephson, prime                                                               
sponsor  of  HB  255,  relayed  the  proposed  legislation  would                                                               
address Supplemental Nutrition  Assistance Program (SNAP) waivers                                                               
for able-bodied  adults without  dependents -  specifically time-                                                               
limit waivers.   She  turned to  slide 1,  entitled "Goals  of HB
255," which read:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     ?  Ensure that  Alaska is  seeking the  broadest waiver                                                                    
     possible under federal law                                                                                                 
     ? Ensure  that Alaska is approving  the broadest waiver                                                                    
     possible under law                                                                                                         
     ? Ensuring that vulnerable  Alaskans have the food they                                                                    
     need to be healthy                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:23:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. SORUM-BIRK moved on to slide  2, entitled "What is SNAP ABAWD                                                               
work requirement," which read:                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Under  the  Supplemental Nutrition  Assistance  Program                                                                    
     (SNAP), also  known as food stamps,  Able Bodied Adults                                                                    
     Without  Dependents   (ABAWD)  are  required   to  meet                                                                    
     specific  work requirement  of 80  hours  per month  to                                                                    
     qualify for benefits.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     There is a  3-month time limit per 3  years on benefits                                                                    
     if the work requirement isn't met.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SORUM-BIRK  explained  that  SNAP  stands  for  Supplemental                                                               
Nutrition Assistance Program and is  also known as "food stamps."                                                               
She  said  that  ABAWD  stands  for  Able  Bodied  Adult  Without                                                               
Dependents; it  is someone  between 18  and 49  years old  who is                                                               
healthy and capable of working according to federal law.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. SORUM-BIRK referred to slide  3, entitled "Waivers SNAP ABAWD                                                               
Time Limits to Work Requirements," which read:                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Since  the time  limits enactment  in 1996  states have                                                                    
     been able  to apply  for waivers in  areas of  low work                                                                    
     availability                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Additionally states  can exempt  up to 12%  of caseload                                                                    
     who are  ineligible for benefits (extending  time limit                                                                    
     1 additional month)                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska  and Guam  lost  statewide  waivers between  4th                                                                    
     quarter of 2019 and 1st quarter of 2020                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:24:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. SORUM-BIRK  continued with slide  4, entitled  "CBPP- History                                                               
of ABAWD  Waivers from 1998 to  2019."  The graphic  on the slide                                                               
was published  by the Center  for Budget Policies  and Priorities                                                               
(CBPP) and can  be found on its website.   The slide demonstrated                                                               
the history of  states acquiring waivers from  1998 through 2019.                                                               
She pointed  out from the  graph that during that  period, Alaska                                                               
was mostly  without any waivers.   She mentioned that  Alaska has                                                               
consistently  qualified  for  a   statewide  waiver  due  to  its                                                               
challenges in employment.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:25:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SORUM-BIRK  turned to  slide  5,  entitled "Why  has  Alaska                                                               
always qualified?" which read:                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Consistently High Unemployment                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     ?    Alaska   has    consistently   met    unemployment                                                                    
     requirements under the previous federal rule                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     ?  Most   areas  of  Alaska  can   still  meet  federal                                                                    
     requirements under the new rule                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Lack of Traditional Job Opportunities                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     ? Rural communities with less cash economy                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
       ? Highly seasonal workforce in many sectors of the                                                                       
     economy                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:26:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SPOHNHOLZ asked  for  a description  of the  rule                                                               
recently   enacted   by   the   [President   Donald   J.]   Trump                                                               
administration.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SORUM-BIRK  stated the  new  rule  changed the  unemployment                                                               
requirements that  a state could  use [to qualify for  a waiver].                                                               
It set  the unemployment  rate at  10 percent  or higher,  or for                                                               
alternate waivers,  a base of 6  percent or 20 percent  above the                                                               
national average  unemployment rate,  whichever is greater.   She                                                               
said  that  in  Alaska,  most  of the  state  met  the  6-percent                                                               
requirement.   She offered  that Alaska  has transitioned  to the                                                               
