Legislature(2001 - 2002)
04/26/2001 03:28 PM House FIN
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22ND ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
1ST SESSION
HOUSE SENATE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
HB 103/HB 104
APRIL 26, 2001
3:28 P.M.
TAPE CC103 01 - 5, SIDE A
TAPE CC103 01 - 5, SIDE B
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Mulder called the Conference Committee meeting to order at
3:28 p.m.
PRESENT
House:
Representative Eldon Mulder, Chair
Bill Williams, Member
John Davies, Member
Senate:
Senator Dave Donley, [Vice-Chair, pending election]
Senator Pete Kelly, Member
Senator Lyman Hoffman
ALSO PRESENT
David Teal, Director, Legislative Finance Division; Janet Clarke,
Director, Division of Administrative Services, Department of
Health and Social Services; Jerry Burnett, Staff, Senator Green;
Karen Rehfeld, Director, Division of Education Support Services,
Department of Education and Early Development.
SUMMARY
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 103(FIN)(brf sup maj fld)
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and loan
program expenses of state government, for certain programs,
and to capitalize funds; and providing for an effective
date."
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 104(FIN)
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and capital
expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental
health program; and providing for an effective date."
and
SCS CSHB 103(FIN)(BRF SUP MAJ FLD S)
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and loan
program expenses of state government, for certain programs,
and to capitalize funds; and providing for an effective
date."
SCS CSHB 104(FIN)(BRF SUP MAJ FLD S)
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and capital
expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental
health program; and providing for an effective date."
Department of Education and Early Development
Open Item 14
Department of Environmental Conservation
Held
Department of Health and Social Services
Open Items: 2, 5, 44, 55
Military and Veterans Affairs
Closed
HB 103 and HB 104 were HELD in Committee for further
consideration.
[Meeting tapes and motion sheets are available through the
Legislative Library, 465-3808.]
Senator Donley MOVED to ADOPT the proposed conference committee
amounts for items 1 - 10 in the Department of Education and Early
Development (see motion sheets).
Representative Davies asked that item 7 be held open. There being
NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
There being NO OBJECTION, items 1 - 10 with the exception of item
7 were adopted.
Representative Davies asked if the funds in item 7 were being
transferred into the Childcare Assistance grant line. Chair
Mulder explained that the House structure was titled Childcare
Quality Imitative and the Senate proponent was not.
DAVID TEAL, DIRECTOR, LEGISLATIVE FINANCE DIVISION clarified that
the existing title would be kept. Representative Davies WITHDREW
his OBJECTION.
There being NO OBJECTION, item 7 was adopted.
Senator Donley MOVED to ADOPT the proposed conference committee
amounts for the Department of Education and Early Development
items 11 - 16 (see motion sheets). Representative Davies asked
that item 13 be held open. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so
ordered.
There being NO OBJECTION, items 11 - 16 with the exception of
item 13 were adopted.
Representative Davies spoke in support of the Senate number for
item 13: Alaska State Council on the Arts. He noted that it was a
relatively small amount. The Senate number would increase the
grant by 2 percent.
Senator Donley noted that the motion before the Committee was to
adopt the House. Senator Hoffman noted that the funds would allow
a federal match.
KAREN REHFELD, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF EDUCATION SUPPORT SERVICES,
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT clarified that the
state funds would provide a federal match at a 1:1 ration.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion to adopt the House
numbers for item 13.
IN FAVOR: Senate: Kelly, Donley
House: Mulder, Williams
OPPOSED: Senate: Hoffman
House: Davies
The MOTION PASSED.
Senator Donley MOVED to ADOPT item 17: Senate Intent Language for
the Department of Education and Early Development (see motion
sheets).
Ms. Rehfeld noted that the department did not object to the
intent language. The department is working on revising the income
eligibility scale for childcare assistance and implementing a
market rate survey. The Senate intention would be to keep these
changes from driving up the cost.
Department of Education and Early Development was closed with the
exception of item 14.
Senator Donley MOVED to ADOPT the proposed conference committee
amounts for the Military and Veterans Affair (see motion sheets).
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
Senator Donley MOVED to ADOPT the proposed conference committee
amounts for the Department of Health and Social Services items 1
- 15 (see motion sheets).
Senator Hoffman asked that item 6 be held open. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
Representative Davies asked that items 4 and 8 be held. There
being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
There being NO OBJECTION, items 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9 - 15 were
adopted.
Representative Davies spoke to item 4: Public Assistance
Administration. He maintained that the Senate number would result
in a $100 thousand dollars reduction to the base of public
assistance. Chair Mulder replied that funding was shifted to the
foundation formula.
Senator Hoffman noted that it would be a $100 thousand dollars
general fund reduction, which would have a disproportional affect
on the Adult Public Assistance Program that benefits the blind,
elderly and disabled.
Senator Donley noted that it would be a 1.5 percent reduction.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion to adopt the House
numbers for item 4.
IN FAVOR: Senate: Kelly, Donley
House: Mulder, Williams
OPPOSED: Senate: Hoffman
House: Davies
The MOTION PASSED.
Senator Hoffman spoke to item 6: Family Preservation. He
recommended that the item remain open.
