Legislature(2019 - 2020)ADAMS ROOM 519
02/22/2020 12:00 PM House FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB205 || HB206 | |
| Public Testimony: off Net/lios | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 205 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 206 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
February 22, 2020
12:06 p.m.
12:06:47 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Johnston called the House Finance Committee
meeting to order at 12:06 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Jennifer Johnston, Co-Chair
Representative Dan Ortiz, Vice-Chair
Representative Ben Carpenter
Representative Bart LeBon
Representative Colleen Sullivan-Leonard
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Cathy Tilton
Representative Neal Foster, Co-Chair
Representative Gary Knopp
Representative Adam Wool
ALSO PRESENT
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Amanda Metivier, Facing Foster Care in Alaska, Anchorage;
Abigail Reduon, Facing Foster Care in Alaska, Anchorage;
Mateo Jaime, Facing Foster Care in Alaska, Anchorage;
Isaiah King, Facing Foster Care in Alaska, Anchorage;
Natasha Gamache, Self, Anchorage; Pat Holmes, Self, Kodiak;
Brian Merritt, Self, Wrangell; Brenda Yeager, Self,
Wrangell; Jim Anderson, Self, Wrangell; Deborah Lancaster,
Superintendent, Wrangell Public Schools, Wrangell; Larry
Kline, Self, Wrangell; Kevin McClure, Alaska Wing
Commander, Civil Air Patrol, Anchorage; Carlos Alvarez,
Anchorage School District, Anchorage; Paul Beran, Self,
Juneau; Anne Hanssen, Self, Haines; Harriet Beleal, Alaska
Native Brotherhood, Camp No. 1, Sitka; Stacy Goade, Self,
Sitka; Pete Hoepfner, Self, Cordova; Dana Dardis, Self,
Anchorage; Bruce Smith, Self, Wrangell; Bruce Ward, Self,
Wrangell; Denise Stewart, Self, Wrangell; Ghert Abbot,
Self, Ketchikan; Lees Sherwood, Self, Tok; Michele Girault,
Key Coalition, Anchorage; Jessie Phillips, Self, Anchorage;
Lezlie Rice, Self, Wrangell; Winston Davies, Self,
Wrangell; Julie Decker, Mari-culture Task Force, Wrangell;
Gerry Hope, Self, Sitka; Stan Hjort, Self, Petersburg;
David Macri, Self, Wrangell; Kathryn Bolak, Self, Chugiak;
Joann Thomas, Self, Cordova; Darla Church, Self, Cordova;
Representative Kelly Merrick; Representative Andy
Josephson; Senator Scott Kawasaki.
SUMMARY
HB 205 APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET/LOANS/FUNDS
HB 205 was HEARD and HELD in committee for
further consideration.
HB 206 APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET
HB 206 was HEARD and HELD in committee for
further consideration.
Co-Chair Johnston reviewed the meeting agenda. She
indicated Senator Scott Kawasaki was online. She explained
the public testimony process and provided the call in
number and House Finance Committee email address.
HOUSE BILL NO. 205
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
loan program expenses of state government and for
certain programs; capitalizing funds; making
appropriations under art. IX, sec. 17(c), Constitution
of the State of Alaska, from the constitutional budget
reserve fund; and providing for an effective date."
HOUSE BILL NO. 206
"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."
12:07:41 PM
^PUBLIC TESTIMONY: OFF NET/LIOs
12:09:25 PM
AMANDA METIVIER, FACING FOSTER CARE IN ALASKA, ANCHORAGE
(via teleconference), was a formal foster care youth and
had been a foster parent for over a decade. She called in
support of continuing positions for the Office of
Children's Services (OCS) that were originally allocated in
previous legislation. She reported Alaska had the second
highest rate per capita of children in foster care in the
country. She also requested support for a proposal by the
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) to add an
additional deputy commissioner position to specifically
oversee OCS and the Division of Juvenile Justice.