new  rule; however,  the new  rule is  not effective  until April                                                               
[2020], and  as of [March  13, 2020], implementation of  the rule                                                               
has  been  temporarily  halted   under  a  nationwide  injunction                                                               
[issued  by  the   U.S.  District  Court  for   the  District  of                                                               
Columbia].                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. SORUM-BIRK moved on to  slide 6, entitled "Which States might                                                               
be  Impacted Most?"  which shows  the results  of an  analysis by                                                               
[Wolfram]  Mathematica depicting  the states  that would  be most                                                               
impacted by  the new U.S.  Department of Agriculture  (USDA) SNAP                                                               
waiver rule.   She  pointed out  that Alaska  would be  among the                                                               
most   impacted  states   with  53-77   percent  of   ABAWD  SNAP                                                               
participants affected by the new waiver rule.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:28:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SORUM-BIRK  moved on  to  slide  7, entitled  "ABAWD  Waiver                                                               
Timeline for Alaska," to provide  clarification on the history of                                                               
the waiver and actions on the  national level.  In 1964, the Food                                                               
Stamp  Program  was  codified  in  federal  law.    Many  changes                                                               
occurred to  the program  between 1964  and 1996.   In  1996, the                                                               
ABAWD  work  requirement became  part  of  federal law  with  the                                                               
passage  of  the  Personal Responsibility  and  Work  Opportunity                                                               
Reconciliation Act  (PRWORA).   In 2008,  the Food  Stamp Program                                                               
was  renamed the  Supplemental Nutrition  Assistance Program,  or                                                               
SNAP.  In 2010 the  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)                                                               
waived  SNAP  work  requirements  nationally  and  broadened  the                                                               
eligibility for all states to  receive waivers.  Between 2010 and                                                               
2016, the waivers were suspended nationwide.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SORUM-BIRK  relayed  that  in 2016,  the  time  limits  were                                                               
reinstated.   In 2018, an  overhaul of  the SNAP program  was put                                                               
forward in  the U.S.  Agriculture and Nutrition  Act of  2018, or                                                               
the  "Farm  Bill,"  but the  proposed  tightening  measures  were                                                               
rejected  by  the  U.S.  Congress.    Despite  rejection  of  the                                                               
measures,  the Trump  administration put  forward a  new rule  in                                                               
February 2019 revising  the conditions under which  USDA would be                                                               
able to  waive ABAWD  time limits.   It  also limited  how states                                                               
could  choose metrics  and  define geographical  areas.   It  was                                                               
under this  rule that  the 10  percent and  6 percent  were first                                                               
discussed.  Attorneys general from  around the nation and a group                                                               
of U.S. Senators wrote letters in opposition to the rule.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SORUM-BIRK continued  by saying  that in  October 2019,  the                                                               
[Governor  Mike] Dunleavy  administration began  implementing the                                                               
new rule  at the  state level  using the 10  percent metric.   In                                                               
December 2019,  the Trump Administration  rule was  finalized and                                                               
set to go  into effect in April  2020.  In January  2020 once the                                                               
rule was finalized, a coalition of  states and New York City sued                                                               
the Trump administration over the new  rule.  Just a few days ago                                                               
[U.S.  District  Court  Judge  Beryl  Howell]  blocked  the  rule                                                               
temporarily; he cited the pandemic in the opinion.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:32:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked how [the new rule] impacted Alaskans.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. SORUM-BIRK  said that it  is estimated that  6,917 vulnerable                                                               
Alaskans  who participated  in the  SNAP program  have lost  SNAP                                                               
benefits due to  the rule change.  They are  individuals who were                                                               
in  the ABAWD  category and  lived  in geographic  areas that  no                                                               
longer qualified for the waiver.   She referred to the handout in                                                               
the committee  packet, entitled  "SNAP Helps 1  in 11  Workers in                                                               
Alaska Put Food on the Table," and pointed out that about one-                                                                  
third of  the Alaskans who were  dependent on SNAP worked  in the                                                               
service industry.  Those individuals  were already at high risk -                                                               
with little job security and difficulty meeting the 20-hour-a-                                                                  
week minimum for working.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:34:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  ZULKOSKY asked  what  the geographic  spread  was for  the                                                               
nearly 7,000  Alaskans who had  lost SNAP benefits under  the new                                                               
rule.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:35:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHAWNDA O'BRIEN,  Director, Division of Public  Assistance (DPA),                                                               