Chair Mulder noted that there are no dollars attached to the
shift. The Senate approach would consolidate health grants into
one BRU. He stated that it was not his intention that by
consolidation that the rural communities see any decrement in the
funding going to rural health programs. The intent is to allow
competition for the provision of services. Senator Hoffman
pointed out that the corporations provide the services on the
behalf of the state of Alaska at a cheaper rate.
Senator Donley stressed that the goal is to improve services
through competition.
Representative Williams questioned the length of the grants.
JERRY BURNETT, STAFF, SENATOR GREEN thought that the grants would
be on an annual basis.
JANET CLARKE, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES explained that the
grants are issued on a two-year basis. Chair Williams asked if
the grants could be increased to three years. Ms. Clark stated
that it would be possible to increase the grant time through
regulation. She noted that the RFP's have been issued for the
next fiscal year.
Representative Davies expressed concern that the process has been
begun and that the department may need time to phase into the
structure. Chair Mulder suggested that his concern could be
incorporated into a letter of intent.
Senator Hoffman noted that other items might be of concern.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion to adopt the House
numbers for item 6.
IN FAVOR: Senate: Kelly, Donley
House: Mulder, Williams
OPPOSED: Senate: Hoffman
House: Davies
The MOTION PASSED.
Representative Davies spoke to item 8: Front Line Social Workers.
He stressed that the transcription services could provide
efficiency of social workers.
Chair Mulder observed that it is a management decision that could
be done internally. He suggested that the department implement a
pilot project to demonstrate its success. Representative Davies
stressed that the workload is over the national average. He spoke
in support of transition funding and maintained that it would not
be practical to ask the department to reduce the number of front
line social workers in order to divert funds to transcription
services.
Senator Hoffman pointed out that one day a week would be saved in
administrative time.
Ms. Clark observed that the department did a pilot project with
$30 thousand dollars for eight social workers. Each social worker
saved a day of administrative time. She stressed the need for
additional funds.
Senator Donley maintained that the department should shift their
resources to accommodate the proposal.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion to adopt the House
numbers for item 8.
IN FAVOR: Senate: Kelly, Donley
House: Mulder, Williams
OPPOSED: Senate: Hoffman
House: Davies
The MOTION PASSED.
Senator Donley MOVED to ADOPT the proposed conference committee
amounts for the Department of Health and Social Services items 16
- 28 (see motion sheets).
Senator Hoffman noted that items 17 - 28 might need to be
reopened since they relate to the BRU allocation to rural Alaska
in item 6.
There being NO OBJECTION, items 17 - 28 were adopted.
Senator Donley MOVED to ADOPT the proposed conference committee
amounts for the Department of Health and Social Services items 29
- 39 (see motion sheets). Senator Hoffman noted that items 29 -
39 might need to be reopened since they relate to the BRU
allocation to rural Alaska in item 6. There being NO OBJECTION,
it was so ordered.
Senator Donley MOVED to ADOPT the proposed conference committee
amounts for the Department of Health and Social Services items 40
- 50 (see motion sheets). Senator Hoffman noted that items 40,
45, and 48 might need to be reopened since they relate to the BRU
allocation to rural Alaska in item 6. He OBJECTED to items 44 and
49.
Representative Davies asked that item 43 also be held.
There being NO OBJECTION, items 40, 41, 42, 45 - 48 and 50 were
adopted.
Representative Davies spoke to item 43: State Health Services. He
thought that the federal receipts were not expected.
Ms. Clark explained that the department expects to receive
federal funds for epidemiological work to prove that Alaskan fish
are healthy. Chair Mulder observed that the department could
request funds from the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee. He
stated that he would review the request positively when more
information is available. Representative Davies expressed concern
the time not be lost in assuring that Alaskan fish are safe.
Ms. Clark spoke in support of approving of the funds before the
Committee.
Chair Mulder MOVED to AMEND the motion on item 43 by moving the
Senate number. There being NO OBJECTION, the Senate numbers for
item 43 was adopted.
Senator Hoffman spoke to item 44: Community Health Emergency
Medical Services. He observed that there are no new monies in the
component. He maintained that there was a discrepancy on the
House side of a $100 thousand dollars stemming from federal
grants that were not in the proper column when the grant was
submitted. The Senate did not accept the restoration. The request
affects two positions, which train EMT's throughout the state of
Alaska for certification.
TAPE CHANGE CC103, 01-5, SIDE B
Item 44 was HELD in Committee for further consideration.
Senator Hoffman spoke to item 49: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Grants.
Discussion occurred regarding item 49 [tape failure].
Senator Donley maintained that it was not a reduction due to the
addition of federal funds.
Chair Mulder questioned if the funds went through the department.
Senator Hoffman thought that the dollars were identified but not
acted on. He pointed out that the request supports the infant
learning program.
Ms. Clark clarified that there were no federal funds to replace
the state funds. She observed that programs would be cut July 1,
2001. She stressed that it is a real reduction.
Representative Davies pointed out that the change would be a
regression.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion to adopt the House
numbers for item 49.
IN FAVOR: Senate: Kelly, Donley
House: Mulder, Williams
OPPOSED: Senate: Hoffman
House: Davies
The MOTION PASSED.
HB 103 and HB 104 were heard and HELD in Committee for further
consideration.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 4:09 p.m.
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