Co-Chair Johnston indicated Representative Kelly Merrick
was listening online.
12:11:10 PM
ABIGAIL REDUON, FACING FOSTER CARE IN ALASKA, ANCHORAGE
(via teleconference), was 15 years old. She had been in
foster care for 15 years and had had 23 placements
including treatment centers and group homes. She had
stopped counting the number of case workers she had had.
She advocated for continued funding for OCS staff to reduce
the number of cases assigned to each OCS worker to provide
a better experience for youth such as herself when going
through the system.
12:12:21 PM
MATEO JAIME, FACING FOSTER CARE IN ALASKA, ANCHORAGE (via
teleconference), was 18 and had been in the foster care
system for 3 years and had had 6 placements. He advocated
for sustained funding for OCS case workers. He had concerns
with youth losing their connections with relatives. He had
had at least 5 social workers. As a result, a letter from
his biological father, who he had not heard from in over 3
years, was lost. He thanked the committee.
12:13:21 PM
ISAIAH KING, FACING FOSTER CARE IN ALASKA, ANCHORAGE (via
teleconference), was 21 and was attending Alaska Pacific
University (APU). He had been in foster care for about 18
years before getting adopted. He had experienced
approximately 15 placements while in foster care. He spoke
in support of funding for OCS. He suggested case workers
were overloaded. He thanked members for their time.
Representative Andy Josephson was online at the Anchorage
Legislative Information Office.
12:14:21 PM
NATASHA GAMACHE, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference),
spoke in favor of proper funding of the mental health
budget. She relayed that due to the Medicaid structure in
Alaska the state had a severe shortage of mental health
workers to provide services to lower income residents. One
of the residents was her 6 year-old son who recently
attempted suicide. Her son had been systematically bullied
at school. She believed his attempt at suicide was because
she could not find him adequate mental health services. He
was currently at North Star Hospital in Anchorage. She
found out that there were no treatment centers in Alaska
for children under the age of 12. If North Star Hospital
recommended residential treatment for her son, she would
have to go out of state. She thought it was a travesty to
separate small children from their families in order to
access comprehensive and adequate mental health treatment.
The problem existed throughout Alaska - the number one
cause of death for youth between the ages of 15 and 24 was
suicide. She argued that the state was failing its young
people. She suggested that it was on the legislature and
the state's citizens to do a better job of advocating and
providing services for Alaska's young people. She thanked
the committee.
12:16:42 PM
PAT HOLMES, SELF, KODIAK (via teleconference), thought
there should be no increase to the PFD. He advocated for
returning to the priorities of statehood: education, public
safety, and transportation including the Alaska Marine
Highway System (AMHS), fisheries, and social services. He
suggested the state needed to increase revenues by
increasing oil taxes and reinstating a wage tax and a
school head tax. He also suggested allowing resource
royalties, such as a raw fish tax, to go to communities
from which they were generated. He added that if Alaska was
to become a true conservative state, he suggested raising
revenues by changing the mainland highways to toll roads
like was done in Florida. He had been a Republican all of
his life, bet felt that the party had swung too far to the
right and allowed the legislature to be influenced by large
corporations. The discussion on oil revenues was supposed
to increase jobs. However, BP laid off 1,500 people. It was
a very difficult time for everyone. He hoped the
legislature could find a reasonable compromise and
consensus like in the days of his youth. He thanked the
committee.
Co-Chair Johnston asked what Mr. Holmes had said about the
PFD. Mr. Holmes did not think the PFD funds should be
increased. He did not think the supplemental amount was
necessary - he would rather see the money be spent towards
education.
12:19:36 PM
BRIAN MERRITT, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference),
appreciated being able to be heard. He advocated keeping
the local fish and game office open in Wrangell. Many
people used the facility for things that could not be
accomplished online. He listed several items. On average he
visited the office 10 times per year for clarifying
information about sport and commercial fishing regulations.
