Legislature(2007 - 2008)SENATE FINANCE 532

03/27/2008 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE


Download Mp3. <- Right click and save file as

* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Recessed to a Call of the Chair --
+= SB 221 BUDGET: CAPITAL, SUPP. & OTHER APPROPS TELECONFERENCED
Scheduled But Not Heard
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
= HB 233 UNCLAIMED PHONE/ELEC COOP DISTRIBUTIONS
Heard & Held
SENATE BILL NO. 221                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An   Act  making   appropriations,  including   capital                                                                   
     appropriations,    supplemental   appropriations,    and                                                                   
     appropriations  to capitalize  funds; and providing  for                                                                   
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman announced  that the  Committee was  waiting                                                                   
the arrival of the new Committee  Substitute. The plan was to                                                                   
start  public  testimony and  those  online waiting  for  the                                                                   
Committee Substitute could call back later.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
5:14:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MURAT  BALABAN,   FISHERIES  INDUSTRIAL  TECHNOLOGY   CENTER,                                                                   
KODIAK  testified   via  teleconference  and   supported  the                                                                   
deferred  maintenance request  for the  University of  Alaska                                                                   
Fairbanks facilities.  This money  is needed to  maintain the                                                                   
existing infrastructure.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:16:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GINGER FORTIN,  HOMER testified  via teleconference  in favor                                                                   
of the extra  appropriation of $4.2 million  for the Kenicott                                                                   
Marine  Highway  Ferry  to serve  the  Homer,  Soldovia,  and                                                                   
Kodiak areas twice a month.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
5:17:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID   JOHNSON,   PHYSICIAN,  KETCHIKAN   GENERAL   HOSPITAL                                                                   
testified via  teleconference in support of the  $4.4 million                                                                   
upgrade  to the hospital's  surgery unit.  This request  only                                                                   
represents half the money required.  The money is critical to                                                                   
the community.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:19:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOAN  NUGENT,  KETCHIKAN  GENERAL   HOSPITAL,  testified  via                                                                   
teleconference  and supported the  request for the  Ketchikan                                                                   
General Hospital surgery needs.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
5:21:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEVIN  GADSEY,  COORDINATOR,   SOUTHEAST  ALASKA  INDEPENDENT                                                                   
LIVING  testified  via  teleconference   in  support  of  the                                                                   
$250,000 adaptive  technologies grant  for seniors  and those                                                                   
with disabilities.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:23:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REBECCA  MADISON,  ALASKA  NATIVE  TRIBAL  HEALTH  CONSORTIUM                                                                   
testified  via teleconference  in  support  of the  statewide                                                                   
health information exchange for  $6.5 million. She emphasized                                                                   
that this is a cost savings program.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
5:27:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RON  INOUYE, VOLUNTEER  COORDINATOR,  MUSEUMS DAY,  FAIRBANKS                                                                   
testified  via teleconference  and asked  for an increase  of                                                                   
$50,000  to $100,000  for  the state  office  of history  and                                                                   
archeology  to match  the  federal money  that  would not  be                                                                   
received without  this matching state funding.  He also urged                                                                   
the  consideration of  the  increase of  $3  million for  the                                                                   
joint state archives and museum in Juneau                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
5:28:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANN RINGSTAD,  UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, FAIRBANKS  testified via                                                                   
teleconference  in  support  of   BIO  science  and  medicine                                                                   
funding and deferred maintenance.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
5:29:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RICK CAUFIELD, DIRECTOR, TANANA  VALLEY CAMPUS, UNIVERSITY OF                                                                   
ALASKA, FAIRBANKS testified via  teleconference and supported                                                                   
the renewal and renovation to the Tanana Valley Campus.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:31:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BETH  LANDON,  DIRECTOR  ALASKA   CENTER  FOR  RURAL  HEALTH,                                                                   
UNIVERSITY  OF   ALASKA  testified  via   teleconference  and                                                                   
supported  the University  funding  for deferred  maintenance                                                                   
and the funding for local health care training.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
5:33:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RUTH  TALLEY,  ANCHORAGE  testified  via  teleconference  and                                                                   
strongly supported  the Alaska  Primary Care Association  one                                                                   
time capital request  of $2.5 million for  health information                                                                   
technology and facilities.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:35:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REX  TALLEY,  ANCHORAGE  testified   via  teleconference  and                                                                   
strongly supported  the Alaska  Primary Care Association  one                                                                   
time capital request  of $2.5 million for  health information                                                                   
technology and facilities.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:35:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GARY  OLSON,  CHAIRMAN, ALASKA  MOOSE  FEDERATION,  ANCHORAGE                                                                   
testified via  teleconference in support of  moose mitigation                                                                   
strategy  funding  within the  Department  of  Transportation                                                                   
strategy plan to save lives and animals.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:38:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PATRICK   REINHART,   DIRECTOR,  STATE   INDEPENDENT   LIVING                                                                   
COUNCIL, ANCHORAGE  testified  via teleconference in  support                                                                   
of  three capital  projects:  Center for  Independent  Living                                                                   
Project, Alaska Housing Trust  Fund, and more capital funding                                                                   
