Legislature(2017 - 2018)HOUSE FINANCE 519

02/01/2017 01:30 PM House FINANCE

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Audio Topic
01:32:55 PM Start
01:34:27 PM Indirect Expenditure Reports: Department of Revenue
02:01:49 PM Indirect Expenditure Reports: Legislative Finance Division
02:29:13 PM Public Testimony
03:32:26 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Indirect Expenditure Report TELECONFERENCED
+ Brodie Anderson, Staff to Rep. Foster TELECONFERENCED
+ Alexei Painter, Legislative Finance Analyst, TELECONFERENCED
Legislative Finance Div.
+ Dan Stickel, Chief Economist; Ky Clark, TELECONFERENCED
Economist, Dept. of Revenue
+= HB 23 INS. FOR DEPENDS. OF DECEASED FIRE/POLICE TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Public Testimony --
-Bill Hearing will Begin at Approximately 2:30
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                  HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                     February 1, 2017                                                                                           
                         1:32 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:32:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Seaton  called the House Finance  Committee meeting                                                                    
to order at 1:32 p.m.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Neal Foster, Co-Chair                                                                                            
Representative Paul Seaton, Co-Chair                                                                                            
Representative Les Gara, Vice-Chair                                                                                             
Representative Jason Grenn                                                                                                      
Representative David Guttenberg                                                                                                 
Representative Scott Kawasaki                                                                                                   
Representative Dan Ortiz                                                                                                        
Representative Lance Pruitt                                                                                                     
Representative Steve Thompson                                                                                                   
Representative Cathy Tilton                                                                                                     
Representative Tammie Wilson                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Dan  Stickel,  Assistant   Chief  Economist,  Tax  Division,                                                                    
Department of  Revenue; Ky  Clark, Economist,  Tax Division,                                                                    
Department of Revenue;  Alexei Painter, Analyst, Legislative                                                                    
Finance  Division;  Brandy   Johnson,  Self,  Juneau;  Jacob                                                                    
Wilson,  Alaska Correctional  Officers Association,  Juneau;                                                                    
Kathie  Wasserman, Alaska  Municipal  League, Juneau;  Scott                                                                    
Carson    Public   Safety  Employees   Association,  Juneau;                                                                    
Commissioner Dean Williams;  Representative Charisse Millet.                                                                    
Jerry  Burnett,  Deputy   Commissioner,  Treasury  Division,                                                                    
Department of Revenue;                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Lonnie  Miller, Self,  Delta Junction;  Carol Dunlap-Austin,                                                                    
Self,  Delta  Junction;  Bonnie  Wolstad,  Self,  Fairbanks;                                                                    
Megan  Lister,  Self,  Petersburg; Jason  Holmgren,  Wasilla                                                                    
Police Department, Wasilla; David Duncan,    Kodiak   Police                                                                    
Department; Lisa Albert-Konecky, Self, Wasilla;         Doug                                                                    
Massie    Public  Safety   Employees  Association,  Wasilla;                                                                    
Shaun Kuzakin, Public  Safety Employees Association, Juneau;                                                                    
Steven  Czajkowski, ALASKA  State  Trooper, Anchorage;  Jake                                                                    
Metcalfe,  Public Safety  Employees Association,  Anchorage;                                                                    
Anne  Moen Self,  Eagle River;  Arn Salao,  Anchorage Police                                                                    
Department,  Anchorage;   Darcy  Perry,   Anchorage  Airport                                                                    
Police Department, Anchorage; Dan  Grimes, Alaska State Fire                                                                    
Association, Soldotna;                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
HB 23     INS. FOR DEPENDS. OF DECEASED FIRE/POLICE                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
          HB 23 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                     
          consideration.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
INDIRECT EXPENDITURE REPORTS: DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
INDIRECT EXPENDITURE REPORTS: LEGISLATIVE FINANCE DIVISION                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Seaton reviewed  the  agenda for  the meeting.  He                                                                    
indicated  that  the  committee   would  be  hearing  public                                                                    
testimony for HB 23 at  2:30 p.m. He invited testifiers from                                                                    
the Department of Revenue (DOR) to come forward.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
^INDIRECT EXPENDITURE REPORTS: DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:34:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAN  STICKEL,  ASSISTANT   CHIEF  ECONOMIST,  TAX  DIVISION,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, introduced himself.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
KY CLARK,  ECONOMIST, TAX  DIVISION, DEPARTMENT  OF REVENUE,                                                                    
relayed that  he was  the project  manager for  the Indirect                                                                    
Expenditure Report (IER) produced by DOR.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Stickel thanked  the committee  for the  opportunity to                                                                    
present the  department's IER. He introduced  the PowerPoint                                                                    
presentation:  "Overview   of  DOR's   Indirect  Expenditure                                                                    
Report,  Preliminary Report  for FY  2011-FY 2015"  (copy on                                                                    
file).  He would  be presenting  opening comments  and would                                                                    
turn  the presentation  over  to Mr.  Clark  to discuss  the                                                                    
legislation that established the  IER and an overview report                                                                    
that came  out of DOR.  At the  end of the  presentation, he                                                                    
would  make  some   recommendations  and  considerations  in                                                                    
looking  at indirect  expenditures. He  thought it  would be                                                                    
helpful to  provide the same information  that was requested                                                                    
by  the Senate  Finance Committee.  He mentioned  that there                                                                    
were 2 IERs. The first report  was published in July 2016 by                                                                    
DOR. The  report detailed  information about  every indirect                                                                    
expenditure  (IE) for  every agency  and  department in  the                                                                    
state. The second  report was published in  December 2016 by                                                                    
the  Legislative  Finance  Division (LFD)  also  called  the                                                                    
"Indirect Expenditure."  It provided a  detailed examination                                                                    
of only certain departments.  He clarified that DOR's report                                                                    
was talking about the DOR report released in July 2016.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel reviewed slide 2: "Overview":                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
   · Indirect Expenditure Report Legislation Overview                                                                           
        · Bill provisions, DOR* requirements, Legislative                                                                       
          Finance Division requirements                                                                                         
   · DOR Indirect Expenditure Report                                                                                            
        · Process and methodology for producing the DOR                                                                         
          Indirect Expenditure Report                                                                                           
        · Overview of the DOR Indirect Expenditure Report                                                                       
        · Future Plans                                                                                                          
   · Recommendations/Considerations                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickle turned the presentation over to Mr. Clark.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark  began with slide 4:  "Indirect Expenditure Report                                                                    
Overview":                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   · Passed in 2014 and signed on July 7, 2014 (House Bill                                                                      
     306)                                                                                                                       
   · Requires DOR to submit a report to the Legislature                                                                         
     biennially on July 1 detailing indirect expenditures                                                                       
     of all agencies in the State (AS 43.05.095)                                                                                
   · Requires the Legislative Finance Division to provide a                                                                     
     report to the Legislature on the indirect expenditures                                                                     
     of certain agencies before the start of Legislative                                                                        
     Session following the release of DOR's biennial report                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark elaborated that in  the LFD's report they recycled                                                                    
through every IE within a 6-year timeframe.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
   · The first DOR Indirect Expenditure Report was released                                                                     
     the day after the bill was signed, July 8, 2014                                                                            
   · The second DOR Indirect Expenditure Report was                                                                             
     released July 1, 2016                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark continued to slide 5: "Indirect Expenditures                                                                          
Defined":                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Indirect  expenditure:  Any  foregone  revenue  by  the                                                                    
     state designed to encourage an  activity to benefit the                                                                    
     public in  the form of a  credit, exemption, deduction,                                                                    
     deferral,  discount, exclusion,  or other  differential                                                                    
     allowance.                                                                                                                 
     As defined by AS 43.05.095(d):                                                                                             
        · An express provision of state law that results in                                                                     
          foregone revenue for the state by providing:                                                                          
             · A tax credit or other credit                                                                                     
             · An exemption, but does not include federal                                                                       
               tax exemptions adopted by reference in AS                                                                        
               43.20.021                                                                                                        
             · A discount                                                                                                       
             · A deduction, but does not include costs                                                                          
               incurred in  the ordinary course  of business                                                                    
               that  are deducted  in the  calculation of  a                                                                    
               tax under  this title  or in  the calculation                                                                    
               of a royalty or  net profit share payment for                                                                    
               a lease issued under AS 38                                                                                       
             · A differential allowance                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:39:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark reviewed slide 6: "DOR Indirect Expenditure                                                                           
Report":                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   · Released July 1, 2016 by DOR                                                                                               
   · Provides details on 231 indirect expenditures across                                                                       
     11 departments and agencies, including 78 provisions                                                                       
     administered by DOR                                                                                                        
   · A cooperative effort between 10 departments and other                                                                      
     participating agencies, coordinated by DOR                                                                                 
   · Followed process established in 2014, with improved                                                                        
     presentation and some refinements                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Clark   relayed  that   the  department   improved  the                                                                    
presentation of  the physical report. The  report began with                                                                    
an introduction  detailing the process  and the  approach of                                                                    
DOR.  The department  also improved  the consistency  of the                                                                    
reporting methodology used internally and externally.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark scrolled to slide 8: "Methodology - Internally":                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   · Surveyed all Tax Division workgroups and all divisions                                                                     