He presented ADFG game guiding principles and forest
services which he found on the department's website. He
read the list. He appreciated the staff at the fish and
game office and noted how their performance corresponded to
the guiding principles. He also mentioned another reason
for keeping the office open: to show the Canadians the
state was monitoring and doing its part in keeping track of
the Stikine River. He urged members to support of the
Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS), as it was the road
system for Southeast Alaska. He spoke of the several
benefits of AMHS.
12:21:50 PM
BRENDA YEAGER, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference), spoke
in support of funding the AMHS. She used the service as a
means to earn a living. She thought the AMHS should be
consistent. She also wanted to see the ferry system forward
funded for the purpose of scheduling. She also spoke in
support of keeping the Wrangell Fish and Game office open.
She ran a sport fishing guide business. She spoke of how
she frequently used the services at the office. She
reported that Wrangell statistically had a higher number of
elders that had not adapted well to technological methods
and how they used the office frequently. She continued to
speak about the needs of maintaining the ADFG office in
Wrangell.
12:25:12 PM
JIM ANDERSON, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference),
supported keeping the Wrangell Fish and Game Office open.
He noted how helpful the staff had been to him. He thanked
the committee.
12:25:53 PM
DEBORAH LANCASTER, SUPERINTENDENT, WRANGELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
WRANGELL (via teleconference), advocated for funding for a
full-time position at OCS. She spoke of all of the benefits
of OCS having a presence in Wrangell. Wrangell had a
poverty level of 52 percent. The school no longer had an
in-house school counselor. She restated her desire to see a
full time OCS position in her community.
12:27:55 PM
LARRY KLINE, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference), spoke in
support of keeping the Wrangell Fish and Game Office open.
The people currently working in the office were fantastic
to work with. The office was a necessity for him.
12:29:45 PM
KEVIN MCCLURE, ALASKA WING COMMANDER, CIVIL AIR PATROL,
ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of the
Civil Air Patrol. He indicated there were 3 mission items,
search and rescue, aerospace training, and cadet service.
He provided some statistics regarding search and saves. He
had been involved with the Civil Air Patrol since the
1950s. He asked members to help the Civil Air Patrol to
complete its missions and provide continued funding.
12:31:56 PM
AT EASE
12:32:36 PM
RECONVENED
CARLOS ALVAREZ, ANCHORAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ANCHORAGE (via
teleconference), supported forward funding for K-12
education. He relayed many of the benefits of forward
funding. He talked about teachers delaying making plans for
the future such as buying homes due to uncertainty. He
spoke of kids having enough challenges without the
challenge of having inconsistency with public education. He
thought forward funding was an easy way to garner
reliability.
12:34:53 PM
PAUL BERAN, SELF, JUNEAU (via teleconference), spoke in
support of the AMHS. He thought funding was imperative. He
suggested that the small communities that depended on the
ferry service were being strangled. He advocated a
progressive income tax. He did not think a sales tax was
fair, as it was a regressive tax. An income tax would
affect several workers that reside out-of-state that work
in the oil, mining, and fishing industries and presently
pay no tax. He advocated for a smaller PFD rather than
losing services.
Representative LeBon asked Mr. Beran if he had considered
details of a progressive income tax. Mr. Beran thought a
progressive income tax should be tied to the federal income
tax.
12:38:24 PM
ANNE HANSSEN, SELF, HAINES (via teleconference), supported
funding for public radio. She indicated that with the loss
of ferry service, public radio was even more essential to
life in Haines. She spoke of the safety benefit of knowing
the conditions of roads. Public radio was hugely important
to the community of Haines. She thanked members for the
opportunity to testify.
12:40:16 PM
HARRIET BELEAL, ALASKA NATIVE BROTHERHOOD, CAMP NO. 1,
SITKA (via teleconference), talked about an airlift event.
