Legislature(2025 - 2026)ADAMS 519
02/17/2025 01:30 PM House FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB53 || HB55 | |
| Overview: Fy 26 Budget by the Department of Public Safety | |
| Overview: Fy 26 Budget by the Department of Corrections | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 53 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 55 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
February 17, 2025
1:34 p.m.
1:34:16 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Josephson called the House Finance Committee
meeting to order at 1:34 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Neal Foster, Co-Chair
Representative Andy Josephson, Co-Chair
Representative Calvin Schrage, Co-Chair
Representative Jamie Allard
Representative Jeremy Bynum
Representative Alyse Galvin
Representative Sara Hannan
Representative Nellie Unangiq Jimmie
Representative DeLena Johnson
Representative Will Stapp
Representative Frank Tomaszewski
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
ALSO PRESENT
James Cockrell, Commissioner, Department of Public Safety;
Dianna Thornton, Administrative Services Director,
Department of Public Safety; Leon Morgan, Deputy
Commissioner, Department of Public Safety; Mary Beth
Gagnon, Executive Director, Council on Domestic Violence
and Sexual Assault; April Wilkerson, Deputy Commissioner,
Department of Corrections; Kevin Worley, Administrative
Services Director, Department of Corrections.
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Jake Wyckoff, Deputy Commissioner, Department of
Corrections; Travis Welch, Director, Division of Health and
Rehab Services, Department of Corrections.
SUMMARY
HB 53 APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET; CAP; SUPP
HB 53 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
HB 55 APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET
HB 55 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
OVERVIEW: FY 26 BUDGET BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
OVERVIEW: FY 26 BUDGET BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Co-Chair Josephson reviewed the meeting agenda.
HOUSE BILL NO. 53
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
loan program expenses of state government and for
certain programs; capitalizing funds; amending
appropriations; making supplemental appropriations;
making reappropriations; making appropriations under
art. IX, sec. 17(c), Constitution of the State of
Alaska, from the constitutional budget reserve fund;
and providing for an effective date."
HOUSE BILL NO. 55
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
capital expenses of the state's integrated
comprehensive mental health program; and providing for
an effective date."
1:35:25 PM
^OVERVIEW: FY 26 BUDGET BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
1:35:29 PM
JAMES COCKRELL, COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY,
offered introductory remarks related to public safety in
Alaska. He relayed that the mission of the department could
not be carried out without the support of the legislature.
Commissioner Cockrell thanked the committee. He felt that
the Department of Public Safety (DPS) was heading in a good
direction and made general comments regarding the budget as
reflected in the PowerPoint.
1:39:19 PM
DIANNA THORNTON, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR,
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, introduced a PowerPoint
presentation titled "Department of Public Safety FY2026
Budget Overview," dated February 17, 2025 (copy on file).
She addressed Slide 2 that listed the department's mission
and key objectives:
Mission: To ensure public safety and to enforce fish and
wildlife laws
Key Objectives:
Recruitment, Retention & Wellness
Rural Alaska Law Enforcement & Safety
Establish Parks Highway North Trooper Post
Purchase Long Range Response Aircraft
Illicit Drug and Child Abuse Investigations
Fisheries and Wildlife Resource Protection
Statewide Impact:
Strengthen workforce resilience
Expand safety in rural communities
Improve Parks Highway patrol
Enhance remote emergency response
Target drug trafficking and child abuse
Protect Alaskans, our resources, and ecosystems
statewide
Ms. Thornton turned to Slide 3 titled "highlights in FY
2024:"
Fire and Life Safety
Prioritized fire safety inspections and education in
rural Alaska to prevent fire-related deaths, enhancing
community safety.
Alaska State Troopers
The Alaska State Troopers coordinated and responded to
598 search and rescue events, demonstrating their
critical role in ensuring public safety across
Alaska's vast and challenging terrains.
Alaska Wildlife Troopers
The Alaska Wildlife Troopers protected Alaska's multi-
billion-dollar fish and wildlife resources from
illegal harvest through enforcement and education
across urban and rural areas, benefiting various user
groups.
Integrated Victim Assistance
The Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
held the final meeting of the current Pathways
Statewide Strategic Plan, focusing on identifying
future prevention targets and forming new goals and
initiatives to be integrated into upcoming Requests
for Proposals.
Village Public Safety Operations
The Division grew the number of Village Public Safety
Officers working in rural Alaska, strengthening law
enforcement presence and community safety in these
areas.
Alaska Police Standards Council
The Council sponsored 712 officers across 48 advanced
and in-service training events, totaling 23,298 hours
of training. This included utilizing Mental Health
Trust Authority Authorized Receipt grant funds to
sponsor 2,103 officers in six training events,
delivering 10,334 officer hours of training.
