Legislature(2019 - 2020)DAVIS 106
02/20/2020 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Real Id Implementation | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
JOINT MEETING
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON TRIBAL AFFAIRS
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
February 20, 2020
8:04 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Representative Tiffany Zulkosky, Chair
Representative John Lincoln
Representative Chuck Kopp
Representative Dan Ortiz
Representative Dave Talerico
Representative Sarah Vance
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
Representative Zack Fields, Co-Chair
Representative Grier Hopkins
Representative Andi Story
Representative Steve Thompson
Representative Sarah Vance
MEMBERS ABSENT
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Representative Bryce Edgmon, Vice Chair
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, Co-Chair
Representative Laddie Shaw
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: REAL ID IMPLEMENTATION
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
JACOLINE BERGSTROM, Executive Director
Health Services
Tanana Chiefs Conference
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information during a presentation
on REAL ID implementation.
CHARLIE NELSON, Vice President/Tribal Government Services
Administrator
Maniilaq Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information during a presentation
on REAL ID implementation.
MELANIE BAHNKE, President
Kawerak Non-Profit
Nome, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information and answered questions
during a presentation on REAL ID implementation.
RICHARD PETERSON, President
Central Council of Tlingit and Haida
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information and answered questions
during a presentation on REAL ID implementation.
JENNA WAMSGANZ, Deputy Director
Division of Motor Vehicles
Department of Administration
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a PowerPoint presentation on REAL
ID implementation.
KELLY TSHIBAKA, Commissioner
Alaska Department of Administration
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during a presentation on
REAL ID implementation.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:04:29 AM
CHAIR TIFFANY ZULKOSKY called the joint meeting of the House
Special Committee on Tribal Affairs and the House State Affairs
Standing Committee to order at 8:04 a.m. From the House Special
Committee on Tribal Affairs, Representatives Ortiz, Kopp,
Talerico, Vance, and Zulkosky were present at the call to order.
Representative Lincoln arrived as the meeting was in progress.
From the House State Affairs Standing Committee, Representatives
Hopkins, Thompson, and Fields were present at the call to order.
Representative Story arrived as the meeting was in progress.
^PRESENTATION: REAL ID IMPLEMENTATION
PRESENTATION: REAL ID IMPLEMENTATION
8:06:13 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY opened public testimony on the topic of REAL ID
Implementation.
8:06:48 AM
JACOLINE BERGSTROM, Executive Director, Health Services, Tanana
Chiefs Conference, let the committee know that Tanana Chiefs
Conference [TCC] is a tribal health consortium of 37 federally
recognized tribes serving 39 villages in the Interior of Alaska
which are spread out over about 235,000 square miles. Only a
handful of TCC communities are connected to the road system, and
are only accessible by boat or plane, Ms. Bergstrom stated. She
added that for the majority of rural communities, TCC, which
serves 17,000 people and is a member of the Alaska Tribal Health
System (ATHS), is the only health care provider.
MS. BERGSTROM said that while TCC delivers many services in
person and through telemedicine whenever possible, it happens
routinely that patients are required to fly from their home
communities to a larger city for specialty care services. When
a patient who has had to use Medevac Alaska Air Ambulance
("Medevac") in the event of a life-threatening emergency gets
better, he or she then has to take a regular flight home. These
air travel scenarios [will require after October 1, 2020,] that
patients have a compliant REAL ID. Currently TCC has been able
to facilitate travel for Alaska Native and American Indian
beneficiaries as part of Senate Bill 74, Medicaid Reforms
[passed during the Twenty-ninth Alaska State Legislature].
However, Ms. Bergstrom imparted, beginning October 1, travelers
may not be able to receive medical care or return home without
problems.