     within DOR to ensure complete list                                                                                         
   · Developed tax database reports to generate DOR data                                                                        
     for the Indirect Expenditure Report                                                                                        
   · Developed consistent definition for "Fiscal Year"                                                                          
     given that tax types are mostly on a monthly,                                                                              
     quarterly, or calendar year basis                                                                                          
        · Necessary because of time lag in receiving                                                                            
          information for certain tax types (corporate,                                                                         
          mining, et cetera)                                                                                                    
        · Production tax not impacted by this issue, since                                                                      
          we receive detailed monthly data for production                                                                       
          tax.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Clark  conveyed that  the  department  had a  dedicated                                                                    
economist and  several other  employees that  contributed to                                                                    
the report. He also  mentioned that the department developed                                                                    
a tax  database reporting system,  which made it  easier for                                                                    
the  department  to  generate the  data  needed  to  compile                                                                    
certain information  required in statute. The  database also                                                                    
made it  easier to find  specific numbers for  reporting and                                                                    
to be  more accurate. He  noted that  one of the  issues the                                                                    
department had  during the production  of the first  IER was                                                                    
defining  the  term  "Fiscal Year."  The  first  report  was                                                                    
released in 2014 and was  produced under some very difficult                                                                    
time constraints. The department  did not clearly define all                                                                    
of  the terms  in the  report. In  FY 14  "Fiscal Year"  was                                                                    
described as  returns the state  received during  the fiscal                                                                    
year.  The  definition  was redefined  in  the  most  recent                                                                    
report for FY 16.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark moved to slide 9: "Methodology- Internally":                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
   · Internally: Addressing Fiscal Year Issue, cont.                                                                            
        · Determined that the Fiscal Year includes any tax                                                                      
          periods beginning during the fiscal year, using                                                                       
          the "tax period beginning" date                                                                                       
             · For example: FY* 2015 corporate tax data                                                                         
               will include any returns for periods                                                                             
               beginning July 2014 - June 2015 (primarily                                                                       
               15 calendar-year returns)                                                                                        
             · Similar to how federal tax data is reports                                                                       
              by the Internal Revenue Service                                                                                   
        · Because of new parameters, some FY 2015 DOR data                                                                      
          is "unavailable"                                                                                                      
             · Some fiscal year filer returns are not                                                                           
               received until spring 2017                                                                                       
             · For   example,   a   corporate   tax   return                                                                    
               beginning June 2015, with extension, would                                                                       
               be due in March, 2017                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark  gave two different reasons  the department needed                                                                    
to  define  "Fiscal  Year" within  the  report.  First,  the                                                                    
department wanted a consistent  definition for "Fiscal Year"                                                                    
across the  different tax types  within the Tax  Division. A                                                                    
consistent definition was also used  because of time lags in                                                                    
receiving tax  returns. Developing a definition  for "fiscal                                                                    
year" was  necessary internally to  produce a  more complete                                                                    
and consistent report.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel added that one  of the issues the department had                                                                    
was that in looking at the  returns received in a given year                                                                    
there  might be  2  returns  from a  certain  company or  no                                                                    
returns  from a  certain company.  In order  to address  the                                                                    
timing  issue, the  department looked  at how  the data  was                                                                    
reported and what best practices  were used in other states.                                                                    
For  instance,  when  the  Internal  Revenue  Service  (IRS)                                                                    
reported federal tax return data  they looked at all returns                                                                    
for a given tax year. The  latest data they had out was from                                                                    
2014 or 2015; the latest full  tax year the IRS had received                                                                    
all tax  returns. It was  similar to  the way the  state was                                                                    
reporting   tax  credit   data.  He   relayed  that   FY  14                                                                    
represented all tax returns for  years that began during the                                                                    
fiscal  year.  For  instance, a  corporate  tax  return  for                                                                    
calendar  year 2014  due at  the end  of 2015  would be  the                                                                    
beginning  of  FY 16.  He  remarked  that  it got  a  little                                                                    
complicated.  He also  highlighted  that in  looking at  the                                                                    
IER, the  FY 15 data was  incomplete for several IEs  due to                                                                    
the definition  of FY 15,  which included the  calendar year                                                                    
2015 tax returns that were not  due until the end of 2016 or                                                                    
potentially the beginning of 2017 with an extension.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:46:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Gara  was  aware  of  the  amount  of  work  the                                                                    
department had  done to  generate the  report. He  wanted to                                                                    
see  the largest  expenditures in  the order  of amount.  He                                                                    
wondered  if DOR's  report had  a section  that showed  from                                                                    
largest to smallest.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel  responded that the department  had not included                                                                    
that information in the report  that was published. However,                                                                    
he  had a  slide towards  the end  of the  presentation that                                                                    
listed the top 8 categories of  IEs. He was happy to do some                                                                    
sorting and provide the information.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Gara indicated  he would  not request  it unless                                                                    
another member wanted it as well.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Seaton thought  the information  would be  helpful                                                                    
for the subcommittee.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark moved to slide 10: "Methodology- Externally":                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Externally:                                                                                                                     
   · DOR met with other departments and agencies and sent                                                                       
     out a survey for the report                                                                                                
   · Each agency examined their operations to identify                                                                          
     indirect   expenditures   and   report   the   required                                                                    
     information                                                                                                                
   · A few departments identified provisions that did not                                                                       
     actually meet the definition of an "indirect                                                                               
     expenditure"                                                                                                               
        · Submissions from other departments and agencies                                                                       
          are not independently verified                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark indicated that the  following slide provided a few                                                                    
examples of IE that did not meet the definition.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Clark  turned  to slide  11:  "Methodology-  Externally                                                                    
cont.":                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Examples of  provisions not meeting definition  of "Indirect                                                                    
Expenditure":                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
   · Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC)                                                                                  
        · Identified one potential indirect expenditure;                                                                        
          reduced loan rates. But, it was part of their                                                                         
          normal operations and not "required by statute."                                                                      
          Statutorily, AHFC can set the rates.                                                                                  
   · Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic                                                                            
     Development (DCCED):                                                                                                       
        · Has certain licensing fees set by statute to                                                                          
          cover   program  costs   that  were   reduced  for                                                                    
          residents  vs.  non-residents. It  was  determined                                                                    
          not   be  foregone   revenue,   because  the   fee                                                                    
          differential does not affect total revenue.                                                                           
   · University of Alaska (UA):                                                                                                 
        · Addressed tuition waivers to employees and                                                                            
          dependents;  they are  a  part  of the  employee's                                                                    
          benefit  package, so  are not  considered foregone                                                                    
          revenue.                                                                                                              
        · Non-resident vs. Resident tuition; UA is not                                                                          
          discounting the resident  tuition rate, rather the                                                                    
          out-of-state  student  is  paying  a  non-resident                                                                    
          surcharge (so no foregone revenue).                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark  relayed that  the University  of Alaska  (UA) was                                                                    
not  necessarily  discounting  the  resident  tuition  rate.                                                                    
Rather,  the resident  tuition rate  was being  used as  the                                                                    
base rate. A non-resident  surcharge was applied to tuition.                                                                    
There was  no foregone revenue because  the resident tuition                                                                    
rate was considered the base rate.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Seaton asked  whether  the  senior tuition  waiver                                                                    
counted in the report.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel responded that UA  had been broadly granted fee-                                                                    
setting authority by the legislature.  There was no explicit                                                                    
provision in  state law that  required a discount.  It would                                                                    
not qualify under the statutory definition of IE.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:51:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Guttenberg asked  if  UA had  worked on  the                                                                    
IER.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel  responded that UA participated  in a discussion                                                                    
with DOR. It  was determined that, since UA  had fee setting                                                                    
authority, any discounts provided  within the university did                                                                    
not meet the statutory definition of IE.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Seaton clarified  that the  legislature asked  the                                                                    