She moved to Slide 4 titled Department Appropriation
Structure
Fire and Life Safety
•State Fire Marshall
•Life Safety Inspection Bureau
•Plan Review Bureau
•Bureau of Fire Accreditation, Standards, and Training
•Alaska Fire Standards Council
Alaska State Troopers
•Four detachments
•Drug/alcohol enforcement
•Dispatch services
•Search and rescue
•Alaska Bureau of Investigation
•Alaska Wildlife Troopers
•Marine enforcement
•Aircraft section
•Prisoner transport
Integrated Victim Assistance
•Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
•Violent Crimes Compensation Board
•Victim Navigator Unit
•Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Training Unit
•Missing Persons Clearinghouse
•Crime Lab
Statewide Support
•Commissioner's Office
•Division of Administrative Services
•Division of Statewide Services
•Office of Professional Standards
•Training Academy
•Public Information Office
Village Public Safety Operations
•Certification, training and standards
•Ten regional grantees partnered with 156 communities
•Rural Alaska public safety: community policing,
search and rescue operations, emergency medical
response, fire prevention and suppression
Alaska Police Standards Council
•Certification and de-certification of police officers
•Misconduct and disqualification investigations
•Develop and maintain police officer training and
training requirements
1:42:08 PM
Ms. Thornton examined Slide 5 titled "Historical Budget by
Funding Source FY2020 - FY2026:"
Between FY2025 Enacted and FY2026 Governor's Budget:
•$20,889.4 or 6.01% increase in Unrestricted General
Funds (UGF)
•$11,388.6 or 3.28% is State employee salary
increases, $185.9 in federal funds
•$321.8 net reduction in Designated General Funds
(DGF)
•$9,500.8 or 2.74% in UGF is initiatives detailed in
this presentation
Ms. Thornton pointed to the graph and noted that there were
two increments from prior years she drew attention to. The
first was in FY 2021, when the Violent Crimes Compensation
Board (VCCB) was added to the DPS's mission adding 5 staff
and an increment of $2.5 million. The second was in FY
2023, when the Alaska Public Safety Communications Services
was transferred to DPS from the Department of Military and
Veterans' Affairs (DMV) at a cost of $9.7 million adding 24
positions.
Co-Chair Josephson asked what source the reduction in DGF
was. Ms. Thornton answered that it was reduced from the
Recidivism Reduction Fund from the marijuana tax revenue.
Representative Stapp noted the substantial growth in DPS's
spending. He asked if there was growth in the encounter
rate with state troopers. Commissioner Cockrell responded
that over the past four years there was small growth in the
number of Alaska State Troopers (AST). He reported that in
the prior year there were 70 vacancies and currently ASTs
had 55 vacancies. If the current 22 class members pass, the
rate would decrease to 31 vacancies, which had not been
seen in a couple of decades. He stated that recruitment
efforts seemed to be working but the challenge was to
retain them. Retention depended on factors like trooper
support, equipment, and housing issues in rural Alaska.
1:45:44 PM
Representative Stapp stated that the department had found a
way to bridge the vacancy crisis. He asked about some of
the recruitment efforts the department had done to
alleviate the vacancy issue. Commissioner Cockrell answered
that the department was focused on hiring troopers and
professional staff. The department had decreased the
processing timeline. He discussed "early hiring efforts
that included candidates spending time on investigations
and patrol prior to academy attendance that decreased
dropout rates. Focus on Alaska hires and employing a
professional recruiter were additional efforts. He
discussed other efforts like multiple location recruitment,
reclassification of vacant positions, and meeting weekly on
recruitment efforts. He ascertained that the number of
trooper vacancies had decreased substantially and DPS was
currently doing really well. He believed that the trooper
pay was good and mentioned instituting a responsive
wellness program that included a counselor. In addition,
troopers received upgraded equipment. The funding climate
in the past five years had changed in a good way for the
department. He elaborated that the Village Public Safety
Officer (VPSO) program was strong and much improved over
prior years. There was a 76 percent increase in drug
seizures: primarily fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
He discussed methods to impede the influx of drugs into
rural areas. The state was leading the country in how it
handled Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) and
had made huge gains in several years.
1:53:08 PM
Co-Chair Josephson summarized that he spoke a lot about
encounter, which was related to the original question.
Representative Johnson appreciated the 2025 Key Objectives
handout in members' packets (copy on file). She referenced
the federal funding line on the chart on slide 5 that had
increased significantly over the prior several years. She
was concerned about what happened if the funding decreased.
She asked what kind of federal revenue or funding stream he
expected in the future and if the increase was due to
trooper housing. Commissioner Cockrell responded that DPS
did not rely heavily on federal funding and noted that
there was an influx of federal funds for housing. He
reminded the committee that the DPS budget had increased
because it had been dramatically decreased in 2018 and
2019, which created backlogs in all functions. He stressed
that the increased state investment had saved Alaska lives.
Ms. Thornton answered that there was about $59 million of
federal authority for federal grants awarded to the
department. She delineated that the funding was for crime
interdiction teams supporting drug enforcement with a
minimal amount for positions. Much of the grant money was
pass through funding to other law enforcement agencies
through the United States (U.S.) Department of Justice.
Representative Johnson asked the department to highlight
federal funding throughout the presentation. She cautioned
about situations where the legislature would have to
backfill with other funds once the federal funding was
eliminated.
1:57:38 PM
Representative Allard thought every department could take
note of the information on the slides. She believed that
the appropriation and budget information was well
presented. She believed that the department had improved
recruitment without lowering its standards. She hoped the
department would reach out to the military. She suggested
that the department make a recruitment video advertisement
about it being cool to be a trooper." She inquired about
efforts to recruit from exiting military. Commissioner
Cockrell answered that the department recruited heavily for
military hire.
LEON MORGAN, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
SAFETY, replied that DPS
began the military hiring process up to one year before a
candidate exited the military and delayed their entry into
the academy. The strategy was implemented roughly 4 years
ago and was successful.
2:00:31 PM
Representative Galvin cited the "Other" funding category on
slide 5. She pointed to FY 2020 and wondered why the
actuals were significantly higher than the enacted. She
wanted more information in general on the Other category.
