Legislature(1995 - 1996)
04/28/1995 05:30 PM House MLV
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON
MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
April 28, 1995
5:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ivan M. Ivan, Co-Chairman
Representative Pete Kott, Co-Chairman
Representative Richard Foster
Representative Ed Willis
Representative John Davies
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Eldon Mulder
Representative Gail Phillips
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
*HB 321: "An Act placing certain persons employed in response to
a disaster in the exempt service."
PASSED CSHB 321(MLV) OUT OF COMMITTEE
*HB 322: "An Act authorizing grants for temporary housing
assistance during emergencies and disasters."
PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE
WITNESS REGISTER
JEFF MORRISON, Director
Central Office
Administrative and Support Services Division
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
P.O. Box 110900
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0900
Telephone: (907) 465-4730
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 321 and HB 322
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 321
SHORT TITLE: EMERGENCY DISASTER HIRES IN EXEMPT SERVC
SPONSOR(S): SP CMTE MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
04/25/95 1494 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
04/25/95 1494 (H) MLV
04/28/95 (H) MLV AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17
BILL: HB 322
SHORT TITLE: GRANTS FOR HOUSING DURING DISASTER
SPONSOR(S): SP CMTE MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
04/25/95 1494 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
04/25/95 1494 (H) MLV, FINANCE
04/28/95 (H) MLV AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 95-7, SIDE A
Number 003
The House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs was
called to order by Co-Chairman Ivan M. Ivan at 5:30 p.m. Members
present at the call to order were Representatives Ivan, Foster,
Willis and Davies. Members absent were Representatives Kott,
Mulder and Phillips. Co-Chairman Ivan noted the bills on the
agenda.
HB 321 - EMERGENCY DISASTER HIRES IN EXEMPT SERVICES
Number 027
CO-CHAIRMAN IVAN M. IVAN announced HB 321 was the first bill to be
heard. He invited Jeff Morrison to the table to testify.
JEFF MORRISON, Director, Central Office, Administrative and Support
Services Division, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs,
said HB 321 and HB 322 are related bills providing additional tools
to the Division of Emergency Services to assist in their disaster
response. HB 321 allows for the hire of people in the exempt
service for responding to disaster when the division thinks they
will be needed for more than 30 days. Currently, the state has the
ability to hire personal in response to disaster emergencies under
these classifications; immediate emergency hire cannot work over 30
days; long term non-permanent position takes 30-45 days to hire;
short term non-permanent position cannot exceed 120 days and takes
2-5 days to hire. We do not have the ability to hire immediately
and work over 30 days. HB 321 is introduced to address this
problem and authorizes for immediate hire in emergency disasters.
MR. MORRISON proposed an amendment to HB 321. He stated that he
has discussed HB 321 with Mike McMullen from the Division of
Personnel, and Majorie Vandor, Assistant Attorney General. HB 321
in its current form requires everybody hired in response to the
disaster to be placed in the exempt services. This is not the
intent of the division. They want to maintain the ability to hire
people in non-permanent positions and work off of the register, if
it is the best way to go. The proposed amendment would add the
words "to assist classified employees" on line 6 after "Affairs".
The Department of Law and the Division of Personnel states this
amendment would clarify the situation. It ensures that they do not
have to classify all hires into the exempt services, but exempt
services remains an option. They would still have the ability to
hire in other classified positions. He concluded his testimony on
HB 321 and stated he is available if any members have any
questions.
Number 086
Co-Chairman Pete Kott joined the committee meeting at 5:36 p.m.
Co-Chairman Ivan turned the gavel over to Co-Chairman Kott.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN DAVIES asked why it isn't possible to hire
people under the emergency services immediately and then began the
paper work to transfer them into non-permanent positions after.
MR. MORRISON answered that this has happened but administratively,
in response to a disaster, you want to minimize the paper work as
much as possible. Also, if you are going to hire a non-perm and
work a register then you have to hire from the register. The
person you have hired as an emergency hire may not be on the
register. This boxes you out from being able to continue that
person's employment if it is a long term non-perm position. If it
is a short term non-perm position, then they cannot exceed 120
days.
