03/29/1993 01:35 PM Senate HES

  The first order of  business to come before the  Senate HESS                 
  Committee was SB 156 (HUMAN  SERVICES MATCHING GRANTS).  The                 
  prime sponsor, SENATOR SHARP  said SB 156 adds  a definition                 
  for a second class borough with  a population over 65,000 on                 
  page 1, line 14, and page 2, lines 1 and 2.  The bill allows                 
  the  Fairbanks North Star Borough  to qualify as a recipient                 
  of  matching  grants for  social  services.   Currently, the                 
  Fairbanks North Slope  Borough is in better  financial shape                 
  to provide matching money  than the City of Fairbanks.   The                 
  population figure is the same for  the city.  There wouldn't                 
  be a change in the dollar allocation.  The  bill would allow                 
  the Fairbanks North  Star Borough, if  they choose, to  pass                 
  accommodating ordinances that would  qualify them to receive                 
  and to match service grants.                                                 
                                                                               
  SENATOR ELLIS  asked if  just Fairbanks  would be  impacted.                 
  SENATOR SHARP said just Fairbanks would be impacted.                         
                                                                               
  Number 068                                                                   
                                                                               
  LAYNE  ST.  JOHN,  Assembly  Member,  Fairbanks  North  Star                 
  Borough, testified  in support of  the bill.  He  said it is                 
  something that  they will  probably need very  badly in  the                 
  future.  He said he would answer any questions the committee                 
  members may have.                                                            
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN  RIEGER asked  if  the  city  and the  borough  are                 
  currently nonunified.   MR. ST.  JOHN said that  is correct.                 
  He said the  city is the entity  which has to apply  for the                 
  grant instead of the borough.                                                
                                                                               
  SENATOR  ELLIS  asked  if  the  borough  anticipates  having                 
  problems  in  future years  in  meeting the  ascending local                 
  match which was put  into statute last  year.  MR. ST.  JOHN                 
  explained the  borough assembly  currently  has a  committee                 
  looking at health and social service needs and requirements.                 
  One thing  they are  reviewing is  the ability  to fund  any                 
  matching  grants  at  the  50 percent  mark  that  would  be                 
  required in two years.  Mr. St. John said it appears that in                 
  the near future Fairbanks  will not be able to  meet that 50                 
  percent match.  The North Star Borough would be able to.                     
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Number 115                                                                   
                                                                               
  HANK BARTES, Assembly Member, Fairbanks North Star  Borough,                 
  said  he served  on  the Fairbanks  City  Health and  Social                 
  Service Commission for  five years.  He said this  is one of                 
  the most cost effective utilization of  funds that goes into                 
  the health and social service arena.  It serves not only the                 
  people in the City  of Fairbanks and the North  Star Borough                 
  but also outlying  areas through outreach programs  that the                 
  various  social  services  agencies  provide.    The program                 
  should be continued and improved upon.                                       
                                                                               
  Number 133                                                                   
                                                                               
  There being  no further  testimony, SENATOR  SHARP moved  to                 
  pass SB 156 out of the Senate HESS Committee with individual                 
  recommendations and with  the zero fiscal note.   Hearing no                 
  objection, the bill moved out of committee.