university  to   identify  the   fees.  They   might  expect                                                                    
reductions  in general  fund  funding if  they  had IEs.  He                                                                    
encouraged  the testifiers  to move  to the  recommendations                                                                    
portion of their presentation.  Committee members could read                                                                    
through the  methodology slides  on their  own, as  time was                                                                    
running short.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Clark skipped to slide 14: "Future Plans":                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
   · Reaching out to the Office of Management and Budget                                                                        
     and the Legislative Finance Division concerning the                                                                        
     next Indirect Expenditure Report                                                                                           
   · Compiling feedback and suggestions which may be                                                                            
     incorporated into the next report in Summer 2018                                                                           
   · Discussion with agencies of their ability to provide                                                                       
    more information for certain indirect expenditures                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Clark  mentioned  DOR  being  very  open  to  receiving                                                                    
feedback  from the  committee in  order to  create a  report                                                                    
that  catered  to  the  needs  of  all  of  its  users.  The                                                                    
department's goal  was to produce  the best  possible report                                                                    
within the  department. Mr. Stickel  would be  reviewing the                                                                    
department's recommendations.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr.   Stickel    detailed   slide    16:   "Recommendations/                                                                    
Considerations":                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
   · DOR was asked to provide the committee with                                                                                
     recommendations regarding indirect expenditures                                                                            
   · DOR identified several areas for the committee to                                                                          
     consider:                                                                                                                  
        · House Bill 155 from 2015-2016                                                                                         
        · Largest indirect expenditures overall                                                                                 
       · Largest indirect expenditures by department                                                                            
        · Review of recommendations produced by the                                                                             
          Legislative Finance Division                                                                                          
        · Indirect Expenditures were reviewed in both                                                                           
          January 2015 and January 2017                                                                                         
        · Fee Setting Authority                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel reported  that in the other  body the department                                                                    
was  asked  to  make  some recommendations  about  what  the                                                                    
legislature should  focus on  regarding IEs.  The Department                                                                    
of Revenue  was not  recommending changes or  termination of                                                                    
any  of the  IEs. He  relayed  that there  were 5  different                                                                    
areas for  the committee to look  at. He was aware  that the                                                                    
committee was  planning to look  at IEs for  each department                                                                    
in the subcommittee process.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:54:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel explained  slide 17: "House Bill  155 from 2015-                                                                    
2016."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel  relayed that the  bill from the  previous year,                                                                    
HB 155 [Legislation introduced in 2015 - Short Title:                                                                           
FEES;  WAIVERS;  CREDITS;  DEDUCTIONS;  TAXES],  passed  the                                                                    
House but  did not  pass the Senate.  He indicated  that the                                                                    
bill would have repealed 4  tax-related IEs. He reviewed the                                                                    
four items on the slide:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   The following indirect expenditures were addressed in a                                                                      
   proposed bill:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
   · Tobacco Products Tax                                                                                                       
        · Gives a four-tenths of one percent deduction to                                                                       
          cover the expense of account and filing the                                                                           
          return for the tobacco tax                                                                                            
        · FY 2015 revenue impact of $54,053                                                                                     
   · Cigarette Tax                                                                                                              
        · Gives a discount of up to $50,000 as compensation                                                                     
          for affixing stamps to packs of cigarettes                                                                            
        · FY 2015 revenue impact of $360,326                                                                                    
   · Motor Fuel Tax                                                                                                             
        · Gives a timely filing credits of 1% of the total                                                                      
          monthly tax due to a maximum of $100                                                                                  
        · FY 2015 revenue impact of $62,590                                                                                     
   · Large Passenger Vessel Gambling Tax Deduction                                                                              
        · Allows a deduction of federal and municipal taxes                                                                     
          paid from gambling gross income                                                                                       
        · Revenue impact is unknown                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel  added that although  the revenue impact  of the                                                                    
large passenger  vessel gambling tax deduction  was unknown,                                                                    
he confirmed that it would have a negative revenue impact.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Seaton   reported  that   Representative  Thompson                                                                    
introduced bills addressing IEs,  which were read across the                                                                    
floor earlier in the present day.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Stickel  continued  to   slide  18:  "Largest  Indirect                                                                    
Expenditures":                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
   · Oil & Gas Tax Credits (FY16 = $598 million)                                                                                
   · Mining License Tax - Depletion Deduction (FY14 = $32                                                                       
     million)                                                                                                                   
   · Insurance:  all  programs  - Lower  Tax  Rate  (DCCED*)                                                                    
     (FY15 = $13 million)                                                                                                       
   · Insurance:  all  programs  -  Deduction  from  premiums                                                                    
     written for claims paid (DCCED*) (FY15 = $13 million)                                                                      
   · Commercial Passenger  Vessel Taxes - Tax  Reduction for                                                                    
     Local Levies (FY15 = $13 million)                                                                                          
   · Multiple Tax Programs - Film  Production Credit (FY15 =                                                                    
     $9 million; credit phasing out under current law)                                                                          
   · Motor Fuel Tax - Foreign  Flight Exemption (FY15 = $8.6                                                                    
     million)                                                                                                                   
   · Sport  Fishing,  Hunting  &  Trapping  Senior  Discount                                                                    
     (FY15 = $6.8 million)                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Stickel   detailed  slide  19:   "Recommendations  from                                                                    
Legislative Finance":                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
   · There are  recommendations made by  Legislative Finance                                                                    
     Division in both their 2015 & 2017 Indirect                                                                                
     Expenditure Reports                                                                                                        
   · 2015 Report                                                                                                                
        · Recommended    17    indirect   expenditures    be                                                                    
          terminated                                                                                                            
        · Recommended    33    indirect   expenditures    be                                                                    
          reconsidered                                                                                                          
        · Recommended 24 indirect expenditures be reviewed                                                                      
        · Recommended 37 indirect expenditures be continued                                                                     
   · 2017 Report                                                                                                                
        · Recommended 2 indirect expenditures be terminated                                                                     
        · Recommended    13    indirect   expenditures    be                                                                    
          reconsidered                                                                                                          
        · Recommended 3 indirect expenditures be reviewed                                                                       
        · Recommended 48 indirect expenditures be continued                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel  relayed that  the Legislative  Finance Division                                                                    
in   the  2015   report  identified   74  IEs   for  review,                                                                    
reconsideration, or termination. In  the most recent report,                                                                    
the division  identified an additional  18. Overall  LFD had                                                                    
identified   over  90   IEs   that   they  recommended   the                                                                    
legislature look at in some fashion.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:58:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Stickel discussed  slide 20:  "Fee Setting  Authority":                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
   · Legislature has granted fee setting authority to                                                                           
     certain agencies, for example:                                                                                             
        · Department    of    Transportation   and    Public                                                                    
          Facilities                                                                                                            
             · Alaska Marine Highway (AMHS): foregone                                                                           
               revenue related to AMHS discounts amounted                                                                       
              to over $4.7 million in FY 2015                                                                                   
        · University of Alaska                                                                                                  
             · Scholarship awarding authority                                                                                   
             · Western Undergraduate Exchange                                                                                   
             · Senior Citizen Tuition Waiver                                                                                    
        · A comprehensive review would likely identify                                                                          
          other examples                                                                                                        
   · Discounts offered by agencies with fee setting                                                                             
     authority may not qualify as "indirect expenditures"                                                                       
     since they are not an "express provision of state law"                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel reported that fee-setting  authority had come up                                                                    
a  few times  in  producing DOR's  IER.  There were  several                                                                    
agencies and  departments where the legislature  had granted                                                                    
fee-setting authority  to the individual  departments. Since                                                                    
the  definition of  IE followed  in statute  specified that,                                                                    
there must be  an express provision of state law  to grant a                                                                    
creditor  a  discount.  If  the  agencies  with  fee-setting                                                                    
authority  offered  a discount,  there  was  not an  express                                                                    
provision  of   state  law,  which  appeared   to  meet  the                                                                    
definition of IE.  He used the Alaska  Marine Highway System                                                                    
(AMHS)  as an  example of  an agency  able to  set fees  for                                                                    
passengers and  to offer discounts to  children and seniors.                                                                    