Department  of Health  and Social  Services  (DHSS), relayed  the                                                               
areas of the state included  in the waiver effective October 2019                                                               
were  the  Bethel  Census  Area,   Bristol  Bay  Borough,  Denali                                                               
Borough,  Haines Borough,  Hoonah-Angoon  Census Area,  Kusilvak,                                                               
Lake and  Peninsula Borough, Nome  Census Area,  Northwest Arctic                                                               
Borough, Petersburg  Borough, Prince of Wales-Hyder  Census Area,                                                               
Southeast  Fairbanks Census  Area, Skagway  Municipality, Valdez-                                                               
Cordova Census Area, Wrangell City  and Borough, Yakutat City and                                                               
Borough,  and Yukon-Koyukuk  Census Area.   The  total number  of                                                               
individuals [affected by  the waiver] for all  those locations is                                                               
approximately  2,000; the  data was  constantly changing  because                                                               
the population  of people  being served  significantly fluctuated                                                               
each  month.   At  any point  in time  that  number might  change                                                               
depending  upon  when  the data  was  collected,  the  population                                                               
included in the data search,  and whatever additional information                                                               
the individuals provided  to the division to  further exempt them                                                               
from being  considered ABAWD.  At  the time the waiver  went into                                                               
effect  in  October 2019,  the  division  calculated about  7,500                                                               
individuals to be ABAWD.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ZULKOSKY  asked Ms. O'Brien  to provide the  committee with                                                               
the comprehensive  list of communities  currently waived  and the                                                               
numbers cited.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS.  O'BRIEN  agreed and  offered  to  share information  on  the                                                               
waiver  for  which  the  division  has  asked  permission  to  be                                                               
effective April  1.   She also offered  to provide  the committee                                                               
with  the department's  plan in  terms of  the COVID-19  [a novel                                                               
coronavirus  disease] response;  it involved  language to  exempt                                                               
all participants of  the SNAP program from  work requirements due                                                               
to significant job losses in many communities.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:38:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked  for clarification as to  the number of                                                               
individuals affected by the rule change.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'BRIEN responded that when  the data was queried in October,                                                               
about 7,500  individuals were identified  and notified  that they                                                               
would   be  required   to  participate   in  ABAWD   work-related                                                               
requirements.  She reiterated that the numbers changed monthly.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TARR  asked  for  clarification  on  the  "2,000"                                                               
number  Ms. O'Brien  cited and  clarification  on the  "boroughs"                                                               
versus "census areas" in the listing of areas of the state.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  O'BRIEN  replied  that  about  2,000  individuals  were  not                                                               
required  to participate  [in the  new rule]  due to  the waiver;                                                               
without the  October waiver exempting  those areas of  the state,                                                               
there would have  been about 2,000 more individuals  added to the                                                               
7,500.  The waiver effective  April 1 would have exempted another                                                               
900 individuals.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'BRIEN  stated she was  not able to explain  the terminology                                                               
or  differentiate  between  census  areas and  boroughs;  it  was                                                               
determined by the census process  within the U.S. Bureau of Labor                                                               
Statistics (BLS) [U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL)].                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:41:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked for  confirmation of her understanding:                                                               
the October 1 deadline prompted  notices sent to 7,500 people who                                                               
would be  required to  participate; that  number would  have been                                                               
9,500; however,  2,000 were identified  as not being  required to                                                               
participate;  another waiver  was  requested for  April 1,  which                                                               
would  exempt   an  additional  900;  therefore,   900  would  be                                                               
subtracted from 7,500.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'BRIEN answered, "Correct."                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:42:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ  asked for confirmation that  in October                                                               
2019, 7,500  ABAWD were notified  that they would be  required to                                                               
work and potentially not eligible for SNAP.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'BRIEN concurred.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SPOHNHOLZ asked  how many  people were  no longer                                                               
eligible for SNAP benefits in November.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.   O'BRIEN  answered   that   as  a   result   of  the   ABAWD                                                               
implementation,  none.   She explained  that November  would have                                                               
been the  first month of  the three months  of benefits in  a 36-                                                               
month time frame; individuals would  not have lost benefits until                                                               
January.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SPOHNHOLZ  asked  how  many  of  the  7,500  were                                                               
eligible for SNAP in January.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'BRIEN stated that she would  ask staff to query the data to                                                               
determine  the  number of  individuals  who  lost benefits  as  a                                                               
result  of the  rule change;  she added  some individuals  closed                                                               
cases for other reasons.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:45:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  ZULKOSKY  referred to  the  March  2020 injunction  citing                                                               
COVID-19  concerns  and  asked  for the  effective  date  of  the                                                               
decision.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SORUM-BIRK offered  her  belief that  the  decision did  not                                                               
apply retroactively but  from the point of  the decision forward.                                                               
She offered to confirm that information for the committee.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ  asked Ms. O'Brien to  provide the total                                                               
number of  SNAP-eligible people  in every  month of  the calendar                                                               
years 2019 and 2020.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'BRIEN agreed to provide that information.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:47:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. SORUM-BIRK clarified that "6,917"  was the estimate put forth                                                               
by the  Dunleavy administration  in August  2019 to  quantify the                                                               
number of SNAP recipients who would  be required to meet the work                                                               
requirements  under  the  new  rule starting  in  October.    The                                                               
information came  from the Anchorage  Daily News  article [August                                                               
12, 2019] included in the committee packet.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. SORUM-BIRK continued with  the PowerPoint presentation, slide                                                               
8, entitled "COVID-19 and SNAP," which read:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     ? Economic uncertainty is increasing dramatically                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     ? Many low wage jobs will be hit hardest (for example-                                                                     
      roughly 1/3 of SNAP recipients in Alaska work in the                                                                      
     service industry)                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
         ? Forcing needy families to go to crowded food                                                                         
     pantries or soup kitchens would increase spread of the                                                                     
     virus                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. SORUM-BIRK added that the intent of  HB 255 was to make it as                                                               
easy as  possible for people  to receive SNAP benefits  when they                                                               
needed food.  She reiterated  the federal judge cited COVID-19 as                                                               
one of the reasons for blocking the federal rule.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:48:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. SORUM-BIRK  reviewed slide 9, entitled  "Sectional Analysis,"                                                               
which read:                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: Amends AS 47.25.975  to add a new subsection                                                                  
     outlining requirements that DHSS:                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Must request,  accept, and attempt  to renew  or extend                                                                    
     federal waivers relating to  work requirements and time                                                                    
     limits for  ABAWDs to the maximum  extent allowed under                                                                    
     federal law in all geographical areas of the state.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Must implement  ABAWD waivers  approved by  the federal                                                                    
     government to the maximum  allowable extent outlined in                                                                    
     each waiver.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     May  not create  more  stringent  work requirements  or                                                                    
     time  limits  for  ABAWDs than  those  outlined  in  an                                                                    
     accepted waiver.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2: Adds a new  section to the uncodified law of                                                                  
     the State of Alaska  requiring that DHSS promptly apply                                                                    
     to  the   federal  government  for  a   waiver  if  the                                                                    
     department determines  that the waiver is  necessary to                                                                    
     implement the  policy changes outlined in  Section 1 of                                                                    
     this Act.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Section  3 and  Section  4: Relate  to the  conditional                                                                  
     effective date of this Act.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:50:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ANDY  JOSEPHSON,  Alaska  State  Legislature,  as                                                               
prime sponsor  of HB 255,  shared that  the issue was  brought to                                                               
his attention  by the  Alaska Food  Coalition, and  he recognized                                                               
the  need for  the legislature  to set  a different  path through                                                               
legislation.   He maintained  that the  position of  the Dunleavy                                                               
administration regarding SNAP benefit  waivers was more stringent                                                               
than that of the Trump  administration; the governor's policy was                                                               