8:10:35 AM
MS. BERGSTROM shared with the committee some of the challenges
faced by tribal members and others in rural communities in
trying to obtain a REAL ID. She admitted that the Division of
Motor Vehicles (DMV) has a long list of documents that could
qualify when one applies for a REAL ID, but in some cases,
elders in rural communities were never issued a birth
certificate and may not have baptismal records. Challenges also
abound, she stated, when people have changed their name due to
marriage or to divorce and do not have the correct papers in
order. Ms. Bergstrom added that the required documents often
show a residential address, but in rural communities off the
road system there are no street names and people get mail
delivered to a Post Office Box or via general delivery.
Furthermore, some people cannot show utility bills because there
are no water or sanitation hookups to individual homes, and, in
some cases having built their own homes, folks do not have a
mortgage or homeowner's insurance that is tied to a physical
address.
MS. BERGSTROM communicated that though these issues have been
presented, there have not yet been reasonable solutions put
forth by the DMV. She related also that there have been mixed
reports from folks traveling with the tribal IDs [a federally
recognized form of identification which can substitute for the
REAL ID]. Sometimes the U.S. Transport Security Administration
(TSA) will accept a tribal ID and sometimes it will not, she
explained: some tribal IDs do not contain a photo of the
passenger and therefore will not be accepted as a valid
substitution for a state-issued REAL ID. Some tribes do not
want to take on the expense of getting tribal IDs issued before
they know whether those IDs will be accepted or whether getting
them would be a waste of resources, Ms. Bergstrom added.
8:14:15 AM
CHARLIE NELSON, Vice President/Tribal Government Services
Administrator, Maniilaq Association, informed the committee that
Maniilaq Association ("Maniilaq") is a regional nonprofit
association providing health, social, and tribal services to
residents in the Northwest Arctic Borough. Similar to TCC, Mr.
Nelson continued, Maniilaq serves about 8,000 tribal and non-
tribal citizens between its clinics and hospital.
MR. NELSON informed the committee that, in anticipation of the
REAL ID deadline coming up, proactive steps in promoting
education have been taken. Community members have been informed
that the earlier they are able to get the REAL ID, the better
off they will be, but he admitted this stance is also not
without its problems. He echoed Ms. Bergstrom when he mentioned
that some residents do not have access to the DMV; there is one
DMV in Kotzebue, Alaska, a shared position between the DMV and
the administrative assistant for the state trooper, open just
four hours a day. Of course, Mr. Nelson added, there are also
times [DMV personnel at the Kotzebue location] cannot work for
personal or for business reasons, leaving residents without
regular access and thus making applying for a compliant REAL ID
a major challenge.
8:16:58 AM
MR. NELSON let committee members know that [Northwest Arctic
Borough and Point Hope] residents' electronic profiles have been
modified so that they each show a physical address, which has
been accepted in lieu of a utility bill, the latter usually only
providing one household member's name and thus not helping the
other generations oftentimes living under the same roof. Mr.
Nelson aligned himself with TCC in terms of the expansion of the
number of tribal members on Medicaid; some of the challenges [in
obtaining a REAL ID] therein, however, including the timing of
appointments, flight schedules, and, again, truncated DMV hours.
He mentioned that it may be helpful for the committee to work
with the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) to help
loosen some of the requirements, even if it is on a temporary
basis, so that those trying to obtain a REAL ID are not bound by
strict Medicaid rules which stipulate those traveling for
medical must leave on the next possible flight after an
appointment, as the DMV isn't open long enough even for those
who are trying hard to get REAL IDs.
MR. NELSON told the committee that Maniilaq has been able to
provide financial assistance to three tribes in the service
area, and two other tribes had to purchase equipment to issue
tribal ID cards with pictures. These [tribal IDs] have been met
with a moderate level of success between Kotzebue and Anchorage,
he added, but when the tribal IDs have been used other places a
disruption in verifying the IDs' REAL ID-compliance has ensued.
Mr. Nelson let the committee know that Maniilaq has since made
for TSA a list of all federally recognized tribes in the region,
but that he hasn't heard reports of the list's success outside
of Kotzebue.