The University of Alaska could  award scholarships and had a                                                                    
senior  citizen  tuition  waiver.   It  was  likely  that  a                                                                    
comprehensive  review   into  fee-setting   authority  would                                                                    
identify  other departments  that had  similar issues  going                                                                    
on. He was happy to answer any questions.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Gara  asked who kept  track of the  annual number                                                                    
of cruise ship passengers that visited Alaska.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Stickel  responded that  the  department  the data  was                                                                    
reported on cruise ship tax returns.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Gara recalled that Mr.  Stickle noted there would                                                                    
be  a  $13  million  savings  if the  state  did  not  allow                                                                    
municipal taxes to be deducted  from the cruise ship tax. He                                                                    
asked him to  provide the annual number of  visitors for the                                                                    
previous 5  years and the  annual total cruise  ship revenue                                                                    
over the same period.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel was happy to provide the information.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Seaton thanked Mr. Stickle for his presentation.                                                                       
He invited  LFD staff  to the table.  He also  conveyed that                                                                    
Representative Guttenberg had joined the meeting.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
^INDIRECT EXPENDITURE REPORTS: LEGISLATIVE FINANCE DIVISION                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:01:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALEXEI  PAINTER,  ANALYST,   LEGISLATIVE  FINANCE  DIVISION,                                                                    
introduced   the  PowerPoint   presentation:  "Overview   of                                                                    
Legislative Finance  Division Indirect  Expenditure Reports"                                                                    
(copy on file). He mentioned  that the division had both the                                                                    
2015  and  2017 reports  in  an  excel format  if  committee                                                                    
members were  interested. An electronic version  would allow                                                                    
members  to sort  them any  way they  preferred and  to hide                                                                    
data  fields they  did  not want  to see.  He  was happy  to                                                                    
provide them to the committee.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter reviewed slide 2: "Agencies in 2015 Report":                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   · Commerce, Community and Economic Development                                                                               
   · Fish and Game                                                                                                              
   · Health and Social Services                                                                                                 
   · Labor and Workforce Development                                                                                            
   · Revenue                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Painter relayed  that LFD  issued its  report following                                                                    
the  publication  of  DOR's version.  The  finance  division                                                                    
covered only  select agencies each  time. In  the division's                                                                    
first  report in  2015, the  departments  that were  covered                                                                    
included the Department of  Commerce, Community and Economic                                                                    
Development (DCCED), the Department  of Fish and Game (DFG),                                                                    
the  Department of  Health and  Social Services  (DHSS), the                                                                    
Department  of Labor  and Workforce  Development (DOL),  and                                                                    
the Department of Revenue.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Painter   continued  to  slide  3:   "Summary  of  2015                                                                    
Recommendations":                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
   · Terminate: 17 provisions                                                                                                   
        · Total known revenue impact of $5 million (in                                                                          
          FY14)                                                                                                                 
       · Three provisions had unknown revenue impact                                                                            
   · Modify or review: 59 provisions                                                                                            
   · Continue: 37 provisions                                                                                                    
   · No recommendation: 25 provisions                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Painter indicated  that the  number  of provisions  the                                                                    
division  recommended  modifying  or reviewing  seemed  high                                                                    
because  in the  report there  were  a couple  of areas  LFD                                                                    
advocated  the restructuring  of entire  fee schedules.  The                                                                    
Department of Fish and Game's  fee structure was decades old                                                                    
and,   LFD  recommended   a  full   review.  In   fact,  the                                                                    
legislature studied the structure  and legislation passed in                                                                    
the prior  year. The mining  license tax,  largely unchanged                                                                    
since statehood, also needed an  appraisal. It was difficult                                                                    
to select  areas of the  tax that might need  review because                                                                    
the  entire tax  structure potentially  needed modification.                                                                    
There  were 25  provisions that  had a  "no recommendation."                                                                    
Either the  Legislative Finance Division could  not identify                                                                    
the provisions  as IEs,  or they  had already  terminated by                                                                    
the time LFD released its  report. When LFD was reporting on                                                                    
past fiscal years, the results were sometimes delayed.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter discussed slide 4: "2015 Report Key Points":                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   · Did not review oil tax credits, which had been                                                                             
     modified a year before                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter  explained that the  report was prepared  in the                                                                    
fall  of  2014. At  the  time,  the  oil tax  structure  was                                                                    
undergoing  a referendum,  as it  had been  modified by  the                                                                    
legislature the  prior year. He  reported that  the division                                                                    
did  not feel  it was  appropriate to  assess the  structure                                                                    
because it  was new and  without data. He continued  to read                                                                    
the slide.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   · 1 "terminate" item (obsolete exploration incentive)                                                                        
     repealed in HB 247                                                                                                         
   · 4 other "terminate" items were in HB 155, which passed                                                                     
     House in 2016 but not Senate                                                                                               
   · 6 "terminate" items are in Corporate Income Tax                                                                            
   · 3 "terminate" items are in Commercial Fisheries Entry                                                                      
     Commission                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter scrolled to slide  5: "Agencies in 2017 Report."                                                                    
He  relayed  that  the  report   in  the  current  year  was                                                                    
delivered  on  the  first  day  of  session.  It  covered  6                                                                    
agencies and  the education tax  credit administered  by DOR                                                                    
and  scheduled to  sunset in  2018. The  Legislative Finance                                                                    
Division  felt that  a more  in-depth review  was warranted.                                                                    
The division had  not made a recommendation  in 2014 because                                                                    
the tax  credit had  been modified earlier  in the  year. He                                                                    
read the list of departments that fell under review:                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
   · Administration                                                                                                             
   · Education and Early Development (including Alaska                                                                          
     Student Loan Corporation and Alaska Commission on                                                                          
     Postsecondary Education)                                                                                                   
   · Environmental Conservation                                                                                                 
   · Natural Resources                                                                                                          
   · Transportation                                                                                                             
   · Judiciary                                                                                                                  
   · Plus review of the Education Tax Credit, which is                                                                          
     scheduled to sunset at the end of 2018.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:06:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.   Painter   reviewed   slide   6:   "Summary   of   2017                                                                    
Recommendations":                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
   · Terminate: 2 provisions                                                                                                    
        o Unknown revenue impact                                                                                                
   · Modify or review: 13 provisions                                                                                            
   · Continue: 56 provisions                                                                                                    
   · No recommendation: 6 provisions                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter explained that the  reason for the higher number                                                                    
of  recommended  continuations  was   because  many  of  the                                                                    
agencies  being reviewed  had  more  routine deductions.  He                                                                    
provided an example. The Division  of Motor Vehicles had fee                                                                    
waivers for  disabled veterans.  Another example  was senior                                                                    
discounts to  parks and museums.  The division did  not feel                                                                    
they were worthy of termination.  The breakdown was somewhat                                                                    
different.  In  the  division's next  report  in  2019,  the                                                                    
statute  dictated  that  LFD   would  review  all  remaining                                                                    
agencies. At  present, based on where  expenditures had been                                                                    
identified,  there  were no  other  agencies  to review.  He                                                                    
anticipated the  2019 report would  consist of only  1 page.                                                                    
In 2021,  the division  would begin again  with DOR  and the                                                                    
other departments that were included in the 2015 report.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Painter advanced  to the  final slide,  slide 7:  "2017                                                                    
Report Key Points":                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
   · Some items do not have revenue generation as a goal                                                                        
     ("fix-it" tickets)                                                                                                         
   · Others have authority to set fee structure (Marine                                                                         
     Highway)                                                                                                                   
   · Remainder are mostly routine (senior discounts, fee                                                                        
     waivers for disabled veterans, etc.)                                                                                       
   · Some provisions in DEC and DNR could be reviewed                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter  elaborated that in  the 2017 report  there were                                                                    
several  items where  revenue was  not a  goal. The  largest                                                                    
example was fix-it  tickets. In the Judiciary  when a person                                                                    
received  a fine  for  having a  headlight  out, they  would                                                                    
receive a ticket.  If the person had  their headlight fixed,                                                                    
they could  get the  ticket waived.  The goal  was to  get a                                                                    
person to fix  their headlight rather than  making money for                                                                    
the state.  While it was  technically foregone  revenue, the                                                                    
division  did not  consider getting  rid of  fix-it tickets.                                                                    
There were  other examples  where the  legislature delegated                                                                    
authority  for fee  structures  including  AMHS. There  were                                                                    
some   provisions  in   the   Department  of   Environmental                                                                    