to not  seek any possible  waiver.  Even before  COVID-19, Alaska                                                               
was  the 50th  state in  employment.   He maintained  that Alaska                                                               
should seek every opportunity to  receive waivers as allowed.  He                                                               
acknowledged   the  philosophical   viewpoint  of   the  Dunleavy                                                               
administration  - the  belief that  not  receiving SNAP  benefits                                                               
would force  people into  seeking employment.   He  asserted that                                                               
the difficulty  was that  often the  employment was  seasonal and                                                               
inadequate.   Many of  the recipients  were service  workers who,                                                               
even though  employed, still needed  the assistance  because they                                                               
did not get paid enough.  He  stated there was a class of workers                                                               
who were most vulnerable; businesses  were closing in response to                                                               
the COVID-19  pandemic; and  those workers  cannot telework.   He                                                               
emphasized   the  proposed   legislation  was   timely;  it   was                                                               
consistent with the  [HCR 17] focus on need [passed  in the House                                                               
on 3/17/20]; and it was critical.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON  referred to the state's  opportunity to                                                               
identify  the most  favorable  period for  waiver;  that is,  the                                                               
months with the highest rate  of unemployment.  He suggested that                                                               
the  administration did  not advocate  for SNAP  beneficiaries in                                                               
that way.   He  said that  the communities  of Anchorage  and the                                                               
Matanuska-Susitna  Valley (Mat-Su)  were the  ones that  stood to                                                               
benefit from  the proposed  legislation.   He offered  his belief                                                               
that it  should be the  policy of the  state to seek  the waivers                                                               
available.   Other state policies  reflected a  similar approach.                                                               
He quoted  U.S. Senator Mitt  Romney:  "While expansions  of paid                                                               
leave,  unemployment insurance,  and SNAP  benefits are  crucial,                                                               
the check  will help  fill the  gaps for  Americans that  may not                                                               
quickly navigate different government options."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:56:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ZULKOSKY opened invited testimony  during the hearing on HB
255.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:56:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CARA DURR,  Director of Public  Engagement, Food Bank  of Alaska,                                                               
relayed that staff  at the Food Bank of Alaska  understand what a                                                               
critical  role SNAP  plays in  fighting  hunger in  Alaska.   For                                                               
every meal  provided by the  Feeding America national  network of                                                               
food  banks, SNAP  provided  nine meals.    Her organization  was                                                               
concerned with  any policy that  restricted access to  SNAP, such                                                               
as is  the case with  time limits.   When people lose  SNAP, they                                                               
turned to the already burdened  food bank network; the food banks                                                               
try but cannot  fill that gap.  The Food  Bank of Alaska supports                                                               
the goal  of helping low  income Alaskans  who can find  work and                                                               
keep a  job; however, restrictions  on access  to SNAP is  not an                                                               
effective way to attain that goal;  it is instead a punitive work                                                               
requirement.   Studies  have shown  that existing  mandatory work                                                               
requirements  in  SNAP  and other  programs,  such  as  Temporary                                                               
Assistance to Needy  Families (TANF), are ineffective.   She said                                                               
that TANF work requirements - in  place since 1996 - have yielded                                                               
little  or  no  long-term  positive   impacts  on  employment  or                                                               
earnings.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. DURR continued  by saying that most people  who received SNAP                                                               
benefits  and can  work, do  work.   In many  ways SNAP  supports                                                               
work; when  people have  their basic needs  met, they  are better                                                               
prepared for  the workforce.   Time spent visiting  food pantries                                                               
is time  that could be  spent looking for  work or working.   She                                                               
offered that  many SNAP recipients  are working in  low-wage jobs                                                               
with unpredictable  hours.  For  people whose hours  are reduced,                                                               
who get  sick, or  who have  a sick child,  SNAP benefits  are at                                                               
risk.   She maintained that  many people  who are subject  to the                                                               
new rule who are not working  are not unemployed by choice.  Many                                                               
of those  subject to the  additional work  requirements struggled                                                               
to find work even  when the job market was healthy.   Lack of job                                                               
skills, living in  a rural area with few or  no jobs, undiagnosed                                                               
health conditions  or disabilities  are few  of the  reasons that                                                               