8:22:26 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked Mr. Nelson whether he could verify that it
is true that while some tribal IDs with photos from the
Northwest Arctic Borough region have been accepted by TSA, there
have also been some instances in which they have not been
accepted, and also that there is some anxiety and apprehension
about acceptance of the tribal ID beyond the region as well as
outside of Alaska, where TSA agents may be more familiar with
what a tribal ID from the region would look like.
8:23:04 AM
MR. NELSON agreed with Representative Zulkosky's summation.
8:23:19 AM
MELANIE BAHNKE, President, Kawerak Non-Profit ("Kewarak"),
informed the committee of what has been happening in the Bering
Strait Region, which includes the hub community of Nome and
fifteen outlying villages, only one of which is accessible via
Nome, to ensure federal REAL ID compliance. The Bering Strait
Region does not have a local DMV, she imparted, and flights via
contractor are about $400-$600. Because the contractors only
fly in the afternoons, travelers would most likely need to book
a hotel as well as provide for meals, she added. If no
relatives were in town to assist the travelers, the trip would
likely cost $600-$800. Ms. Bahnke let committee members know
that the Bering Strait region had been working on the REAL ID
"issue" for several years, and that she does believe the state
and tribes are partners on the unfunded mandate endeavor which
faces them both.
8:25:20 AM
MS. BAHNKE told the committee that at least $200,000 has been
spent thus far in ensuring the REAL ID-issuing machines and
systems were up to date. She suggested the state make the DMV
link more prominent on its own homepage or, better, make it so
those wishing to obtain a REAL ID could begin the process online
as is being done in California and Virginia. Outreach, having a
1-800 number, and appropriating funding so that villages have a
technician fly to the community were all ideas Ms. Bahnke
suggested to the state to ensure REAL IDs are obtained.
8:29:43 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS asked Ms. Bahnke if he was correct to assume
that folks having to be transported via Medevac from the Bering
Strait Region to Anchorage and Seattle were in the minority.
8:30:24 AM
MS. BAHNKE said that she wasn't sure but with two flights daily
probably everyone's reasons were not medical.
8:30:33 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS asked whether there was a significant number of
people traveling on a commercial jet to Anchorage to seek
medical care.
8:30:35 AM
MS. BAHNKE said that there were.
8:30:57 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked which states made it easier for people to
preload information to their DMV systems in their quest to
obtain a REAL ID.
8:31:15 AM
MS. BAHNKE replied that in California and Virginia it was very
easy to submit the majority of one's information online, and
that it wouldn't be difficult for Alaskans to figure out as most
Alaskans file for their permanent fund dividend (PFD) online.
8:32:12 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked whether Nome had a DMV.
8:32:18 AM
MS. BAHNKE replied that Nome does not have a DMV, but there is a
private contractor available Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. until
5 p.m. A Kewarak employee sent randomly to check on the
situation, Ms. Bahnke related, was given an estimated wait time
of 300 minutes.
8:33:09 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY mentioned that the legislature has been hearing
about a lot of alternative options to both the tribal IDs and
the REAL IDs, and asked Ms. Bahnke to talk about the process of
applying for a passport in the Bering Strait Region.
8:33:41 AM
MS. BAHNKE replied that the villages have zero access to
passport photography, so folks would have to fly to Nome and
then send original documents to Seattle.
8:34:48 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP added that if the state had been partnering
with tribes, there would not have been such a significant
opportunity cost. Tribal council would verify who lived in the
village and where and, in many cases, who came in under what
circumstances.
8:37:35 AM
RICHARD PETERSON, President, Central Council of Tlingit and
Haida ("Tlingit and Haida"), informed the committee that Tlingit
& Haida is the largest tribe in Alaska with over 31,000 enrolled
tribal citizens across the state, nation, and world, only a
handful of whom are connected to the road system. Tlingit &
Haida represents over 65,000 Alaskans from Ketchikan to
Kotzebue, he imparted, and represents over 100 rural
communities, all of which are provided service by the tribe.
Mr. Peterson stated that the REAL ID issue is a prime example of
what the tribe's top coalition priorities - regional equity, and
budgeting - look like in practice.
MR. PETERSON informed the committee that state services should
be available to residents of Alaska regardless of where they
reside. Tlingit & Haida took steps to issue top of the line
tribal IDs for its citizens, and there are still reports that
TSA won't accept them. Tlingit & Haida's IDs are federally
compliant and meet the REAL ID requirement, and yet oftentimes
it comes down to the training that the TSA employees have, he
stated.
8:40:50 AM
MR. PETERSON let the committee know that an elder's original
marriage license of fifty years was not accepted [in REAL ID
application] because, although it had a number, it did not have
the Washington State seal, so the elder had been required to
send a registered copy via United Parcel Service, which costs
$57. Applying for the REAL ID is $40, so it cost $97
altogether. Mr. Peterson echoed other testifiers' remarks about
difficulties of applying for REAL IDs without proof of physical
address, as well as those who have changed their names due to
marriage or divorce, and gave some specific examples of these
cases of which he was aware. Last, he added, when there is a
situation where someone needs to use Medevac, it is common that
no one thinks to collect the correct documentation before
boarding the helicopter, leaving the patient potentially without
a way home after an already arduous journey.
MR. PETERSON added that it was good to see the DMV in the Ted
Stevens International airport in Anchorage, and that Fairbanks
and Juneau could probably benefit from a DMV presence in their
airports as well. He suggested also that the state coordinate
with Census takers already in rural communities, who would
perhaps be able to verify folks' identity when there is no
street address or birth certificate available.
8:45:38 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked Mr. Peterson whether Tlingit & Haida
had reached out to TSA with regard to the latter's not
recognizing the tribal IDs.
8:46:00 AM
MR. PETERSON replied that Tlingit & Haida had reached out to
TSA, and that they had also reached out to the Congressional
delegation, but the problem is that new hires working "off-
hours" were not "up to speed."
8:46:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE mentioned that [tribal IDs not being
accepted by TSA] highlighted the tribes' lack of recognition in
general, and that it seemed unfortunate that this lack of
recognition was perpetuated in something as simple as going
through the airport and using identification.
8:47:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked Mr. Peterson what percentage of
Tlingit & Haida members have tribal IDs and to describe the
process of getting one.
8:48:31 AM
MR. PETERSON replied that probably 30-40 percent of Tlingit &
Haida members have tribal IDs and that the tribe is expending
great effort trying to get enrollment staff to communities. To
obtain an ID, he continued, members must supply a certificate
that they have Indian blood from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
8:50:17 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS asked Mr. Peterson whether he thought the state
had a responsibility to make REAL ID sign-up available in rural
communities, whether through the DMV or tribal partnership.
8:50:25 AM
MR. PETERSON answered yes, absolutely, and that his [Mr.
Peterson's] presence at the hearing was indicative of the state
having come up with another "cookie-cutter process" that didn't
work for everybody. He imparted that there are folks in Tlingit
& Haida communities who don't leave the community itself, which
would be fine, except sometimes they have to, and they are out
in the "big bad world ... stuck." Federal requirements require
federal funding, he added.
8:51:33 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked Mr. Peterson to speak to the total cost to
the tribe in obtaining the software, infrastructure, and staff
to supply its members with REAL IDs.
8:52:03 AM
MR. PETERSON said that he couldn't give an exact number but that
he would estimate around $150,000.
8:52:35 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked Mr. Peterson to speak to the difference in
capacity for Tlingit & Haida's ability to provide resources in
comparison with tribes in other parts of Alaska.
8:53:01 AM
MR. PETERSON replied that some tribes have been eligible for
grants and that they get money for citizens for whom they
provide services, called the "service area." The tribe does not
get any money for citizens outside the service area, he
explained, but uses its own funds so serve them. So, the
resources look quite a bit different when it is taken into
consideration the numbers of members in a particular area, he
added.
8:54:55 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that the legislature has been told that the
DMV is awaiting requests from tribes in order to go out into the
communities and provide REAL ID-compliant services, and asked
Mr. Peterson whether this has been the case with Tlingit &
Haida.
8:55:23 AM
MR. PETERSON answered that the DMV had not reached out to
Tlingit & Haida but that he had heard it had reached out to
other tribes and requested the IDs be at the tribes' own
expense.
8:55:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY commented that she would like to think that
the state were closer to making things easier for everyone and
that she felt encouraged to hear the solutions brought forward.
8:57:27 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked Mr. Peterson whether he had heard anything
about tribal IDs being accepted at military bases after the
October deadline.
8:57:51 AM
MR. PETERSON replied that he has not heard that they will not
be.
8:58:25 AM
JENNA WAMSGANZ, Deputy Director, Division of Motor Vehicles,
Department of Administration, began a PowerPoint presentation on
REAL ID implementation and ongoing compliance by informing the
committee that REAL ID was enacted after the [the terrorist
attacks of September 11, 2001]. The federal government would
set standards for identification such as driver's licenses, and
residents would need to provide documentation in person to prove
identity and lawful status, social security number, and
principal residency, she put forth. State-issued ID cards would
be accepted only if those cards come from a REAL ID-compliant
state, she added.
9:01:03 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked Ms. Wamsganz, referencing slide 3, to talk
about what it meant to achieve Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) compliance in 2019.
9:01:15 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ replied that the process to achieve compliance was
"a little bit backwards" as REAL IDs were issued before DHS
would evaluate the program and determine whether a state was in
compliance with the REAL ID Act [passed by Congress in 2005].
9:01:30 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked whether there was a more specific date or
time frame within 2019 that Alaska received its compliance.
9:01:28 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ replied that REAL IDs were issued in January 2019
and compliance was issued in April 2019. Ms. Wamsganz then
informed the committee that that REAL ID requirements included
an applicant's understanding of the options for drivers'
licenses at the time of issuance, as well as an understanding of
the type of driver's license the applicant was selecting.
Furthermore, she imparted that it was required that a REAL ID
applicant must clearly request a driver's license that was
federally compliant in order to obtain a REAL ID, and that a
state or a municipal government may not require a person to
possess or use a driver's license that is federally compliant
[slide 4].
9:02:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked Ms. Wamsganz why the applicant must
choose between a regular driver's license and a REAL ID and why
it was highlighted that the person must understand the options.
9:03:13 AM
KELLY TSHIBAKA, Commissioner, Alaska Department of
Administration, replied that the biometric identification being
captured for the REAL ID was used to compare facial features of
Alaskans against data that is captured in federal databases
across the country. She added that REAL IDs are intentionally
being used for data gathering against U.S. citizens, so since
citizens are turning over a significant amount of data to the
federal government and this was an invasion of privacy, citizens
needed to understand what they were doing.
9:04:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked whether the applicant was provided a
list of options by the DMV, which would clarify what the options
are.
9:05:29 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said that it was clear on the form whether the
person was choosing a federally compliant ID or a non-compliant
ID. She said the DMV has also started passing out a list of 30
other federally compliant acceptable forms of identification for
TSA [slide 5].
9:06:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP highlighted that REAL IDs only do what
passports already do, albeit on a state basis. Traveling
internationally has required this level of security for decades,
he added.
9:07:02 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ responded that 350,000 Alaskans have passports;
65,000 have military IDs; and 67,000 have veteran IDs.
9:07:49 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS asked Ms. Wamsganz the extent to which the DMV
was aware that TSA's recognition of tribal IDs was uneven.
9:08:06 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ replied that the DMV had been assured by TSA
officials that tribal IDs with a photo are "absolutely accepted"
at TSA checkpoints across the nation. She added that TSA has
committed to increasing agents' training "as much as they can."
9:09:18 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked whether the DMV had sent information to
tribes across Alaska informing them what they needed to do to
meet TSA's requirements.
9:09:55 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ replied that the only parameters TSA had been given
are that the tribe is federally recognized and that the ID card
contains a photo.
9:10:10 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that it can be a little bit confusing
accessing the DMV's information because it states there is
additional criteria tribal IDs must meet. She asked again if
that criteria had been communicated to tribes by the DMV.
9:10:33 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ answered that when the DMV has conversations with
the tribes, the same information [that Ms. Wamsganz shared to
the committee] is shared, but the DMV must be careful not to
speak on behalf of TSA. Since the DMV is not TSA, she
continued, it would not be appropriate to distribute official
correspondence across Alaska on behalf of TSA.
9:10:58 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that it was a little concerning that the DMV
didn't take on a communication responsibility to help share what
the standards are. She added that if the information were being
shared with a group of legislators, then it could also be shared
via a "Dear Tribal Leader" letter so people would know what
opportunities there were to meet other standards, specifically
if the DMV is relying on tribal IDs as an alternative option to
REAL IDs.
9:11:29 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said that the DMV did have the information as well
as a link to TSA's website on its website, and that "if anyone
asks," the DMV does offer the information.
9:11:48 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that it may be more appropriate, when
looking at an October 1, 2020, deadline, for the DMV to be
proactive in sharing information, rather than reactive, so that
Alaskans are not stranded at an airport or trying to get into a
federal facility, and tribes do not have to go through [the
experience of being turned away by TSA].
9:12:24 AM
MS. TSHIBAKA said that she thought Representative Zulkosky's
idea [about the "Dear Tribal Leader" letter] was "very creative"
and the DMV would deliberate about it.
9:12:50 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that oftentimes federal departments send
letters to notify tribes that regulations are being considered
or that changes are going to be made.
9:13:22 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ informed the committee that in 2019 Alaska issued
almost 100,000 REAL IDs; through February 15th, 2020, 115,000
REAL IDs had been issued total. She referred to a chart on
slide 6 of her presentation to show how many REAL IDs have been
issued in each individual month in 2019 and the first two months
of 2020. A red line signified a REAL ID "take rate," which
showed the number of folks who had a REAL ID credential [as
opposed to leaving the DMV with the card in hand]. She told the
committee it was important to recognize the demand for REAL IDs
is down in Alaska because of the alternative federally
recognized identifications discussed.
9:14:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked Ms. Wamsganz whether the information
was broken down by region and place due to the difficulty in
rural areas of obtaining REAL IDs.
9:14:56 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said the DMV did have that data and that she would
touch on it in a forthcoming slide.
9:15:01 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS asked Ms. Wamsganz whether tribes had the
ability to issue federally compliant tribal IDs and, if so, how
many had it.
9:15:14 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ responded that she thought they were all allowed to
[issue federally compliant tribal IDs], but she said she didn't
know how many had the infrastructure in place.
9:15:28 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS asked what the DMV's plan was for obtaining that
information.
9:16:00 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said that she would go into outreach later in her
presentation.
9:16:21 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS said he hoped the DMV was focusing outreach
accordingly, because in some cases the DMV would probably have
to travel to regions that did not have the means to put REAL ID-
issuing infrastructure in place.
9:17:03 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said the DMV had a multi-layered plan focused on
reaching out to Alaskans through multiple platforms to "spread
the word about the upcoming [REAL ID] enforcement date." In
2019 a partnership was formed between the DMV, the airports in
Anchorage and Fairbanks, and statewide aviation, she informed
the committee, with the aim of posting literature, conducting
press conferences, and increasing [the DMV's "REAL ID"] social
media presence. Ms. Wamsganz directed the committee's attention
to a picture of a REAL ID-issuing station in the Anchorage
airport [slides 7-8].