Conservation (DEC)  and the Department of  Natural Resources                                                                    
(DNR) that needed further review.  He made himself available                                                                    
for questions.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson  asked   whether  the  administrative                                                                    
costs for fix-it tickets were covered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter did not know the answer but would find out.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson  appreciated him getting back  to her.                                                                    
She noted that the state did  not want to have to absorb the                                                                    
administrative  costs  but  wanted  a person  to  fix  their                                                                    
issue.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Guttenberg   referred  to  page  3   of  the                                                                    
presentation regarding the  summary of 2015 recommendations.                                                                    
He pointed  to the  3 provisions of  which their  impact was                                                                    
unknown.  He  wondered  if the  provisions  had  non-revenue                                                                    
impacts. He  wanted to know  if LFD had discussed  or looked                                                                    
at the non-revenue impacts.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter responded  that it depended on why  there was no                                                                    
revenue  impact. He  used  the example  of  Sub Chapter  "S"                                                                    
corporations,  partnerships not  subject  to Alaska's  state                                                                    
income tax but considered  corporations. There were no known                                                                    
revenue impacts  for "S" Corporations  because they  did not                                                                    
have  to  file  taxes  with the  state.  The  Department  of                                                                    
Revenue   could   only   provide   estimates   rather   than                                                                    
determining  actual  revenue  impacts.  Estimates  were  not                                                                    
reported  in  the IER.  However,  they  were used  in  LFD's                                                                    
recommendation  to terminate  the  provision. A  significant                                                                    
amount of  revenue could  be realized.  Some of  the amounts                                                                    
could  be   estimated,  however,  there  were   reasons  the                                                                    
division  could  not get  them.  The  Department of  Revenue                                                                    
sometimes had  confidentiality concerns  because of  too few                                                                    
taxpayers.  The state  might  not know  the  amount for  all                                                                    
years. In  making recommendations,  LFD tried to  assess the                                                                    
revenue  impact as  best as  possible  through estimates  or                                                                    
other sources.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:11:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Guttenberg   spoke  of  the   difficulty  of                                                                    
measuring  the  effectiveness  of policy  because  accessing                                                                    
information  for a  group  of three  or  less taxpayers  was                                                                    
protected by confidentiality provisions.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Seaton asked  about DOR  having any  problems with                                                                    
someone wanting  to claim  certain benefits,  information of                                                                    
which would be disclosed.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter  responded that  DOR would be  able to  speak to                                                                    
their confidentiality  rules better than he  could. He noted                                                                    
that LFD could  not provide a recommendation  for some areas                                                                    
due to  a lack  of information. There  was no  known revenue                                                                    
impact  or any  other real  known information  about certain                                                                    
impacts.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Seaton  wanted to  hear from  someone from  DOR. He                                                                    
was trying to ascertain if revenue reasons played a role.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Seaton  referred to slide  4. He wondered  if there                                                                    
were too few  items in the corporate income  tax category to                                                                    
have data.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter responded that that  there were enough taxpayers                                                                    
to have  data. He  supposed that was  the reason  there were                                                                    
more  firm recommendations  than in  oil and  gas policy  or                                                                    
mining  tax policy  where there  were very  few. He  offered                                                                    
there were a number of  things that were likely obsolete. He                                                                    
explained  that the  tax  had not  been  modified since  the                                                                    
repeal of the personal income  tax in 1980. The division had                                                                    
a list of items that  could be addressed in corporate income                                                                    
tax reform if the legislature  chose. Some items did not get                                                                    
reported.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Seaton  asked   Mr.   Painter   to  provide   the                                                                    
information for the subcommittee process.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson  asked  about  a  dollar  amount  and                                                                    
timeline for outstanding film tax credits.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter deferred to DOR.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Seaton thanked Mr. Painter  and invited DOR to come                                                                    
to the table for additional questions.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:16:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson was  aware that  the film  tax credit                                                                    
program  had  ended  but   wondered  about  the  outstanding                                                                    
balance and associated timeframe.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Stickel responded  that the  time  limit for  receiving                                                                    
credits was  January 1,  2019. A  company could  still apply                                                                    
their credits after that time.  The program total was capped                                                                    
at $300 million.  He did not have  the potential outstanding                                                                    
credit balance but would get  back to the committee with the                                                                    
information.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Seaton asked  about  the 6  items recommended  for                                                                    
termination  under the  corporate  income  tax. He  wondered                                                                    
about DOR's position with someone wanting to claim an IE.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
JERRY  BURNETT,  DEPUTY   COMMISSIONER,  TREASURY  DIVISION,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT  OF  REVENUE,   responded  that  currently  under                                                                    
Alaska state statute all of  the information on a tax return                                                                    
was confidential by law.  The department reported aggregated                                                                    
information.  The  commissioner  had  indicated  there  were                                                                    
other   states  that   made  information   public  regarding                                                                    
taxpayers who  applied for specific tax  credits. There were                                                                    
cases  the  State of  Alaska  would  support implementing  a                                                                    
similar  policy.  In   some  instances,  transparency  would                                                                    
improve programs.  He argued  it would  make sense  for some                                                                    
IEs.  The  administration  would  be happy  to  discuss  the                                                                    
issue.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Seaton asked  if the  department  would provide  a                                                                    
list  of  items in  which  a  transparency policy  could  be                                                                    
applied. He encouraged  a focus on the  corporate income tax                                                                    
and  any  others  that  would  lend  transparency  and  more                                                                    
effectiveness   to  the   program.  It   would  be   helpful                                                                    
information for  the committee to  decide whether  to extend                                                                    
or terminate the program.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Guttenberg referred  to the  second item  on                                                                    
slide  18.  He asked  about  the  purpose of  the  depletion                                                                    
deduction for the mining license tax.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel responded that the  mining license tax was a net                                                                    
income-based tax.  The depletion  deduction was  a deduction                                                                    
from the net  income to allow for the costs  of developing a                                                                    
resource. It  was either a percentage-based  depletion of 10                                                                    
percent of revenue  for a coalmine or 15  percent of revenue                                                                    
for the more  common metal mines. The  percentage of revenue                                                                    
could be deducted  when calculating net income  on which the                                                                    
tax  was based.  There was  also an  opportunity for  a cost                                                                    
base depletion similar to a depreciation schedule.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:20:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Guttenberg wondered  about the foreign flight                                                                    
exemption pertaining  to the  motor fuel  tax. He  was under                                                                    
the impression that there were  economic zone issues dealing                                                                    
with flights going into international airports.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Burnett  explained  that  the   state  had  a  specific                                                                    
statutory   provision   exempting   tax  on   flights   that                                                                    
originated in or were traveling  to foreign countries. There                                                                    
were other  complications to consider  such as  removing the                                                                    
statutory provision, federal rules,  economic zones, and the                                                                    
ability  to  import  bonded  fuel.  The  question  was  more                                                                    
complicated than what was considered in the IER.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Seaton  asked Mr. Burnett  to bring a  breakdown of                                                                    
where  the credits  were being  applied to  the subcommittee                                                                    
meeting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Stickel  answered that  it was  defined in  statute. The                                                                    
Department of Revenue reported expenditures every 2 years.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:24:14 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:29:13 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
BILL NO. 23                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  relating to  major medical  insurance coverage                                                                    
     under  the  Public   Employees'  Retirement  System  of                                                                    
     Alaska  for  certain  surviving spouses  and  dependent                                                                    
     children  of  peace   officers  and  firefighters;  and                                                                    
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
^PUBLIC TESTIMONY                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:29:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster OPENED Public Testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:30:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRANDY JOHNSON, SELF, JUNEAU, spoke in support of HB 23.                                                                        
She read a prepared statement (copy on file):                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     For  the  record,  my  name is  Brandy  Johnson.  I  am                                                                    
     testifying in support of HB  23 on behalf of myself, my                                                                    
     three  daughters, my  deceased husband,  Scott Johnson,                                                                    
     surviving  families of  past and  future  line of  duty                                                                    
     death  state  troopers  as   well  as  law  enforcement                                                                    
     officers in the state of Alaska.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     On May  1st, 2014, my  husband, Scott Johnson  and Gabe                                                                    
     Rich were  murdered while in  the performance  of their                                                                    
     job in Tanana, Alaska.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Scott's job  was that of  a Sgt. with the  Alaska State                                                                    
     Troopers. He had worked as  a state trooper for over 21                                                                    
     years  with a  total of  over  23 years  vested in  the                                                                    
     Public  Employees Retirement  System  (PERS). He  could                                                                    
     have retired  with 20 years of  service. However, Scott                                                                    