individuals  may not  work.   She said  that being  deemed "able-                                                               
bodied" does not mean job-ready,  and cutting a vulnerable person                                                               
off food assistance does not make them any more employable.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  DURR  relayed  that  while   there  are  allowed  individual                                                               
exemptions - such  as having a disability,  being medically unfit                                                               
for work, or receiving unemployment  benefits - and the state has                                                               
a low  bar for  meeting them, the  recipients need  to understand                                                               
enough about the rule to request the exemptions.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS.  DURR  stated  that  at  the Alaska  Food  Bank,  staff  have                                                               
received calls from  individuals who have lost  benefits; in most                                                               
cases the  individuals were  very confused  about the  policy and                                                               
why  they had  lost benefits.   The  confusion is  not unique  to                                                               
Alaska and is not  a reflection on the work of DPA  but is due to                                                               
the complexity of the rule.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. DURR offered that currently  there are Alaskans who have lost                                                               
SNAP due  to the  new rule who,  instead of being  able to  buy a                                                               
small  amount of  emergency grocery  supplies, are  now going  to                                                               
crowded food  pantries and soup  kitchens to  get food.   As more                                                               
Alaskans lose  jobs and directives  to stay home increase,  it is                                                               
not  reasonable  to  expect  someone to  find  a  job  currently.                                                               
Alaska  needs to  plan for  the possibility  that the  [COVID-19]                                                               
situation will  intensify, which may  force closures of  the food                                                               
distribution  centers.   She said  that while  no one  could have                                                               
predicted the  current situation, clearly Alaska  needs to ensure                                                               
that SNAP can easily respond to  disasters of this sort.  Without                                                               
policy change,  those who have  lost benefits would be  unable to                                                               
requalify for SNAP; many workers who  have lost hours or jobs may                                                               
only qualify  for a short time.   She maintained SNAP  will be an                                                               
incredibly  important  resource  to  the many  Alaskans  who  are                                                               
struggling from the economic fallout  from COVID-19 in the short-                                                               
and long-term.  She expressed her  hope the program could be made                                                               
accessible to everyone who needed it.   She said she is confident                                                               
the state  will seek a variety  of ways to expand  access to SNAP                                                               
in  consideration of  COVID-19.   The  situation underscored  the                                                               
need to maintain SNAP flexibility at all times.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. DURR noted  in conclusion that SNAP benefits  are 100 percent                                                               
federally  funded; every  $1  spent in  SNAP  generated $1.70  in                                                               
local  economic activity;  SNAP injected  nearly $200  million in                                                               
federal  dollars  into  Alaska's   economy.    She  said,  "Let's                                                               
maximize  access  to  this  important   program  by  seeking  all                                                               
available  waivers  from  the  time  limit,  which  will  benefit                                                               
struggling Alaskans and our state economy."                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
5:01:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ referred to people  coming in to DPA for                                                               
interviews  and application  processing,  which  could present  a                                                               
concern  regarding  transmission  of  COVID-19  for  clients  and                                                               
employees.  She  asked what processes the division  will adopt to                                                               
ensure that people  can get access to  benefits without increased                                                               
risk of spreading COVID-19.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
5:02:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'BRIEN replied  that as many agencies are,  the division had                                                               
been  working hard  to  balance  the need  to  protect staff  and                                                               
clients with  the delivery of services.   She stated that  it was                                                               
especially  challenging  for  DPA:   because  of  the  number  of                                                               
homeless  individuals who  have no  other means  of communicating                                                               
with  the  division,  the  office cannot  close  its  lobbies  or                                                               
restrict   access.     She  described   solutions  that   DPA  is                                                               
implementing to  limit the need  for people to visit  the office:                                                               
working  with  federal  partners   to  use  telephonic  interview                                                               
options  and  asking  for   permission  to  extend  certification                                                               
deadlines.   For example, DPA  is seeking for approval  to extend                                                               
SNAP certifications for a period  of six months for March, April,                                                               
May, and  June benefits.   She said  that staff will  reassess as                                                               
operations  progress.    She  offered  that  TANF,  Adult  Public                                                               