At the event, many families talked about the lack of
groceries in their small communities. Several people came
together to help. She advocated for funding of the AMHS.
Several small villages were suffering. Many of the smaller
communities did not have employment opportunities in the
winter. She talked about not being able to attend certain
cultural events. She reported that the quality of life for
several communities had been adversely affected. She urged
members to get the AMHS back online and in good condition.
12:43:58 PM
STACY GOADE, SELF, SITKA (via teleconference), advocated
for funding for the AMHS. She spoke of how the loss of
ferry service had radically affected communities. She
provided a personal example of how her life had been
negatively affected. She had participated in the airlift
event, which was aired at the radio station, KCAW.
Commercial fishermen had helped with moving groceries to
some of the small communities. She disagreed with the
governor's vetoes. She suggested the governor had elevated
the disparity between groups of people. She encouraged
members to restore the funding to the AMHS. She thanked
members for their time.
12:47:58 PM
PETE HOEPFNER, SELF, CORDOVA (via teleconference), was a
school board member and commercial fishermen. He spoke of
deficit spending for the previous 6 years. Uncertainty
plagued many citizens. He provided some statistics having
to do with state funding and the economy. He suggested less
money was going to the classroom. He disagreed with the
state changing to a different retirement system, as it was
a disincentive for attracting teachers. He advocated for
the restoration of the AMHS. He believed deficit spending
needed to stop. He provided examples of problems in the
state. He thought a flat rate income tax was a good idea.
He noted the vastness of the state and the fact it was not
centered on the road system.
12:51:52 PM
DANA DARDIS, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference),
advocated for additional funding for mental health
services. She had had to send her son out of state to
receive care for his issues. She asked the legislature to
be thoughtful about the state's mental health budget.
12:53:38 PM
BRUCE SMITH, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference), advocated
for the Wrangell Fish and Game Office to remain open.
12:54:17 PM
BRUCE WARD, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference), spoke in
support of the AMHS and the Wrangell Fish and Game Office.
He mentioned that outside boats came to Wrangell and
utilized the fish and game office as well. He felt the
office was needed badly.
12:55:25 PM
DENISE STEWART, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference), wanted
to see the Wrangell Fish and Game supported. The office was
used on a regular basis. The older fishermen used the
Wrangell office frequently. The staff was very helpful in
assisting the elders complete their paperwork.
12:56:47 PM
GHERT ABBOT, SELF, KETCHIKAN (via teleconference), asked
the legislature to appropriately fund the state's Medicaid
program. He noted the program was essential to more than 20
percent of Alaska's population. He thanked the committee.
12:58:19 PM
LEES SHERWOOD, SELF, TOK (via teleconference), was happy to
be in Alaska. He was retired and managed to make ends-meat.
He thought there were programs that could be cut. He
pointed out Alaska was blessed with its resources which he
thought should be further developed. He advocated for 20
percent cuts. He was comfortable with a 10 percent
reduction to his senior benefits.
Co-Chair Johnston indicated no one else was online. The
committee would take a 30 minute break.
1:01:17 PM
AT EASE
1:33:35 PM
RECONVENED
MICHELE GIRAULT, KEY COALITION, ANCHORAGE (via
teleconference), testified in support of funding for
disability services. She shared that the Key Coalition had
closed its state facility in the 1990s and had moved
towards home and community based services. For the past
five years there had been a reduction in services and
access to services. In 2017 there had been 2,085 people on
waiver services and the number had dropped to 2,048 in
2019. The waitlist was currently 730 people. They were
concerned about the erosion of access to community
services, while at the same time, Alaskans were being sent
out of state for services. She discussed items that could
be done in the budget that could stabilize services at a
less costly rate than sending people out of state, to the
hospital, or API.
Ms. Girault discussed there were a number of people living
with aging parents with disabilities and those individuals
were not on the waitlist. She was concerned that the
state's capacity to serve Alaskans in need was eroding. She
supported the creation of a stable service structure for
home and community based providers and to find a way to
reduce the waitlist. She explained that investments into
special education did not help when there were not follow
up services later.