     and I  decided he should  work another 5 years  to gain                                                                    
     the  medical benefits  for our  family  at the  25-year                                                                    
     mark  as a  Tier II  employee. It  was while  trying to                                                                    
     obtain  this  promised  benefit  goal  that  Scott  was                                                                    
     ambushed  and killed.  Scott  would  have retired  this                                                                    
     past October  with major  medical benefits  for himself                                                                    
     and our family.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     I  had  asked the  state  troopers  assisting me  after                                                                    
     Scott  was   killed  if  I  had   health  insurance.  I                                                                    
     initially  was  told   I  was  set  for   life  by  one                                                                    
     Lieutenant.  However,  that was  not  the  case. I  was                                                                    
     later told  that my family's  benefits would  expire at                                                                    
     the end of the month.  I was disappointed and angry. My                                                                    
     choices  were  to  pay  $1,   150  per  month  for  the                                                                    
     retirement  major medical  health  care  that we  would                                                                    
     have received  in a  year and  a half at  no cost  as a                                                                    
     retirement benefit or $1, 700 for full coverage COBRA.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     What is  frustrating, is  that the  person who  shot my                                                                    
     husband  to  death and  his  father  who desecrated  my                                                                    
     husband's dead  body, while incarcerated,  have medical                                                                    
     care available  at no  cost to  them as  their families                                                                    
     also has free health care.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     I felt  Scott's last  three years  of service  were all                                                                    
     for nothing.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Scott always  took his responsibilities  very seriously                                                                    
     to protect  the people of  Alaska. I had  believed upon                                                                    
     his death, the State  would also take responsibility to                                                                    
     now take care  of his family. Graciously,  the State of                                                                    
     Alaska has  these past two  and a half years  until the                                                                    
     gap in law could be resolved.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Our  family has  paid the  price for  this benefit.  We                                                                    
     have  paid into  the  PERS retirement  system; we  have                                                                    
     paid with  the endless  callouts. Whether  it be  a K9,                                                                    
     SERT,  homicide   calls  or  one  of   the  many  other                                                                    
     emergency responses  Scott was  involved with.  This is                                                                    
    called, to give of yourself for the sake of others.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     I am here today asking for  your support of HB 23. This                                                                    
     bill   is  more   than  what   I  have   advocated  the                                                                    
     legislature  for   as  a  health  benefit.   This  bill                                                                    
     provides  full  coverage  health insurance  that  takes                                                                    
     care of  young surviving families that  need well child                                                                    
     checkups.  The retirement  health care  plan was  not a                                                                    
     long-term solution. It was a  "band-aide" so to say and                                                                    
     a safety net  in case of a major  medical emergency. It                                                                    
     did not take care of the family.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     This  legislation will  ensure  that another  surviving                                                                    
     spouse does  not have to  experience what I  have. They                                                                    
     will  have the  assurance that  their children  will be                                                                    
     taken care of if there was a health emergency.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Thank you for your time  and your consideration of this                                                                    
     important legislation.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:34:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JACOB WILSON, ALASKA CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION,                                                                         
JUNEAU, spoke in favor of HB 23. He read a prepared                                                                             
statement (copy on file):                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     My  name   is  Jacob   Wilson.  I  represent   the  930                                                                    
     Correctional  Officers in  the  State  of Alaska.  Last                                                                    
     year we provided a letter  of support for what was then                                                                    
     SB  4002. We  were encouraged  that Officers'  families                                                                    
     would no longer  be hit twice if their  husband or wife                                                                    
     was killed  in the  line of duty:  first by  the death,                                                                    
     and second  by the loss  of health insurance.  The fact                                                                    
     is that  Correctional Officers put  their lives  on the                                                                    
     line  every  day, just  like  any  other Alaska  Public                                                                    
     Safety Officer. Their families are just as important.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     A few days ago Correctional  Officers became aware that                                                                    
     they  were no  longer included  in the  new version  of                                                                    
     this Legislation.  While we are  happy to see  at least                                                                    
     some of  our public safety  families covered, it  was a                                                                    
     tough  blow to  see other  law enforcement  officers in                                                                    
     the State  covered because  they are  the ones  who ...                                                                    
     "run to  the fire". With all  due respect, Correctional                                                                    
     Officers don't  run to the  fire, they live in  it. The                                                                    
     dangers Correctional  Officers face  are the  same that                                                                    
     every  other  Officer in  the  State  of Alaska  faces.                                                                    
     Police Officer  and Troopers may arrest  the criminals,                                                                    
     but it  is Correctional  Officers who keep  them behind                                                                    
     bars every hour of every day.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     This would not substantially  increase the cost of this                                                                    
     legislation.  While  every year  Correctional  Officers                                                                    
     are assaulted, some permanently  disabled, we have been                                                                    
     very  fortunate  not  to  have  lost  any  Correctional                                                                    
     Officer in  an institution as  a result of  an assault.                                                                    
     Because of  this, I believe  that the fiscal  impact of                                                                    
     covering our Officers would be  minimal, but the impact                                                                    
     on morale  for the  Officers would be  immeasurable. It                                                                    
     would give them peace of  mind knowing that should they                                                                    
     fall in the service of  their State and give their life                                                                    
     protecting   Alaskans,   their  families   would   have                                                                    
     insurance coverage.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     In closing,  I would like to  say we support HB  23 and                                                                    
     hope that  it passes.  That being said,  please include                                                                    
     Correctional Officers in this legislation.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     We also appreciate  Commissioner Dean Williams' support                                                                    
     of including Correctional Officers in this bill.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Please  feel  free  to  contact  me  if  you  need  any                                                                    
     additional information.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Wilson reported  that earlier  in the  day in  Delaware                                                                    
there was  a hostage  take over. Four  correctional officers                                                                    
were  being  held  hostage.  He  encouraged  legislators  to                                                                    
contact the association with any questions.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Seaton  asked Mr. Wilson  to provide a copy  of his                                                                    
written testimony.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:38:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Gara  suggested that the  bill could  cover every                                                                    
state employee.  He asked where the  legislature should draw                                                                    
a legal line.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Wilson  responded that  any of  the four  officers being                                                                    
held  in Delaware  could  pass. When  officers  went into  a                                                                    
correctional  facility, they  were aware  of the  risks they                                                                    
were taking. Alaska had been  fortunate not to have a death.                                                                    
However, there  were deaths at  the national level.  Some of                                                                    
Alaska's officers had been permanently  disabled. Any of the                                                                    
related  injuries could  have led  to  death. He  reiterated                                                                    
that when a person signed up  to serve in Alaska in a public                                                                    
safety  role, they  were cognizant  of the  risks. He  would                                                                    
leave  the decision  up to  the legislature  as to  where to                                                                    
draw the  line. He  thought correctional officers  should be                                                                    
included in the bill.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Gara appreciated  that correctional officers went                                                                    
to work every day in dangerous environments.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster  agreed that correctional officers  lived in                                                                    
danger every day.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:41:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHIE  WASSERMAN, ALASKA  MUNICIPAL  LEAGUE (AML),  JUNEAU,                                                                    
opposed the  unfunded mandate accompanying  the legislation.                                                                    
The  burden would  fall on  the shoulders  of municipalities                                                                    
without  a way  of determining  their costs.  She asked  for                                                                    
additional detail  about administrative  costs noted  in the                                                                    
bill.  She  explained  that  insurance  costs  were  handled                                                                    
differently  for different  law  enforcement employees.  She                                                                    
urged members  to consider  that municipalities  were losing                                                                    
revenue  sharing  and  had  already  encountered  many  cost                                                                    
transfers  from the  state. She  conveyed the  difficulty of                                                                    
the municipalities  taking on new  expenses. She  noted that                                                                    
prior to  the meeting she  had spoken with a  community that                                                                    
reported  owing about  $300,000 to  the state.  She posed  a                                                                    
question about  how municipalities  were expected  to handle                                                                    
their  debt. She  wondered  what would  happen  if, at  some                                                                    
point,   the  municipalities   became   unable  to   provide                                                                    
insurance  costs promised  to  survivors. She  asked if  the                                                                    
state  would  provide  assistance.  She  restated  that  the                                                                    
municipalities   could  not   face   an  unfunded   mandate,                                                                    
particularly  without knowing  the  exact  cost. She  needed                                                                    
additional  information   before  AML  could  take   a  firm                                                                    
position on HB 23.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kawasaki asked  if AML  had considered  what                                                                    
would  happen  if  an option-in  or  option-out  clause  was                                                                    
included for municipalities.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Wasserman  thought  that  most  communities  had  taken                                                                    
responsibility  when  similar  situations  had  arisen.  She                                                                    
thought   communities  would   be  responsible.   She  cited                                                                    
Fairbanks  as  one  of  the  communities  that  was  already                                                                    
contributing without a mandate  in place. She mentioned that                                                                    
Hoonah had also  stepped up to the plate.  She believed most                                                                    
communities would step up without a mandate in place.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kawasaki  explained  that  a  municipality's                                                                    
premium  would  be based  on  its  size.  He asked  for  her                                                                    
feedback about size.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Wasserman indicated  AML had  discussed the  issue with                                                                    
Representative  Josephson's office.  She explained  that the                                                                    
size breakdown was a vague set  of lines used by the league.                                                                    
She relayed that there seemed  to be a dividing line between                                                                    
large  and  small  communities.  The  league  had  moved  it                                                                    
between 7,500 to 10,000 people.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Seaton  was trying to  determine the  parameters of                                                                    
Ms. Wasserman's statement. He asked  if she was interpreting                                                                    
the bill  to say  that each municipality  would be  paying a                                                                    
premium based on size or only after there was a death.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms.   Wasserman   responded    that   after   talking   with                                                                    
Representative  Josephson's   office,  the  fund   would  be                                                                    
initiated  after a  death. She  indicated that  some of  the                                                                    
league members  thought money  would be  set aside  ahead of                                                                    
time and drawn from when needed.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Seaton asked  if AML had a  preference about paying                                                                    
a smaller amount over time or  a larger amount after a fatal                                                                    
incident.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Wasserman  reported that her members  discussed the idea                                                                    
of each  municipality contributing  to one fund.  There were                                                                    
some concerns about  it being equitable. She  added that her                                                                    
response was in  light of the shortage of  funds at present.                                                                    
She  did not  think it  would  be an  issue under  different                                                                    
circumstances.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:49:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Guttenberg  remarked that the  bill pertained                                                                    
only to  police officers and  firefighters. He asked  if AML                                                                    
had  looked at  the benefit  of  pooling a  larger group  of                                                                    
employees.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Wasserman  responded  that  AML  had  not  specifically                                                                    
discussed  the  topic.   She  believed  that  Representative                                                                    
Josephson's   bill   included   employees   without   Public                                                                    
Employees'  Retirement  System   (PERS).  She  relayed  that                                                                    
currently the  municipalities were having  difficulty paying                                                                    
into  the current  and previous  PERS and  TERS system.  She                                                                    
reported that  some of  the small  communities had  not been                                                                    
able to pay their worker's compensation insurance.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson pointed  out  that some  firefighters                                                                    
were  hired   as  contractors   rather  than   employees  of                                                                    
municipalities and  would not  be covered  under HB  23. She                                                                    
asked  about  the  number  of   fire  services  areas  where                                                                    
firefighters were  under contract  rather than  employees of                                                                    
municipalities.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Wasserman thought there were  only two boroughs that had                                                                    
service  areas  -  Fairbanks  and  Mat-Su.  She  noted  that                                                                    
Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO)  either worked for the                                                                    
state   or  for   tribal  organizations   rather  than   for                                                                    
municipalities.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson  clarified that  the state had  6 fire                                                                    
service areas.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:53:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster recognized  that Amber  Heinbaugh with  the                                                                    
state  trooper   families  at  the   Glennallen  Legislative                                                                    
Information Office (LIO) was listening in.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SCOTT CARSON   PUBLIC SAFETY  EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, JUNEAU,                                                                    
spoke  in support  of  HB  23. He  felt  the  bill was  very                                                                    
important. He relayed  a personal story as  a state trooper.                                                                    
He had been  in a situation where he wanted  someone to back                                                                    
him up.  He spoke  to being  in Ketchikan  as a  trooper and                                                                    
responding to  a call.  He did  not have  the luxury  of not                                                                    
going to  a dangerous call  when he  was required to  go. He                                                                    
wanted assurance  for his  family that  they would  be taken                                                                    
care  of. He  thanked the  committee and  asked members  for                                                                    
their support.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:57:23 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:58:26 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
LONNIE  MILLER, SELF,  DELTA JUNCTION  (via teleconference),                                                                    
supported HB  23. She thought it  was right to take  care of                                                                    
the  families  of  firefighters   and  peace  officers.  She                                                                    
believed  that  they  deserved   the  assurance  that  their                                                                    
families  would  be cared  for  if  they gave  the  ultimate                                                                    
sacrifice  in the  line of  duty. She  opined that  peace of                                                                    
mind  for a  surviving family  member would  be a  small but                                                                    
necessary  part  of recovering  after  a  grave and  painful                                                                    
loss.  She   thanked  members  for  their   support  of  the                                                                    
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:00:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CAROL    DUNLAP-AUSTIN,    SELF,   DELTA    JUNCTION    (via                                                                    
teleconference), was  an Alaska State Trooper.  She was well                                                                    
aware of  the dangers of the  job. She spoke of  having lost                                                                    
many  friends  in the  line  of  duty.  She thought  it  was                                                                    
important for  the state  to make  things right.  She stated                                                                    
that all gave some but some gave all.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:02:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BONNIE  WOLSTAD, SELF,  FAIRBANKS (via  teleconference), was                                                                    
the  daughter and  wife of  retired  Alaska law  enforcement                                                                    
personnel. She relayed  some of the close  calls her father-                                                                    
in-law and husband  both faced in the line of  duty. She was                                                                    
extremely fortunate to  have never received a  call or knock                                                                    
at the door. She believed  the legislation was headed in the                                                                    
right direction and very needed.  However, she believed that                                                                    
all employees  of the State  of Alaska should be  covered if                                                                    
killed while on  the job. She provided a  number of examples                                                                    
concerning  equitability. She  spoke  of 5  Alaska Fish  and                                                                    
Wildlife enforcement  officers and  26 Alaska  Department of                                                                    
Fish and Game employees that have  died in the line of duty.                                                                    
She  thought  all  state  employees  should  be  allowed  to                                                                    
participate.  She   recommended  monthly   contributions  or                                                                    
Alaska Supplemental Annuity plan  (SBS) options. By allowing                                                                    
more  employees to  participate  under  HB 23, the  survivor                                                                    
benefit would have more people  paying into a fund and would                                                                    
be on a stronger financial  footing. She urged the committee                                                                    
to amend the legislation.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:06:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEGAN LISTER,  SELF, PETERSBURG (via  teleconference), spoke                                                                    
in support  of HB 23.  She was the  wife of an  Alaska State                                                                    
Trooper with  four young  children. She  thought it  was the                                                                    
right thing to  do. She expressed sadness that  the bill had                                                                    
taken so  long to get  through the legislative  process. She                                                                    
asked  members to  pass HB  23 once  and for  all. The  bill                                                                    
provided peace of  mind for the families  of law enforcement                                                                    
officers and firefighters.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:08:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JASON  HOLMGREN,  WASILLA  POLICE DEPARTMENT,  WASILLA  (via                                                                    
teleconference), supported  HB 23. He indicated  he had been                                                                    
working in law enforcement  in various municipalities for 14                                                                    
years. He had been involved  with some search teams and with                                                                    
some very dangerous  calls. The bill provided  peace of mind                                                                    
to officers  with families  that their  loved ones  would be                                                                    
cared for  if they died on  the job. He supported  HB 23 and                                                                    
urged others to support the bill as well.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:09:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster  recognized  Commissioner Williams  in  the                                                                    
audience and Representative Millet.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
DAVID DUNCAN, KODIAK       POLICE       DEPARTMENT      (via                                                                    
teleconference), spoke in support of  HB 23. He was a police                                                                    
officer in  Kodiak. He agreed with  previous testifiers that                                                                    
the  bill was  the  right thing  to do.  He  and his  fellow                                                                    
officers went to  work each day not knowing  what to expect,                                                                    
yet, they did so diligently.  The passage of the legislation                                                                    
would provide a  huge relief to officers  knowing that their                                                                    
families would  be provided insurance benefits  if they fell                                                                    
in the line of duty.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:11:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LISA ALBERT-KONECKY, SELF,    WASILLA  (via teleconference),                                                                    
spoke in favor of HB  23. She reported knowing families with                                                                    
spouses that were injured in the  line of duty. She spoke to                                                                    
the difficulty of getting health  insurance. She thought the                                                                    
legislation  was  long  overdue. Although  doing  the  right                                                                    
thing would cost money, it  was important to provide a peace                                                                    
of  mind within  the  law enforcement  community. She  asked                                                                    
members to support HB 23.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:13:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DOUG MASSIE    PUBLIC SAFETY  EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, WASILLA                                                                    
(via teleconference), spoke in  favor of the legislation. He                                                                    
was  a  life-long  Alaskan and  presently  an  Alaska  State                                                                    
Trooper  within the  Wildlife Division.  He  had served  the                                                                    
State of Alaska  for over 20 years. He  relayed his personal                                                                    
perspective as a trooper having  dealt with several line-of-                                                                    
duty  deaths over  the course  of his  career. He  relayed a                                                                    
particular  story  about  a  rescue.   He  told  of  several                                                                    
thoughts  that   ran  through  his  mind   being  the  first                                                                    
responder  at the  scene waiting  for others  to arrive.  He                                                                    
wondered if his  family would be okay if he  were the victim                                                                    
of the  situation. He also  wondered who would take  care of                                                                    
them. He  thought that surely  the department and  the state                                                                    
would take care  of his family. He continued that  HB 23 was                                                                    
right and  just, and was a  small way of providing  peace of                                                                    
mind for the families of  those that paid the ultimate price                                                                    
in protecting  Alaskans. He asked  the committee  to support                                                                    
passing the legislation.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:16:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHAUN KUZAKIN, PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, JUNEAU                                                                      
(via teleconference), supported HB 23. He read from a                                                                           
prepared statement:                                                                                                             
     I  would like  to thank  the committee  for taking  the                                                                    
     time to listen  to me today. My name  is Shaun Kuzakin,                                                                    
     I  am  a resident  of  Juneau,  Vice President  of  the                                                                    
     Public   Safety  Employees   Association  DPS   Chapter                                                                    
     (represents Troopers  and Court Service  Officers), and                                                                    
     a husband and  father of 2. I am here  today in support                                                                    
     of HB 23.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
          "Officer shot and killed when she tried to                                                                            
          confront a murder suspect of a local Walmart".                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
          "Officer shot and killed while responding to a                                                                        
          911 call about an armed man outside a home in the                                                                     
          Dallas suburb of Little Elm".                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
          "A Louisiana Officer was shot and killed after he                                                                     
          stopped to check on what he thought was a car                                                                         
          accident".                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
          "A Deputy Sherriff was shot and killed following                                                                      
          a vehicle pursuit of a stolen vehicle".                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     These  are actual  headlines  of in  the  line of  duty                                                                    
     deaths thus  far in 2017.  Reading these  headlines cut                                                                    
     through me like  a dull blade. There is  the anxiety of                                                                    
     knowing that this can happen  to any officer during the                                                                    
     course  of their  career and  a far  deeper anxiety  of                                                                    
     knowing that your  family must worry for  you every day                                                                    
     you put on the uniform and badge.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     I  have proudly  worn  the badge  of  the Alaska  State                                                                    
     Troopers on my chest for  more than 15 years. Every day                                                                    
     the  men and  women  of Law  Enforcement  in our  great                                                                    
     state must  have the courage  to face  dangerous calls.                                                                    
     Those men  and women will  run towards the  danger when                                                                    
     others do not.  They do it every day  regardless of the                                                                    
     danger because  of a commitment  to the service  of the                                                                    
     people of  Alaska. In  our profession  we talk  about a                                                                    
     warrior mentality,  we train continuously, but  we also                                                                    
     know  when certain  calls  are  very dangerous.  Honor,                                                                    
     duty,  and the  drive  to help  others  are what  drive                                                                    
     peace officers into that danger.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     When  an officer  dies in  the line  of duty,  families                                                                    
     must  adjust to  life without  their loved  one. Often,                                                                    
     the  family  is faced  with  the  loss of  the  primary                                                                    
     breadwinner.  While  there is  no  amount  of money  or                                                                    
     financial support  that can compensate for  the loss of                                                                    
     a  loved one,  we can  honor their  service and  ensure                                                                    
     their families are not  forgotten by providing survivor                                                                    
     benefits.                                                                                                                  
     Please show  your support for  the men and  women peace                                                                    
     officers of our great state by passing this bill.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:19:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
STEVEN  CZAJKOWSKI,  ALASKA  STATE TROOPER,  ANCHORAGE  (via                                                                    
teleconference), spoke  in support of  HB 23. He read  a few                                                                    
headlines from  the current day  having to do  with officers                                                                    
being killed in  the line of duty. He  explained that honor,                                                                    
duty, and  the drive  to help others  were what  drove peace                                                                    
officers  into  potential danger.  He  thought  HB 23  would                                                                    
provide  a bubble  of safety  for  their peace  of mind.  He                                                                    
thanked   the   committee   members   for   supporting   the                                                                    
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:20:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAKE METCALFE,  PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES  ASSOCIATION (PSEA),                                                                    
ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), supported  HB 23. He thanked                                                                    
Representative Josephson, Representative  Millet, and others                                                                    
for supporting  the legislation.  He reported that  PSEA had                                                                    
been  advocating   for  the   legislation  for   years.  The                                                                    
organization  thought  the  bill  addressed  an  issue  that                                                                    
should be  a priority for  the legislature to  pass. Members                                                                    
of PSEA  included the Alaska  State Troopers and  the police                                                                    
departments in  several Alaskan communities. They  went into                                                                    
danger every  day, unlike  other employees.  The association                                                                    
believed that when an employer  sent an employee into danger                                                                    
- like  police officers  and firefighters -  it should  be a                                                                    
priority  for the  state and  the respective  communities to                                                                    
take  care  of  them  and   their  families.  He  asked  the                                                                    
committee, the House, and the Senate to pass HB 23.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:23:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAN  GRIMES, ALASKA  STATE FIRE  ASSOCIATION, SOLDOTNA  (via                                                                    
teleconference), spoke  in favor of the  legislation. He had                                                                    
worked  in emergency  services since  1981 as  a firefighter                                                                    
and a  law enforcement officer.  He emphasized how  much the                                                                    
passage  of HB  23  would  mean to  the  men  and women  who                                                                    
dedicated their  lives to serving  others. They  served with                                                                    
the knowledge that on any given  day they might have to give                                                                    
their lives to  save another. He confirmed  that the dangers                                                                    
of their work  were real. He wanted to  impress upon members                                                                    
that the same men and women  who were willing to tackle evil                                                                    
and  to sacrifice  much for  those in  need, lived  with the                                                                    
fear of leaving their loved  ones without a provider. He saw                                                                    
HB 23 as  an opportunity for the legislature to  help make a                                                                    
difference. He urged members to support HB 23.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:26:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANNE MOEN SELF, EAGLE  RIVER (via teleconference), supported                                                                    
HB 23.  She was the widow  of James Moen, a  fallen Fish and                                                                    
Wildlife Protection  Officer for the Alaska  State Troopers.                                                                    
She  spoke  of her  experience  in  seeking help  after  her                                                                    
husband's death. Her husband had  been a Tier 1 employee and                                                                    
was able to receive help.  She emphasized that she could not                                                                    
have  gone out  and immediately  found full-time  employment                                                                    
that  would  have  provided adequate  medical  coverage  for                                                                    
herself and her  four children. Nor were  her children ready                                                                    
to have  their only surviving parent  working full-time. She                                                                    
was  saddened  to  find  out  that  coverage  for  a  fallen                                                                    
officer's  family was  no longer  available. She  encouraged                                                                    
members to do the right thing by passing HB 23.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:28:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ARN  SALAO,  ANCHORAGE  POLICE  DEPARTMENT,  ANCHORAGE  (via                                                                    
teleconference), urged  members to support HB  23. He shared                                                                    
that he  had been  shot in  the line of  duty and  about his                                                                    
fears around whether  his family would have  been taken care                                                                    
of  if  he  had  died.  He  asked  members  to  support  the                                                                    
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:29:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DARCY PERRY, ANCHORAGE  AIRPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT, ANCHORAGE                                                                    
(via teleconference), spoke in favor  of HB 23. She realized                                                                    
that her husband would not be  covered if she were killed on                                                                    
the  job  after  hearing  Brandy  Johnson  speak  about  her                                                                    
troubles  30 days  after her  husband  died in  the line  of                                                                    
duty.  She  relayed  that  it   was  comforting  to  know  a                                                                    
potential  coverage would  be  available  for his  surviving                                                                    
family   members.  She   thought   that  providing   medical                                                                    
insurance  was  the  least  the   state  could  provide  for                                                                    
employees that protected the state.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster   confirmed  that   there  were   no  other                                                                    
testifiers online  or in the  committee room.  He encouraged                                                                    
the public to provide their written testimony.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster CLOSED Public Testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
HB  23  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster  asked members to  submit any  amendments by                                                                    
Friday afternoon at 5:00 PM.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:32:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 3:32 p.m.                                                                                          

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
House Finance - DOR IER Presentation - 1.31.17.pdf HFIN 2/1/2017 1:30:00 PM
INdirect Expenditure Report DOR
2 1 IE Report Overview HFin.pdf HFIN 2/1/2017 1:30:00 PM
Indorect Expenditure Report LFD Corrected
HB 23 PSEA Support.pdf HFIN 2/1/2017 1:30:00 PM
HB 23
HB23 Supporting Document Law Letter to RepFoster 1.31.17.pdf HFIN 2/1/2017 1:30:00 PM
HB 23
HB 23 Letter Opposition.pdf HFIN 2/1/2017 1:30:00 PM
HB 23
HB 23 Letters of Support PKT 1.pdf HFIN 2/1/2017 1:30:00 PM
HB 23
DOR Response to House Finance Committee - 2.23.17.pdf HFIN 2/1/2017 1:30:00 PM
Indirect Expenditure Report