in transportation.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:40:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAN  STEADMAN, EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR,  HEALTH CENTER,  SOLDOTNA                                                                   
testified   via    teleconference   and   supported    health                                                                   
information technology.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:42:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RICHARD  PECK,  UNALASKA  testified  via  teleconference  and                                                                   
supported the $2.5 million for  health information technology                                                                   
infrastructure for community health centers.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
5:43:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SONIA  HANFORTH-KOME, UNALASKA  testified via  teleconference                                                                   
in  support  of  the  $2.5  million  for  health  information                                                                   
technology infrastructure for community health centers.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:44:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARILYN KASMAR,  ALASKA PRIMARY  CARE ASSOCIATION,  ANCHORAGE                                                                   
testified via  teleconference and supported the  $2.5 million                                                                   
for   health  information   technology   infrastructure   for                                                                   
community health centers.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
5:46:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SCOTT  DAVIS,  KETCHIKAN  testified  via  teleconference,  in                                                                   
support of building a local fire station for $2 million.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:47:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARK WALKER,  ALASKA COMMUNITY  SERVICES, WRANGELL  testified                                                                   
via teleconference and supported  the $2.5 million for health                                                                   
information technology infrastructure.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
5:49:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROGER WRIGHT, JR., KOTZEBUE testified  via teleconference and                                                                   
supported the $2.5 million for  health information technology                                                                   
infrastructure.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
5:50:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BONNIE WOLDSTAD,  NORTH POLE testified via  teleconference in                                                                   
support  of Fish  and  Wildlife  Public Safety  for  deferred                                                                   
maintenance and safety equipment.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE: 5:52:07 PM                                                                                                           
RECONVENED: 5:58:40 PM                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman  MOVED to ADOPT Committee Substitute  for SB
221 (FIN),  25-GS2007\M as the  working document  before this                                                                   
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for discussion purposes.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:59:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MILES  BAKER, STAFF,  SENATE  FINANCE COMMITTEE  presented  a                                                                   
synopsis of the  bill. He explained that Section  1, page 2-6                                                                   
reflect capital  projects added into committee  substitute to                                                                   
protect  life and  property or  enhance  public safety.  This                                                                   
adds a total of $57.9 million in that category.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Baker  remarked  that  Section  4,  page  9,  designates                                                                   
capital projects  appropriated  first to various  departments                                                                   
and to named  recipients, then to municipalities.  There is a                                                                   
total  of $535  million  of which  $124  million  was in  the                                                                   
Governor's  budget  that  has   been  added  back  into  this                                                                   
committee   substitute.   The  $413   million   is  for   new                                                                   
legislative project additions.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr.   Baker  noted   that  Section   5,  page   70,  is   the                                                                   
summarization by  fund source of  Section 4. Section  7, page                                                                   
74  are the  capital projects  that  will upgrade  commercial                                                                   
passenger   vessel   services,   watercraft   infrastructure,                                                                   
passenger   safety,   and   support   cruise   ship   visitor                                                                   
activities. These  projects will  be appropriated out  of the                                                                   
Commercial Passenger Vessel Tax Account for $23.9 million.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Baker  reported that Section  10 is the language  section                                                                   
of the  bill. The  only changes  from the previous  committee                                                                   
substitute on page 78. Section  11, line 18 added in the Help                                                                   
America  Vote  Act.  Section  11,  line  23  capitalizes  the                                                                   
municipal  harbor facility  grant  fund  with $10.4  million,                                                                   
$400,000  more than  in the  Governor's  budget. Section  11,                                                                   
line 25, page  78 appropriated $106.4 million   to the school                                                                   
construction grant fund that will  pay for t     n          e                                                                   
first four  schools on the  Department of Education's  school                                                                   
construction list,  $81 million  more than in  the Governor's                                                                   
budget.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:04:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Baker  indicated that Section  14, page 79 added  back in                                                                   
the Rural Electrification Revolving  Loan Fund. He noted that                                                                   
the total of  the committee substitute is $1.56  billion. The                                                                   
previous committee substitute was $950 million.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
6:05:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Dyson requested the other funds figure.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bakes  replied that  the  total  other funds  is  $350.4                                                                   
million that is up from $264 million.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  WITHDREW  his OBJECTION.  There  being  NO                                                                   
further OBJECTION CSSB 221 (FIN),  25-GS2007\M was adopted as                                                                   
the working document before this committee.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB  221  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in  Committee   for  further                                                                   
consideration                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE:       6:06:27 PM                                                                                                     
RECONVENED:    6:34:11 PM                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects