Legislature(2013 - 2014)BARNES 124
02/10/2014 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB213 | |
| HB276 | |
| HB211 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 276 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 211 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 213 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 211-EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
4:16:18 PM
CHAIR OLSON announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 211, "An Act relating to the education and
employment of individuals with disabilities."
4:16:23 PM
VASILIOS GIALOPSOS, Staff, Representative Charisse Millett,
Alaska State Legislature, stated that HB 211 will make Alaska an
employment-first state, which is a national movement for all
agencies in the state to work towards gainful, integrated
employment for persons with disabilities. This policy would
include education policy and how the persons are provided
service. This means those who have disabilities but are
gainfully employed live healthier lives, have a higher quality
of life, and incur lower health care costs.
MR. GIALOPSOS provided a section-by-section analysis of HB 211.
He said that proposed Section 1 would require the Department of
Education and Early Development (EED) to report to the Mental
Health Trust Authority with respect to the data collection on
the transition of services. Under Section 2, the bill would
also add an education plan to include a goal for children 15
years of age and older to become gainfully employed. He added
that this doesn't preclude post-secondary education.
4:18:29 PM
MR. GIALOPSOS stated that Sections 3-5 have the same
aspirational language imbedded in the requisite titles for the
DLWD, the Department of Health and Social Services (HSS) and the
Department of Administration. The fiscal notes show that this
is existing policy so the fiscal impact is absorbed by the
department and these departments have zero fiscal notes.
4:19:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CHENAULT referred to page 2, line 2, and offered
Conceptual Amendment 1, which would add after "time", "within
one year of leaving high school" and delete [the remainder of
subsection (c), after "time" which read, in part:
... for compensation that is
(1) at or above the minimum wage; and
(2) not less than the compensation paid by
the employer for the same or similar work performed by
an individual who is not disabled.
REPRESENTATIVE CHENAULT said that Mr. Gialopsos can explain what
this change would accomplish.
MR. GIALOPSOS explained the reason for Conceptual Amendment 1 is
to conform to the legislative intent to take the same data
collection requirements that the EED is required to perform with
respect to special education with no impact to the department.
4:21:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON asked whether the legislature would no
longer set a mandate for minimum wages.
MR. GIALOPSOS answered no; that the definitions would apply to
the goals for persons with disabilities in other titles. He
explained that Conceptual Amendment 1 pertains to data
collection for transitional services. The goals will still be
present, but the way the language was imbedded in the bill it
required data collection the department does not currently
perform, although this data is collected by the DLWD. Thus,
Conceptual Amendment 1 would eliminate the redundancy and focus
on the transition services of those 15 years of age and older.
There being no objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted.
4:22:49 PM
RON PAUL, Disabilities Employment Specialist, Frontier Community
Services (FCS), explained that FCS is a non-profit organization
that provides services for people of all ages and has served 190
persons with a disability under its behavioral health support
employment program. Currently, 26 of its 38 enrolled clients
are gainfully employed for a 68 percent employment rate. He
reported that FCS's clients from referrals through Serenity
House, the adult probation office, ALELA, the Peninsula
Community Health Center, and vocational rehabilitation office
have serious disabilities. He offered his belief that without
the program, these individuals would likely not be employed.
4:24:17 PM
MR. PAUL provided specific examples of persons with disabilities
that the FCS has assisted, including assisting an incarcerated
person who is now working on the North Slope, a homeless woman
now working in retail, and an obese man who has been able to
sufficiently deal with issues allow him to attend community
college and live in his own apartment. He illustrated the value
of FCS, given that disabled people who come to the program
basically "have nowhere to go" but are assisted by the program
and become gainfully employed.
MR. PAUL said he was unsure how those individuals who are
seriously disabled and confined to wheelchairs will obtain help.
He offered his belief that no matter what disability people
have, they deserve the opportunity to secure meaningful and
gainful employment and receive the same assistance and respect
as those not disabled.
4:28:20 PM
CATHY BABUSCIO, Director of Human Resources, Mat-Su Regional
Medical Center (MSRMC), said MSRMC's project search program is a
unique "business led" vocational rehabilitation program for
adult students 18-22 years of age who experience disabilities.
This program provides students who want to work an opportunity
to develop transferable job skills. The ultimate program goal
is independent adults securing employment within their
communities. She explained that students experience full
immersion at the hospital, and individualized jobs, development,
and placement occurs based on student strength and skills. The
project search program is a collaborative effort between the
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, the Governor's
Council on Disabilities and Special Education, and the Division
of Vocational Rehabilitation. The MSRMC has had three
successful program completions with 100 percent employment of
their students. She pointed out the average wage is greater
than $13 per hour. Additionally, 20 percent of those completing
the program have been awarded positions at the MSRMC. She
stated that this program has increased employee satisfaction and
has benefitted the hospital with dedicated and skilled workers.
She said that the MSRMC supports employment first.
4:30:03 PM
RIC NELSON, Member, Governor's Council on Disabilities & Special
Education, testified through an interpreter, as follows:
Good evening, Mr. Chair. I have my Bachelor's
[degree] in business administration. I've always been
told I'll never be able to work or even able to give
back to society. You know, I've worked a couple part-
time jobs and every time I've worked, people have
enjoyed working with me. I bring a different take on
life on how people work with disabilities. And within
a year or two after I graduate with my Masters
[degree], I want to start my own business. I want to
open an agency that serves people with disabilities.
I want to give back for what I have gotten through
with my life. I want to make sure that people can
work in their own community doing whatever they want.
I urge to please pass HB 211.
4:35:13 PM
ERIC YANUSZ provided his testimony, as follows:
I am Eric Yanusz and I'm currently working at REACH,
where Cathy works, too. [In] my first rotation the
day surgery is sanitized, dusted: take out trash,
repair the chemicals, [and] clean the lobby area.
Second rotation, food service: fill required buckets,
wipe tables, wrap silverware, [and] refill napkins.
Indisc. I don't know my third rotation.
4:36:01 PM
LUANN YANUSZ stated that she is the parent of a 21-year-old son,
[the previous testifier], with disabilities. She explained that
parents of children with disabilities do not know what to
expect, how much they will be able to learn or do, or
contribute. She said her son hasn't received a high school
diploma so he is in a lower range than many in society. In his
current program, "Project Search" and other job training
programs, he has learned what employers expect of him, such as
to be at work every day, develop a good work ethic, show
initiative, and follow the rules. She said he is hoping through
the transition from Project Search to get at least a half-time
job and continue his work routine. She said he will be out of
the school district this May and he is very "routine oriented."
She hoped the transitional services will provide assistance so
his routine from working at school to working in the community
can continue instead of him watching television. If he is
watching television, he will know the television schedule.
Under the program, he is gainfully employed in the community,
learns how to take the bus and get to his job, what the employer
expects, and would earn appropriate wages. In conclusion, she
said, she supports the employment first bill.
4:38:41 PM
MILLIE RYAN, Executive Director, REACH, Inc., stated that REACH
serves about 400 individuals, primarily with intellectual and
developmental disabilities in northern Southeast Alaska. One
service REACH provides is employment, and it is currently
implementing employment-first policies across the agency. For
example, when people are developing their service plans, the
first thing REACH asks about is employment. REACH has collected
baseline information on the percent of youth and adults who have
employment goals in their service plans. She indicated that
REACH's board of directors will be setting targets over the next
five years. She stated that providers can do a lot to support
people and help them get employment but the state must provide
strong policies that promote employment as the preferred outcome
for individuals with developmental disabilities. She emphasized
that HB 211 will really make that happen. She thanked members
for the opportunity to support of HB 211.
4:40:08 PM
CHAIR OLSON, after first determining no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HB 211.
4:40:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT remarked that she was appointed last year
to serve on the Governor's Council on Disabilities & Special
Education (GCDSE). She said it has been an honor to work with
the GCDSE, including those present today. She said the GCDSE's
priority legislation is HB 211 and HB 212. She said the
legislature is working on healthy communities and the
legislature's priorities are to make sure that businesses grow
and help individuals become independent. She said that a job
does wonders for people, in terms of depression, suicide, self-
worth, caring for self, developing a social life, and meeting
people, and being an active part of the community is something
everyone in Alaska deserves. This bill would help us recognize
individuals for their special qualities. She said, "The sky is
the limit. As they grow and learn skills, the limitations they
overcome are phenomenal." She has observed Ric Nelson graduate
from college. She is thrilled he is working towards his
Master's Degree. She said he is an inspirational person and it
is meaningful to speak with him to learn about his life. She
said that Teresa Holt has been an excellent executive director
for the council. She said she has probably learned more from
serving on this council from the human perspective and it was an
honor to carry the bill. The bill is truly a work in
collaboration with a lot of people who care. She characterized
the council as being a dedicated group.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT moved to report HB 211, as amended, out
of committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal notes.
4:44:26 PM
There being no objection, the CSHB 211(L&C) was reported from
the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.