Ms. Thornton did not have the information on hand regarding
the actuals and offered to follow up. Ms. Thornton answered
that other funding was primarily interagency receipts,
Mental Health Trust Authority Authorized Receipts (MHTAAR)
funding, providing funds to the Alaska Police Standards
Council, ASTs, statutorily designated funds for items like
fire life safety regulations on fire standards, Restorative
Justice Funding from incarcerated Permanent Fund Dividend
recipients, and VCCB funding for victims.
2:03:24 PM
Representative Hannan speculated that the other funding in
2020 was likely due to COVID funding. She requested DPS
show the committee its promotional videos in the future.
Commissioner Cockrell replied in the affirmative. He
interjected that he did not find the $15 thousand to $30
thousand trooper bonus program productive and eliminated
it. He believed that there were better ways to spend money
on recruitment.
Representative Allard referenced bonuses. She acknowledged
that sometimes in the military, bonuses were spread out
over years to offer incentives to stay longer. Commissioner
Cockrell appreciated the suggestion.
2:06:16 PM
Ms. Thornton briefly highlighted Slide 6 titled "FY2026
Budget by Funding Source, $347,333.1 ($ in thousands):"
Federal
•US Department of Justice
•Office for Victims of Crime
•Bureau of Justice Assistance
•Community Oriented Policing Services
•Bureau of Justice Statistics
•Department of Homeland Security
•Federal Emergency Management Agency
Other
•Interagency Receipts
•Capital Improvement Project
•Mental Health Trust Authority
•Crime Victim Compensation Fund
Designated General Funds
•General Fund Program Receipts
•Recidivism Reduction Fund
Ms. Thornton turned to the pie charts on Slide 7 titled "FY
2026 Budget Breakdown by Appropriation and Line Item.She
pointed to the left pie chart reflecting the bulk of the
funding going to the Alaska State and Wildlife Troopers,
$216,432.2 ,62%; Statewide Support $59,244.3, 17%; and with
the remaining distributed among fire and life safety,
Village Public Safety Operations, Integrated Victim
Assistance, and the Alaska Police Standards Council. The
pie chart on the right depicted each expenditure account
with Personal Services $199,172.0 , 57% being the bulk of
the funding.
2:07:41 PM
Ms. Thornton advanced to slide 8 titled "Alaska State
Troopers FY 2026 UGF $194,369.2
Contribution to the Overall Department Mission:
Preserve public peace; protect life, property, and
wildlife resources.
Staff: 701 permanent full-time positions, 12 part-time
positions, 34 non-permanent positions.
Core Services:
•Provide statewide law enforcement, ensuring public
safety in both urban and remote communities.
•Enforce fish and wildlife laws to protect Alaska's
natural resources through patrols, investigations, and
public education.
•Investigate major crimes, including homicides and
sexual assaults, and combat drug trafficking to uphold
public safety.
Ms. Thornton addressed Slide 9 titled "AST: Detachments
FY2026 UGF $4,887.7:"
$2,348.0 State Trooper and
Wildlife Trooper overtime
$65.0 Crime scene van
$500.0 for duty gear
$489.1 One-time increment for Talkeetna post vehicles
and equipment
$1,485.6 Re-Open Talkeetna post:
Five positions: one Sergeant, three Troopers, one
criminal justice technician
Representative Stapp noticed that over the past couple of
years the legislature had put resources into the Talkeetna
Post. He asked if they were looking at reopening posts in
rural Alaska. Commissioner Cockrell replied that he viewed
the situation as a package when distributing resources in
certain areas of the state. He discussed the reasons to re-
open the Talkeetna Post. He added that the prior
administration had closed 12 posts. He informed the
committee that in Bethel he posted 3 investigators focusing
on child and adult sexual assault through a pilot program
and was planning to do the same in the Northwest Artic
Borough. He stated that there was not a day he did not look
at putting troopers somewhere else but there were a finite
number of troopers to go around. He was attempting to put
more VPSOs and troopers in rural Alaska. He related that
the rural areas were looking for public safety equity and
he was focused on rural communities. He continued to
discuss the serious public safety issues that prompted the
Talkeetna Post re-opening.
2:14:31 PM
Representative Hannan asked that of the 12 posts that had
been closed in 2016, what was the plan for re-opening all
of them. She discussed issues in Haines that wanted its AST
post to reopen. Commissioner Cockrell reiterated the
reasons the Talkeetna post was reopened like the 2.5
thousand service call each year and the logistical
challenges to serve the areas from either Anchorage or the
Matsu. Representative Hannan referenced the overtime
increment on slide 9 and asked what percent of the overall
increment it represented. She asked if there was a
supplemental request. Ms. Thornton answered that she had
reviewed the actual average per trooper overtime that
amounted to 300 hours. The calculation was more realistic
and represented the budget shortfall in personal services.
2:19:22 PM
Co-Chair Josephson asked how many boroughs had their own
public safety officers. He wondered whether it was only the
North Slope Borough. Commissioner Cockrell would follow up.
Mr. Morgan replied that he knew of three boroughs: Haines,
Lake and Peninsula, and North Slope Boroughs.
Representative Jimmie asked why it would be important to
have Wildlife Troopers at the Talkeetna post. Commissioner
Cockrell answered that it was necessary due to the large
amount of resource users and activity in the area. In
addition, Wildlife Troopers could stand-in for an ASTs, and
they were the experts in search and rescue. Representative
Jimmie thought the department would prioritize public
safety over a wildlife trooper posting. Commissioner
Cockrell reiterated that they were also ASTs and could
support state troopers. The department had 90 wildlife
troopers to enforce all the state's fish and game laws.