Number 121
REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD FOSTER moved to adopt the proposed amendment
for HB 321.
Number 123
CO-CHAIRMAN PETE KOTT asked if there were any objections, hearing
none the amendment was adopted.
REPRESENTATIVE FOSTER moved HB 321, as amended, with individual
recommendations and the attached fiscal note.
CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT asked if there was an objection. Hearing none,
CSHB 321(MLV) passed out of committee.
HB 322 - GRANTS FOR HOUSING DURING DISASTER
CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT announced the next bill to be heard would be HB
322. He asked Mr. Morrison to continue his testimony.
Number 137
MR. MORRISON stated HB 322 has been introduced to improve the
administration for temporary housing during state declared disaster
emergencies. This legislation was introduced during the 1994
legislative session as HB 421, and passed the House on March 14,
1994, by a 40 to 0 vote. It died in Senate Rules Committee at the
end of the 1994 legislative session. This bill is slightly
different from the exact language of the bill but the intent is
clear. It has been modified to conform to the last version of the
bill that came out of the Senate Finance Committee with one minor
change. The state's current procedure for people who need to be
relocated, due to the disaster, is the staff of the Division of
Emergency Services arranges for and leases the temporary housing.
In Federally declared disasters, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) has a tool at their disposal to issue grants to those
individuals to make their own housing arrangements. This is a lot
more efficient and exposes the government to less liability.
Additionally, it is less of an intrusion into the personal lives of
the people effected by the disaster.
MR. MORRISON stated the intent of HB 322 is to give the state the
ability to issue grants for temporary housing similar to the
methods used by the feds in federal declared disasters. The
language changed in the Senate Finance Committee in 1994, ensures
in statute that there is an offset to make sure that we do not pay
people twice if they are receiving funds from FEMA or private
insurance. The language states as a condition of accepting the
grant, the recipient shall agree to repay the state for any
assistance in the event that the recipient is reimbursed from any
other source. It requires a coordination of benefits so they do
not get paid twice for the same services.
Number 192
CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT asked how would you check if a person who receives
a state grant does not get paid by an insurance company.
MR. MORRISON replied we would not have a problem in coordinating
with FEMA for the federal grants. With a private insurance
company, we would have the person sign a certification saying they
would repay the state. We would have to audit the individuals to
insure that did not take place.
CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT asked if the grant application would identify if
the person had private insurance and if that person would be
seeking reimbursement.
MR. MORRISON replied that he was not aware if that is on the grant
application, it is in the procedures of the temporary housing
program. The Division of Emergency Services has a separate plan
just for temporary housing and it is in that procedure that items
are not paid for if it is covered by private insurance.
CO-CHAIRMAN asked what the upper cap on the grant is.
MR. MORRISON replied the grant is not limited by a dollar amount,
it is limited by time. He said 18 months is the maximum that a
person can be provided for temporary housing under a state
disaster.
Number 230
REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES asked if this gets in the way of how the
division responds to emergencies.
MR. MORRISON replied that this is just an additional tool. The
best way to respond to disasters would be selected by the people
managing the disaster and would depend on the nature of the
disaster. This does not mandate that grants be made in every case
but enables the division to use it when appropriate.
REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES asked what kind of conditions are in grant
applications. He asked if there are there reporting requirements
and if they have to submit receipts.
MR. MORRISON replied that he is sure that there will be those type
of requirements. These conditions are required under the federal
grant process. The state does not have this program, that is the
intent of this bill. Under the federal grant program, a person
applies for a fixed dollar amount based on estimated expenditures
over a three month period. The cases are reviewed every three
months and adjustments can be made at that time.
Number 250
CO-CHAIRMAN REPRESENTATIVE IVAN moved to pass HB 322 out of
committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal
note.
CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT asked if there was an objection. Hearing none,
the HB 322 was moved out of committee.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the House Special
Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Co-Chairman Kott
adjourned the meeting at 5:50 p.m.
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