Assistance  (APA),   Senior  Benefits,  and  [U.S.   Centers  for                                                               
Medicare and  Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S.  Department of Health                                                               
and Social Services (HSS)]  health insurance program ("Medicaid")                                                               
will be  aligned as much  as possible  to minimize the  impact to                                                               
clients and  staff.  She  added that she anticipated  an increase                                                               
in  the  number  of  individuals   coming  to  the  division  for                                                               
assistance  as a  result  of  job loss  and  other  issues.   She                                                               
mentioned that  changes were occurring rapidly  and guidance from                                                               
federal  partners  was  coming  to  the  division  hourly.    She                                                               
concluded that  together with federal partners,  the division was                                                               
acting as  quickly and  as thoughtfully as  possible to  meet the                                                               
needs of all Alaskans.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
5:05:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   SPOHNHOLZ  asked   about   the  possibility   of                                                               
increasing the  use of online  applications and  using technology                                                               
to increase access and reduce in-person contact.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS.  O'BRIEN answered  that there  is an  online application  for                                                               
Medicaid   through  "myAlaska.gov"   or  through   the  federally                                                               
facilitated  marketplace; application  for other  benefits cannot                                                               
be  submitted  online;  however,  applications  can  be  accessed                                                               
online,  printed   out,  and   submitted  through   scanning  the                                                               
application and  emailing it  to the office  or dropping  it off.                                                               
She  added that  the division  is  seeking to  get permission  to                                                               
accept telephone  signatures so that individuals  may be assisted                                                               
over  the telephone  while  at  home.   She  maintained that  the                                                               
division is looking  for ways to accept  documentation outside of                                                               
normal practices.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
5:08:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   SPOHNHOLZ  stated   she  was   surprised  online                                                               
applications were  not possible  for public  assistance benefits.                                                               
She offered having that capability  would save time and money, as                                                               
well as be useful for both clients and employees.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. O'BRIEN  responded that the  division has been  exploring the                                                               
possibility of  an online application  with vendors.   In Alaska,                                                               
most of the  programs can be applied for in  one application; the                                                               
division has reached  out to other states  that have successfully                                                               
made  available   an  online  application.     She   stated  that                                                               
technology  is  a challenge  in  Alaska  due to  its  information                                                               
technology (IT)  resources; the division  has other IT  needs and                                                               
must  prioritize use  of  those  resources.   She  said that  the                                                               
online application  is a priority,  but the division  must engage                                                               
with several external stakeholders to accomplish it.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
5:09:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TARR commented  that procedures involving printing                                                               
an  application and  then scanning  and emailing  it presented  a                                                               
very limiting option  for many people who did  not have Internet,                                                               
a printer, and/or a scanner.   She said that someone could take a                                                               
photograph  of  the  application  with a  smartphone,  [a  multi-                                                               
purpose mobile telephone with internet  access], but not everyone                                                               
had  smartphones.   She asked  that the  division consider  other                                                               
ways  for receiving  applications  so that  these  people do  not                                                               
"slip through the  cracks."  She maintained that she  has been in                                                               
hundreds  of  homes  in  her  district that  do  not  have  these                                                               
devices.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TARR  asked  whether  Ms.  O'Brien's  mention  of                                                               
"permission to accept telephone  signatures" refers to permission                                                               
from  the individual  applicant,  permission from  the state,  or                                                               
permission from the federal government.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  O'BRIEN  responded  that  for   the  Medicaid  program,  the                                                               
division had permission to accept  telephonic signatures; but for                                                               
programs like SNAP, the division  did not have federal permission                                                               
to  accept telephonic  signatures.   She maintained  the division                                                               
was working with  its federal partners, and  the federal partners                                                               
had been  responsive and cooperative  in helping DPA  address its                                                               
challenges.   She acknowledged that Alaska  had rural challenges,                                                               
as well as challenges regarding  individuals who did not have the                                                               