Representative Jimmie asked if the department would rather
have one less AST and one additional Wildlife Trooper.
Commissioner Cockrell reiterated his answer regarding
Wildlife Troopers dual roles.
2:23:15 PM
Representative Galvin asked about the $2.3 million for
overtime. She wondered if there would be less overtime
funding in the future due to the recruitment efforts
increasing the trooper ranks. Ms. Thornton responded that
the department had been using a faulty calculation for
instances of overtime. She noted the reasons for overtime
and did not anticipating a reduction in overtime due to the
increased service areas.
Representative Galvin deduced that more PCNs would cause
less need for overtime. She asked for comment. Mr. Morgan
answered that even with the increase in staff, Alaska had
the lowest staffed state police agency in the country by
any metric. The average was one trooper per 1 thousand
population. She emphasized that the overtime pressure was a
reality and was necessary.
Co-Chair Josephson asked the department to briefly
continue.
Ms. Thornton moved to slide 10 titled "AST Dispatch AST:
Dispatch FY2026 UGF $123.8:"
Provide 24/7 emergency and non-emergency dispatch
services, including 9 1 1 call handling, incident data
entry, and law enforcement database management to
support public safety operations
Ms. Thornton discussed Slide 11 titled "AST: Alaska Bureau
of Investigations FY2026 UGF $1,395.5:"
$1,075.5 and $270.0 one-time increment for three
Child Sexual Abuse Material Investigators in Northwest
Arctic Borough
$50.0 unidentified human remains pilot project
Ms. Thornton reviewed Slide 12 titled "AST: Aircraft
Section FY2026 UGF $400.0
$400.0 Increase for fuel and aircraft supplies
Over the last five years, Jet A fuel has increased
46.6%, and Avgas increased 51.8%
Operational Impact = Less proactive law enforcement
presence such as reduced patrols and village visits
Ms. Thornton reviewed Slide 13 titled "AST: Alaska Wildlife
Troopers FY2026 UGF $729.9:"
$323.0 Re-Open Talkeetna post One Wildlife Trooper
$106.9 One-time increment for Talkeetna post vehicles
and equipment
$300.0 For duty gear
2:28:55 PM
Ms. Thornton presented slide 14 titled "Integrated Victim
Assistance FY 2026 Budget $36,842.9
Contribution to the Overall Department Mission:
To provide victim-centered responses, enhanced
services, and training that are vital to the safety,
stability, and healing of crime victims/survivors and
family members. To uphold victims' rights, are
culturally responsive and ultimately lead to enhanced
public safety and community trust. Staff: 29 permanent
full-time positions.
Core Services:
•Provides financial assistance, emergency shelter, and
advocacy for victims of violent crimes, domestic
violence, and sexual assault.
•Fund community-based prevention programs and law
enforcement training to improve victim services
statewide.
FY2024 Accomplishments:
A $3.7M increase approved by the Legislature in FY2024
offset declining federal funds, ensuring continued
victim support and prevention programs across Alaska.
FY2026 adjustments:
•$87.0 in UGF to replace a portion of Restorative
Justice Funds to Council on Domestic Violence and
Sexual Assault (CDVSA)
-$387.1 reduction in Restorative Justice Funds for
CDVSA (DGF)
-$361.6 reduction in Permanent Fund Dividend Criminal
Fund for the Violent Crimes Compensation Board (Other
Funds)
Ms. Thornton corrected a bullet point on the slide and
noted it should read $387,100 reduction from the Recidivism
Reduction Funds.
Co-Chair Josephson asked if Child Advocacy Centers (CDC)
were funded in the governor's budget. Ms. Thornton deferred
the answer to Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual
Assault (CDVSA).
MARY BETH GAGNON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, answered that the Child
Advocacy Centers were fully but flat funded (through the
Victim of Crimes Act) through FY 26. She noted that the
Department of Family and Community Services (DFCS)
primarily housed CDCs and the CDC budget cuts were
happening in DFCS. She directed funding cut questions to
DFCS.
Representative Johnson asked about the Restorative Justice
Account decrease. Ms. Thornton responded that the amount
was provided to DPS by the Department of Revenue (DOR) and
was based on the number of individuals that were eligible
for the PFD. She did not have the exact formula and would
follow up.
2:34:54 PM
Ms. Thornton moved to slide 15 titled "Village Public
Safety Operations FY2026 UGF $1,215.2
Contribution to the Overall Department Mission:
Preserve public peace, protect life and property in
rural villages, and provide public safety outreach to
communities through various community policing
programs.
Staff: Five permanent full-time positions, 85 grant
funded VPSO positions.
Core Services:
•Administer and oversee VPSO program grant agreements
to ensure fiscal accountability.
•Provide VPSO certification and ongoing training in
law enforcement, fire suppression, and emergency
medical care.
•Collaborate with the Alaska State Trooper divisions
to support VPSOs and align with public safety
objectives.
•Manage and track law enforcement equipment
distribution for VPSOs.
Significant Budget Change:
Five new Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO)
positions, $1,215.2
UGF
Ms. Thornton summarized Slide 16 titled: "Fire, Life and
Safety FY2026 UGF $5,175.0
Contribution to the Overall Department Mission:
Prevent the loss of life and property from fire and
explosions.
Staff: 30 permanent full-time positions.
Core Services:
•Fire training programs and public education
•Fire and life safety inspections
•Building plan review for code compliance
FY2024 Accomplishments: Enforced fire prevention
codes, conducted inspections, investigated fires, and
provided public education to enhance statewide fire
safety.
Challenges: Increased demand for fire prevention
services.
Goals in FY2026: Expand fire prevention training and
outreach, increase fire inspections, strengthen
partnerships with local fire departments and first
responders to improve statewide fire safety.
FY2026 adjustments that continue current service
levels include a $83.8 increase in UGF
Ms. Thornton highlighted Slide 17 titled "Alaska Police
Standards Council FY2026 UGF $1,570.1
Contribution to the Overall Department Mission: To
produce and maintain highly trained and positively
motivated professional officers, capable of meeting
contemporary law enforcement standards of performance.
Staff: 5 permanent full-time positions.
Core Services:
•Provide academy, in-service, and advanced training
for police, corrections, probation, parole, and
municipal correctional officers.
•Ensure compliance with Alaska Police Standards
Council (APSC) minimum qualification regulations.
FY2024 Accomplishments: APSC sponsored 712 officers
across 48 advanced and in-service training events,
totaling 23,298 hours of training. This included
utilizing Mental Health Trust Authority Authorized
Receipts grant funds to sponsor 2,103 officers in six
training events, delivering 10,334 officer hours of
training.
•No significant FY2026 adjustments to continue current
service levels
•$80.0 Continuation of Mental Health Trust Authority
Receipts (MHTARR) to expand Crisis Intervention
Training for law enforcement
2:36:13 PM
Ms. Thornton addressed Slide 18 titled "Statewide Support
FY2026 UGF $38,135.5
Contribution to the Overall Department Mission:
Provides essential executive management and
administrative services, ensuring the department's
effective operation.
Staff:230 permanent full-time positions, two 2 non-
permanent positions.
Core Services:
•Administrative Services: Centralized support for
budgeting, finance, procurement, personnel, grants,
and facilities maintenance.
•Statewide Services: Maintains law enforcement data
systems and criminal history records for justice and
public safety agencies.
•Public Safety Training Academy: Provides basic and
specialized police training, including VPSO training,
in partnership with University of Southeast.
•Commissioner's Office: Manages legislative relations,
policy development, labor relations, and public
information coordination.
FY2026 adjustments that continue current service
levels include a $1,528.7 increase in UGF
Co-Chair Josephson asked about VPSO positions and cited
slide 4 and referenced the bullet point: "Ten regional
grantees partnered with 156 communities." He wondered how
many villages were served by VPSO's. He had heard
discrepancies with the number. Ms. Thornton answered that
there were 156 villages that had Memorandums of Agreement
with the 10 regional grantees administering the program.
She elaborated that roughly 68 of the communities currently
had at least one VPSO. One community may have five or six
villages they provided VPSO services and housed multiple
officers that roved to the other communities. She stressed
that roving programs could be very expensive.
Representative Johnson asked a question regarding vessel
replacement. Commissioner Cockrell answered that DPS was
currently in the procurement process for the vessel and
would possess the ship in one to two years.
Representative Bynum asked three questions related to
recruitment and retention. He asked what they were doing on
youth recruitment. Mr. Morgan responded that they had an
active explorer program in the Matsu and a fledgling one in
Fairbanks. The department engaged in explorer programs and
outreach to high schools. It was difficult to compile data
on the programs' success. Representative Bynum asked that
whether DPS wanted to see the programs revived and if it
needed more engagement with local police departments. He
asked if DPS would be willing to revive the programs. Mr.
Morgan reiterated ASTs were engaged in the programs. In
terms of offering long term stability for the programs,
community focus was important. The department was very
supportive of the program.
2:41:57 PM
Representative Bynum asked how many of DPS recruits were
former law enforcement, a youth first job, from other law
enforcement within the state, and recruits out of state.
Co-Chair Josephson asked for written answers through his
office.
Representative Bynum mentioned that retention was a very
important issue for full funding. He had discovered that
one of the major things talked about in his district was
about how difficult the job was. He asked about the
challenges and what the department was doing to make it
easier for the trooper. Mr. Morgan replied that increasing
staff was one of the most important things that lowered the
number of service calls per trooper. He highlighted the
department's wellness program that attributed significantly
to retention. He would expand offline.
Co-Chair Josephson thanked the department.
Commissioner Cockrell relayed that the department struggled
every day with where to place its troopers. He acknowledged
that there were many places in the state without law
enforcement. His goal was to increase public safety
throughout the state.
2:46:59 PM
AT EASE
2:49:07 PM
RECONVENED
^OVERVIEW: FY 26 BUDGET BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
2:49:29 PM
Co-Chair Josephson invited the Department of Corrections
(DOC) to the table.
APRIL WILKERSON, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS, provided a PowerPoint titled "Department of
Corrections: FY2026 Budget Overview," dated February 17,
2025 (copy on file). She introduced herself and colleagues.
She began with Slide 2 titled "Organizational Chart
Commissioner's Office
Division of Institutions
Division of Health and Rehabilitation Services
Division of Pretrial, Probation, and Parole
Division of Administrative Services
Parole Board
Ms. Wilkerson pointed out that the Board of Parole was
budgetarily housed in the Department of Corrections (DOC)
but administered to by the Governor's Office. She shared
that within the executive team there was more than 130
years of combined DOC service.
Ms. Wilkerson moved to Slide 3 titled :Mission And Core
Services:"
Mission: To provide secure confinement, reformative
programs, and a process of supervised community
reintegration to enhance the safety of our communities
Department FY2026 Positions: 2,124 PFT
Department FY2026 Budget Request: $481,123.2
Ms. Wilkerson elaborated that the Core Services were Secure
Confinement, Reformative Programs, and Supervised Release.