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked if the term home and community based
services included the term day-hab services for seniors and
individuals with disabilities. Ms. Girault responded in the
affirmative. She explained that day-habilitation was one of
the Medicaid service categories under the home and
community base waiver. She relayed that the category had
been reduced in the past five years for individuals.
Vice-Chair Ortiz believed that at one point individuals
receiving day-hab services could receive up to was 25
hours. He asked for verification the limit had decreased to
12 hours. Ms. Girault agreed. She elaborated that the cap
was 12 hours. She noted it was possible to advocate with a
care coordinator writing a very defensive plan to get a
little bit more; but the majority only received 12 hours.
1:37:51 PM
JESSIE PHILLIPS, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference),
testified in support of domestic violence prevention
funding. She stressed that people were all responsible for
preventing domestic violence. She detailed that individuals
who were raised with domestic violence were 7 times more
likely to commit domestic violence. She stressed that
people did not change overnight - they changed how their
beliefs over long periods of time with additional
counseling. She stated there was nothing normal about
domestic violence. She underscored that annual spending on
the issue ranged between $8.6 billion and $12.8 billion
nationally. She spoke about the number of domestic violence
shelters - there was an average of 60 shelters per state
and Alaska had only 32. The shelters were funded through
state and government grants.
Ms. Phillips provided details and statistics about the
shelters and the homeless population. She called attention
to the global initiative to end all corporal punishment of
children. She shared that children raised in abusive homes
were more likely to be abusive. She spoke about domestic
violence impacting men as well. She believed in fighting
back for Alaska. She shared that she was born and raised in
Nome. She discussed that Alaska Native and American Indian
women accounted for 5 out of 6 missing and murdered women
at today, while the same groups only accounted for 2.6
percent of the nation's population.
1:43:16 PM
LEZLIE RICE, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference), shared
that she had worked for the Department of Fish and Game
Commercial Fisheries for 15 years. She had also worked in
the Wrangell office as a fill in. She believed it would be
a hardship for the fishermen and general population to lose
the office. She stressed that there were numerous services
that would be hard to reach via the internet because of the
location. She provided examples about receiving DFG tags.
Not everyone had the ability to go online to get business
done. Fishermen also came to the office to get the weekly
newsletter. She explained that fish sampling units had to
be connected to the internet in the office at the end of
the day to send out sampling information to bosses in
Sitka, Petersburg, and Juneau. Sampling information helped
determine the fish openings for the following week. The
Wrangell office was shared by Sport Fish and Wildlife. She
listed additional services provided in the Wrangell office.
She spoke about the lack of AMHS ferry service. She shared
that school groups could not afford to travel without the
ferries. She empathized with communities that were not able
to get food. She spoke in support of public radio.
1:47:21 PM
WINSTON DAVIES, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference),
testified in support of the Wrangell Department of Fish and
Game office. He shared that there was substantial business
that went through the office pertaining to fishing,
hunting, trapping, and other. He discussed examples of
items individuals used the office for. He stressed its
importance for commercial fishing. The moose check in
required an individual to check moose antlers, hides, and
other. The office was incredibly important to the
community. He supported the AMHS as well.
1:49:37 PM
JULIE DECKER, MARI-CULTURE TASK FORCE, WRANGELL (via
teleconference), spoke on behalf of the Alaska Mariculture
Task Force. The taskforce supported the actions of the
Department of Natural Resources, Department of Fish and
Game, and Department of Environmental Conservation finance
subcommittees. She highlighted support for three items: 1)
the insertion of an increment of $187,300 and two positions
for the Department of Natural Resources for aquatic farm
application processing; 2) the rejection of a decrement of
one position from the aquaculture planning and permitting
section in Department of Fish and Game; and 3) the
rejection of new paralytic shellfish poisoning testing fees
in the Department of Environmental Conservation budget. The
taskforce had been established by administrative order 280
in 2016 with the direction to provide recommendations on
developing a viable and sustainable mariculture industry.