capability to  print or  access the internet.   She  offered that                                                               
DPA could mail applications to  individuals, and it is working on                                                               
options  for   taking  information  over  the   telephone.    She                                                               
mentioned that  staffing is a  concern as well, and  the division                                                               
is trying to dedicate resources appropriately for stability.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
5:12:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked for comment on  the new federal rule and why                                                               
Alaska's  use  of  the  10  percent  unemployment  rate  [as  the                                                               
requirement for a waiver] is more restrictive.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:13:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ED  BOLEN, Senior  Policy Analyst,  Center on  Budget and  Policy                                                               
Priorities, responded  that the  proposed legislation  would give                                                               
Alaska  an   important  guide  for  addressing   access  to  food                                                               
assistance for  very poor unemployed  workers.  He said  SNAP was                                                               
historically  the second  most  effective  response to  worsening                                                               
economic  circumstances;   unemployment  insurance   offered  the                                                               
quickest response.  He relayed  that Secretary of Treasury [Steve                                                               
Mnuchin] just  expressed his concern  that the  unemployment rate                                                               
may spike to  20 percent.  "The current policy  in Alaska - where                                                               
the state would  only request waivers of this time  limit for ...                                                               
ABAWDs  ... if  unemployment  is  over 10  percent  - means  that                                                               
because there  is this look-back  period that was  mentioned, the                                                               
state  would essentially  identify areas  where unemployment  was                                                               
over 10 percent for at least 12  months."  He offered that by the                                                               
time  that  happened, the  recession  would  have almost  passed.                                                               
Almost  every  other  state,  without the  restriction  of  a  10                                                               
percent  requirement of  unemployment before  requesting waivers,                                                               
would  be  able  to  identify  areas  where  unemployment  spikes                                                               
quickly  and at  lower rates.   He  said, "If  their unemployment                                                               
rate is currently  6 percent and then it spikes  up, that's a lot                                                               
of  low-income workers  losing jobs."   States  would be  able to                                                               
identify areas  in which  they could  request waivers  and ensure                                                               
that  people have  access to  food  while they  were looking  for                                                               
work.   He  opined that  HB  255 would  address what  could be  a                                                               
sudden  and  worsening impact  on  low-income  people in  service                                                               
industry jobs who would likely be affected.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
5:15:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND echoed the  comments regarding the access                                                               
of low-income individuals  to computers.  She  mentioned that the                                                               
libraries are closed in Anchorage;  many services are provided in                                                               
libraries, such as the social  worker stationed at the library to                                                               
answer  questions from  homeless people.   She  offered that  not                                                               
only  do  people  lack  the  equipment  necessary  to  submit  an                                                               
application, but many lack the  sophistication to fill out a form                                                               
on a  smartphone; that is, if  one has a smartphone  and the form                                                               
can be filled out on a smartphone.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:17:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON  encouraged the committee to  advance HB
255 as  soon as  possible.   He offered that  it would  be widely                                                               
supported and, unfortunately, has become especially important.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:18:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ZULKOSKY indicated that HB 255 would be held over.                                                                        

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 255 Sponsor Statement 3.3.20.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 255
HB 255 Sectional Analysis 3.3.20.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 255
HB 255 version A.PDF HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 255
HB 255 Fiscal Note HSS.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 255
HB 255 Supporting Documents.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 255
HB 267 ver.S Work Draft.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 267
HB 267 ver.S Sponsor Statement.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 267
HB 267 ver.S Sectional Analysis.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 267
HB 267 Summary of Changes Version U to Version S.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 267
HB 267 Fiscal Note DCCED.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 267
HB 267 Handout_Patient Implications Brief.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 267
HB 267 Handout_State STLD Policies.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 267
HB 267 Handout_STLD Plans Offered in Alaska.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 267
Christopher Gay Resume_Redacted.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
Governor's Appointees to State Medical Board
State Medical Board Sarah Bidelow Hood.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
Governor's Appointees to State Medical Board
HB 255 PPT.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 255
HB 267 ver.S PowerPoint.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 267
HB 255 Supporting Document- CBPP Factsheet on Workers 3.17.20.pdf HHSS 3/17/2020 3:00:00 PM
HB 255