The department was established as its own department in
1984 and formerly housed in Department of Health and Social
Services.
2:53:22 PM
JAKE WYCKOFF, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS (via teleconference), reviewed Slide 4 titled
DOC AT A GLANCE
Alaska is one of seven states that operate a unified
correctional system. A state unified system is one in which
there is an integrated state-level prison and jail system.
DOC booked 26,998 offenders into its facilities in
FY2024.
16,868 were unique offenders
567 were non-criminal Title 47 bookings
As of January 1, 2025, DOC was responsible for 9,767
individuals
4,266 offenders in jail or prison
250 offenders on sentenced electronic monitoring (EM)
364 offenders in community residential centers (CRCs)
3,382 offenders on probation or parole
1,505 defendants on pretrial supervision (1,029 on
pretrial EM).
Mr. Wyckoff indicated that jail systems in Alaska housed
unsentenced individuals and prisons contained sentenced
individuals. He discussed the difference between other
states and Alaska that operated both prison and jail
systems under one umbrella instead of separately. The
department booked just under 27,000 offenders into DOC
facilities in FY 24. He noted that the same number were
released during that time. He disclosed that non-criminal
bookings were alcohol and mental health holds.
Representative Galvin asked if the numbers were an increase
in bookings since previous years. Mr. Wyckoff replied in
the negative. He added that DOC facilities were at 81
percent of their maximum capacity.
Representative Galvin asked how many individuals were
booked in prior years. Ms. Wilkerson reiterated that the
number had decreased. The current number was below the
prior number of roughly 32 thousand.
2:59:18 PM
Representative Stapp asked if the prisons were at 81
percent at capacity. Ms. Wilkerson answered they were at 81
percent of their maximum capacity that included general
beds whether operational or not plus half the segregation
beds that made the actual capacity much higher.
Representative Stapp asked what much higher meant. Ms.
Wilkerson responded that DOC was operating at closer to 91
percent. She provided an example of how the number was
calculated.
3:00:57 PM
Ms. Wilkerson advanced to Slide 5 titled FY 24 Major
Accomplishments:"
Partnered with the Department of Family and Community
Services and Alaska Psychiatric Institute to establish
and open the jail-based restoration program at the
Anchorage Correctional Complex.
Initiated the expansion of community placement options
by using alternatives to the traditional community
residential center placements. The department is
running a pilot project on these placements, utilizing
True North Recovery and Alaska Addiction and
Rehabilitation Services (AARS).
Utilized the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention (AFSP) and the National Commission on
Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) resource guide to
complete a thorough proactive needs assessment of all
13 correctional facilities statewide. The finalized
report and recommendation are part of Project 2025, an
effort to reduce in-custody annual suicides rates 20
percent by Calendar Year (CY) 2025.
Partnered with the Carpenter's Union and implemented a
pre-apprentice carpentry program at Hiland Mountain
and Wildwood Correctional Centers.
Implemented a pilot tablet program at Hiland Mountain
Correctional Center. These tablets are used in a
limited/restricted capacity for: Digital Law Library,
Attorney Visitation, Court hearings, and the inmate
handbook. In addition, the department and the Alaska
Court System partnered to have Court tablets
operational for inmates at Goose Creek Correctional
Center.
Under the department's statewide Wellness Program for
employees and inmates, formalized a Critical Incident
Stress Management/Peer Support team. The department
trained 35 staff to be peer supporters and will be
training additional supporters in early 2025. The
Wellness Unit trained 54 Stronger Families trainers
and implemented seven modules department wide.
Approximately 1,000 department staff were trained in
this program.
3:04:29 PM
Co-Chair Josephson assumed the peer support training
related to Senator Dunbar's bill [SB 103-Peer Support
Counseling Program, Chapter 54 SLA 24, 09/05/2024] that
authorized someone that experienced trauma to
confidentially seek counseling. Ms. Wilkerson answered
affirmatively and noted that it expounded on the bill.
Representative Galvin appreciated time spent with the
department over the interim and visits to facilities. She
asked about the 7 placements at the Clitheroe Center
(Anchorage) and the AARS community placement options. She
wondered if it was cost effective. Ms. Wilkerson answered
the costs were covered by private insurance, Medicaid, or
other alternatives and did not add costs to the department.
She asked about the work with suicide prevention and the
federal effort on rape. Ms. Wilkerson deduced that she was
talking about the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) and
offered to provide the answer. Representative Galvin asked
how many inmates participated in the pre-apprentice
carpentry program. Ms. Wilkerson deferred the question.
3:07:24 PM
TRAVIS WELCH, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF HEALTH AND REHAB
SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS (via teleconference),
did not have the precise numbers on hand. He would follow
up.
Ms. Wilkerson relayed that Hiland Mountain Correctional
Center had five women participating and Wildwood had 10.
She reminded the committee it was a pilot program and DOC
was hoping to expand the program. Representative Galvin
knew how important the programs were and asked how the
legislature may help the department increase the capacity.
She asked about the tablets cost and who paid for it.
3:10:14 PM
Ms. Wilkerson replied that currently the cost of the
tablets was about $50 per month per account. She added that
considering the restricted capacity the cost was high.
She pointed to a request in the FY 26 budget to fund the
tablets and implement them fully. She noted there was also
the [HB 35-Prisoners: Electronic Devices, Id Cards, Chapter
25 SLA25, 08/07/25] that would increase programming and
other uses. She shared that DOC was looking into expanded
use for things like telehealth and court hearings reducing
departmental costs. Representative Galvin asked whether the
expanded tablet opportunities were potential cost savings.