The taskforce had been reauthorized in 2018 to continue
implementation of the plan. The plan included
recommendations and action items related to the three
budget items she had highlighted. She supported continued
development of the mariculture industry and its goal to
grow to a $100 million per year industry in 20 years.
Representative Carpenter asked what part of the state the
testifier had called from. Co-Chair Johnston replied
"Wrangell."
1:52:32 PM
GERRY HOPE, SELF, SITKA (via teleconference), testified in
support of a full operating budget to meet the need for all
AMHS vessels to operate. Coastal communities served by
ferries were hurting and it should never have come to the
current point. Some communities were struggling to get food
and access to healthcare. Additionally, he recognized the
Tlingit cultural connectivity that was provided by the
ferry system - which was currently absent. He strongly
advocated for full funding for AMHS.
1:54:26 PM
AT EASE
2:26:26 PM
RECONVENED
STAN HJORT, SELF, PETERSBURG (via teleconference),
testified in support of the AMHS. He underscored that
people of Southeast Alaska were already being driven back
to pre-ferry conditions. He highlighted travel for school
and medical treatment that was unavailable due to lack of
ferry service. He stressed that he would now have to fly to
and from Seattle to see his cardiologist. He emphasized
that kids in Sitka were putting together a GoFundMe
fundraising page to get food shipped into Hoonah. He
believed the problem with the ferries resided with the
legislature for its lack of planning. He discussed that
when the PFD had started the citizens of the state would
have been happy to vote for a check of $1,000 and no more.
He underscored that residents had been told that it was not
about getting a fat check every year. He stressed the need
to save for a rainy day.
2:29:14 PM
DAVID MACRI, SELF, WRANGELL (via teleconference), testified
in support of an Office of Children Services counselor for
Wrangell. He stressed the need to continue AMHS services to
all ports including Prince Rupert.
2:30:06 PM
KATHRYN BOLAK, SELF, CHUGIAK (via teleconference), urged
continued support for the Alaska Performance Scholarship,
education, full funding for Medicaid including coverage for
licensed professional counselors, senior benefits, the
Pioneer Homes, and restored funding for AMHS. She thanked
the committee for its time.
2:31:27 PM
JOANN THOMAS, SELF, CORDOVA (via teleconference), shared
that her family commercial fished and she was a retired
postmaster. She had a deep concern about the budget. She
strongly recommended a state income tax. She believed
people who were invested took a greater interest in the
public good. She was in favor of a cap on the PFD. She
agreed that the PFD was necessary for many village
residents and she thought a cap would suffice. She thanked
the committee.
2:32:35 PM
DARLA CHURCH, SELF, CORDOVA (via teleconference), shared
that she was a retired teacher. She was concerned about the
condition of the AMHS. She stressed the large coastline in
the state that needed service. She highlighted fisheries,
fish processing, state fish and game units, Coast Guard,
and more. She believed some of the ferries should be taken
to Seattle for service. She supported education funding.
She supported a quality future. She believed the laws
governing the PFD should be rewritten to result in a
limited PFD. She was amenable to an income tax. She stated
that much money earned in the state went out of state. She
detailed that workers often paid income tax on money made
in Alaska in other states. She proposed an idea related to
an income tax. She believed the Lower 48 currently
benefitted too much from Alaska's resources.
Co-Chair Johnston provided the House Finance Committee
email address.
Co-Chair Johnston CLOSED public testimony. She reviewed the
agenda for the following Monday.
ADJOURNMENT
2:37:45 PM
The meeting was adjourned at 2:37 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 205 HB 206 Governor's Amendments022420 .pdf |
HFIN 2/22/2020 12:00:00 PM |
HB 205 HB 206 |