Ms. Wilkerson answered in the affirmative.
3:12:13 PM
Ms. Wilkerson looked at Slide 6 titled "KEY CHALLENGES
Recruit, hire, and retain qualified staff to meet the
challenge of public protection within fiscally
responsible parameters
Management and movement of the offender population;
providing assurance of proper offender classification
for placement in Correctional Institutions, Community
Residential Centers, and Electronic Monitoring
Control the cost and prevalence of chronic illnesses
and communicable diseases among incarcerated offenders
Reduce the ongoing deterioration of the facilities
Ms. Wilkerson communicated that recruitment efforts were
trending in the right direction and that vacancy across the
department was at 10 percent. Correctional Officer
vacancies lowered from 17 to percent to 4 percent
statewide. The Spring Creek facility was currently at 18
percent vacancy, down from 38 percent in the prior two
years. She reminded the committee that the departments
population was driven by laws, law enforcement, etc. and
was tricky to predict. In addition, DOC remained the
largest mental health provider in the state; inmates and
facilities were aging which were high cost drivers.
3:14:28 PM
KEVIN WORLEY, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS, highlighted Slide 7 titled "FY 2026
Operating Budget Request. He pointed to the bar chart and
related that the FY 26 management plan showed a $24.7
million or 5.4 percent from the prior fiscal year. He
pointed to the four major fund categories: federal, other,
DGF, and UGF. The federal funding was associated with man-
day billings and other funds including the Restorative
Justice And Recidivism Reduction funds. He emphasized that
DOC was primarily funded via GF.
3:15:25 PM
Mr. Worley briefly discussed the remaining slides. He
addressed Slide 8 titled FY 2026 Operating Budget Request
The chart depicted a pie graph showing the largest item was
UGF. He moved to Slide 9 titled "FY 2026 Operating Budget
Request by Line Item He indicated that the DOC's total
expenditures amounted to $481.123 million and noted that
the largest share was for personal services as noted on the
pie chart. He highlighted Slide 10 titled "Operating Budget
Request By Division He pointed out that the pie chart
showed institutional costs comprised the largest portion,
followed by Health and Rehabilitation and Pretrial,
Probation, and Parole was third. He delineated that DOC
recently created a new appropriation; Maintenance and
Operations (M&O), in response to intent language included
in the budget. The expenditures were reported within the
other divisions; it was a double accounting and was funded
by inter-agency receipts. Co-Chair Josephson asked if it
was a new division. Mr. Worley clarified it was not a
division, but merely a record keeping appropriation. The
parole board represented the smallest portion of the pie
chart.
Representative Hannan asked if the zero budget for the new
M&O appropriation meant that no one was performing
maintenance and operations in the department. She wondered
if the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOT) carried it out via inter-agency receipts.
Ms. Wilkerson answered that the maintenance positions were
budgeted through the prison institutions themselves and the
costs were reported. Institutions was the only division
with M&O.
Co-Chair Josephson ascertained that it cost approximately
$13 million but it was under Institutions. Ms. Wilkerson
answered affirmatively. She elaborated that previously the
Institutions expenditure detail would include M&O, lease,
utility, etc. costs, However, the new appropriation would
record all of the institutional costs.
3:19:08 PM
Mr. Worley reviewed Slide 11 titled "Division Services."
The slide depicted the Divisions, M&O, and Board of Parole
budget and what services, programs, or activities each
provided. He drew attention to the new M&O item that listed
the items being accounted for. He summarized Slide 12
titled "FY 2026 Major Operating Budget Changes:"
Fund Source Changes:
Replace Funding Source Due to the Declining Federal
Manday Revenue: -$7,500 Fed $7,500 UGF
Replace Funding Source to Align with Balance in
Restorative Justice Fund (PFD Criminal Funds) in
Physical Health Care:-$2,428.9 Other $2,428.9 UGF
Mr. Worley explained that the Manday revenue for federal
holds in Alaska prisons was being reduced to federal holds
only. The prior reimbursement included state holds if it
was a combination of state and federal holds. The federal
decrease was being replaced with UGF.
3:20:33 PM
Mr. Worley underlined Slide 13 titled " FY 2026Major
Operating Budget Changes:"
Fund Source Consolidation:
Consolidate Recidivism Reduction Funds into
Community Residential Center (CRC) Component:-
$7,636.1 DGF $7,636.1 UGF (Zero Net Effect)
Co-Chair Josephson assumed the funds were still going to
programs for recidivism. He asked for clarification on the
recidivism reduction programs and if they were still
reduction funds when moved to CRC's.
Ms. Wilkerson responded in the affirmative. She explicated
that there were some recidivism reduction funds within the
community residential center appropriation. Currently, The
recidivism funds were consolidated in an effort to focus on
community reintegration. She felt the action supported
community reintegration and did not focus on the
educational programing that was happening in the
institution; that funding was backfilled with GF.
Co-Chair Josephson wondered about her statements regarding
less of the educational component. Ms. Wilkerson answered
that the funds were previously expended on educational
training occurring within the institution. The department
wanted to direct the recidivism reduction funds into one
entity. Co-Chair Josephson stated that he needed to learn
more about recidivism reduction and whether the funds were
being used for constructive programs for ending the cycle
of imprisonment. He asked for clarification.
3:24:00 PM
Ms. Wilkerson replied that the efforts were to help
successfully reintegrate the inmate being furloughed out
into the community.
Mr. Worley highlighted Slide 14 titled "FY 2026 Major
Operating Budget Changes:"
Annual Facility and Maintenance Increase
$14,809.4 (Inter-Agency Receipts)
Establish Peer Support and Wellness Program
$500.0 (UGF)
Support Deployment of Inmate Tablets Costs Increases
$249.0 (UGF)
Lease Agreements Cost Increases
$154.0 (UGF)
Regional Community Jails Rising Costs
$195.0 (UGF)
Support Vocational Services and Training Expansion
Programs Costs $850.0 (UGF)
Mr. Worley delineated that the second item, currently
provided staff with peer support and confidential
counseling within the institution. Currently, there were 3
staff within the Office of the Commissioner and the
endeavor was supported through an unbudgeted Reimbursable
Services Agreement (RSA) and were utilizing funds from
other areas to support the priority initiative. The
Regional Community Jail item was related to the Dillingham
Community Jail contract that was removed from the prior
year's budget and subsequently added back but not in the
full amount of the contract. The request would fully fund
the contract.
Representative Johnson pointed to the increment pertaining
to deployment of inmate tablets. She asked if the tablets
could be used to scan inmate paper communications to help
stop contraband entering the facility. Ms. Wilkerson
replied affirmatively; however, the department was limited
on how they could be used. The department was currently
copying and delivering mail for inmates due to prior budget
funding. In the future, the mail could be scanned into the
tablets.
Mr. Worley stated the final operating budget change was
included in Slide 15 titled "FY 2026 Major Operating Budget
Changes:"
Increase Authority for Supervisory Standby Pay for
Supervisors Department Wide: $3,904.7 General Funds
(UGF)
3:29:04 PM
Representative Stapp discussed overtime and standby pay. He
relayed that he regularly received communications from
correctional employees. He reported that he received an
email recently about standby pay. He asked how many upper
management standby logs existed and how often they were
called to work versus receiving the pay. Ms. Wilkerson
answered that there were two standby rosters within the
Division of Pretrial Probation and Parole. She elaborated
that it was more efficient to have one for Probation and
Parole and the other for Pretrial.
3:30:49 PM
Representative Stapp asked when the change to two rosters
had been made. Ms. Wilkerson replied that it had been about
two years. Representative Stapp asked if it was before or
after a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was
signed increasing standby pay. Ms. Wilkerson replied that
she would follow up. She acknowledged that standby pay had
been high in the past. Representative Stapp noted the topic
was discussed in the prior year. He agreed that it was a
high number. He asked for a list of the logs from the prior
two years. Ms. Wilkerson answered that each allocation on
the list had its own roster. She asked for clarification
that he wanted the whole roster.
Co-Chair Josephson would like to know why he requested the
roster.
Representative Stapp was curious how many times employees
were on the roster versus how often they were called to
work. He thought the pay was double. He wondered how often
they were paid and did not work standby. Ms. Wilkerson
would follow up with the information.
Co-Chair Josephson asked if the same rate was paid in both
circumstances.
3:33:16 PM
Ms. Wilkerson answered that supervisors were paid for 2
hours (3 hours on weekends) on standby at their regular
rate of pay no matter how many hours they worked outside
their normal working hours.
Representative Johnson wondered if DOC had a plan to reduce
overtime. Ms. Wilkerson responded that the department was
"surprised" to discover the high standby costs and took
measures to reduce it as she previously noted. In addition,
she explained that there were multiple people on standby
everyday by institution location. The department
reevaluated that and limited it to one person per location.
She pointed out that the Division of Pretrial Probation and
Parole was split into regions. The commissioner was
challenging all the directors to gain efficiencies in
standby costs. She discussed overtime and reported that it
slightly decreased but was still not reduced to the level
the department wanted. She hoped that through recruitment
efforts it would be further reduced. Representative Johnson
asked about reasons for the increase in DOC budget. Ms.
Wilkerson replied that the department experienced changes
over the years; the budget was pretty dramatically reduced
in FY 16 due to SB 91 [SB 91- Omnibus Crim Law & Procedure;
Corrections, Chapter 36 SLA 16, 07/11/2016]. Subsequent
legislation created budget growth. In addition, in 2019,
the repeal of HB 49 [HB 49-Crimes;Sentencing;Drugs;Theft;
Reports, chapter 4 FSSLA 19, 07/08/2019] passed, which
resulted in an increase of nearly $70 million in DOCs
budget. She offered further detail.
3:37:38 PM
Representative Johnson asked what the vacancy rate was. Ms.
Wilkerson replied it was 10 percent. Representative Johnson
requested detailed information.
[Slide 16 titled "Goals and Objectives" was not discussed.]
Co-Chair Josephson had the same concerns. He thanked the
department.
HB 53 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
HB 55 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
Co-Chair Josephson reviewed the schedule for the following
day.
ADJOURNMENT
3:39:02 PM
The meeting was adjourned at 3:39 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| DPS HFin FY 26 Budget Overview 2-17-25.pdf |
HFIN 2/17/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 53 |
| DPS Supporting Document HFIN Overview 021725.pdf |
HFIN 2/17/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 53 |
| Attachment one FY2020 - FY2026 GF Budget Summary.pdf |
HFIN 2/17/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 53 |
| DOC Response HFIN Budget Overview - 2.17.25.pdf |
HFIN 2/17/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 53 |
| Attachment two DOC Standby Roster Detail.pdf |
HFIN 2/17/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 53 |
| HFIN DOC FY2026 BUDGET Overview.pdf |
HFIN 2/17/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 53 |