9:17:56 AM
MS. BAHNKE, responding to Representative Fields' question, said
that by April 2021, the 19 tribes in the Bering Strait Region
that compact with Kewerak should have REAL ID-compliant
software. Her question, she added, was with regard to TSA's
acceptance of the 500-plus tribal nations' IDs throughout the
U.S.
9:19:46 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS checked with Ms. Bahnke that her position was
that the state should make a REAL ID available in the Bering
Strait region just as it is in Anchorage.
9:19:54 AM
MS. BAHNKE said people in the Bering Strait region would really
appreciate the opportunity, as it's a mutual burden when people
are "stuck."
9:21:08 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ informed the committee the DMV is starting a
partnership with Alaska Airlines to educate [airline employees]
what cards could be used for travel after October 1, 2020, and
that the DMV believed partnering with stakeholders like the
airlines and the airports were "one of the best ways" the DMV
could contribute to Alaskans' preparation for TSA's federally
mandated travel requirements. She said that the partnerships
were key because "they engaged those who were most likely to be
traveling through TSA checkpoints" after October 1. She added
that she was happy to report that TSA was also "ramping up" its
own outreach efforts in terms of social media outreach, public
service announcements, and airport advertising.
MS. WAMSGANZ told the committee that there were about 47,553
Alaskans living in communities without a DMV [slide 9], that
2,750 REAL IDs had been issued in those communities as of
February 2020, and that the forecasted adult Medicaid travel
from those areas from late February 2020 through September 2020
[before REAL IDs are required in October 2020] was 9,976. The
significance of the forecasted Medicaid travel was that those
folks would be traveling to a community with a DMV and could
potentially obtain a REAL ID at that time, she reiterated.
9:23:47 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that she noticed that the slide was not
specific in terms of which rural communities were assessed, and
that her office had the number of Alaskans without access to a
DMV closer to 64,000. She added that what was most concerning
was the number of Alaskans within certain regions had REAL IDs
issued, and that it would be interesting to see that number in a
statewide breakdown, rather than just a breakdown by sector.
9:25:00 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said she would be happy to provide a statewide
breakdown.
9:25:04 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS said that he would like to express concern that
6,751 was a "gross undercounting" of the need for REAL IDs in
rural Alaska when it was taken into consideration that there
were approximately 200 communities without access to a DMV.
Pointing out another problematic aspect of slide 9,
Representative Fields added that since a tribal ID may not be an
adequate substitute for a REAL ID, he stated that he would also
not deduct Nome area tribal IDs from the population still in
need of REAL IDs.
9:26:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY added that those traveling for health
probably should not be deducted either when earlier testimony
regarding limited DMV hours was taken into consideration, but
that an encouraging solution would be partnering with the
federal Medicaid program to receive a waiver for travel
restrictions.
9:26:46 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said that she thought it was a great solution to
partner with Medicaid and that the DMV would follow up on it.
9:27:06 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE said perhaps DHSS could offer a temporary
extension of travel time for those traveling for medical reasons
so they would have time to make it to the DMV if they so
desired.
9:27:56 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked Ms. Wamsganz, on the topic of Alaskans
without consistent and/or reliable access to the DMV, in Bethel
and Nome, for example, what the DMV's plans were regarding staff
being sent to those regions.
9:29:10 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ replied that the DMV would take each community one
at a time starting with Bethel, which had an unexpected closure
in January due to family emergency, followed by scheduled leave
in February. In summer 2020 the DMV intended to hire another
short-term, non-permanent employee for the Bethel office to help
with DMV traffic, which is "seasonal." Ms. Wamsganz added that
this coming summer will be a "historic" summer for the DMV. She
also imparted that Nome has a commission agent open half days as
the winter is the slow time. That agent, who is also looking to
hire someone for the "summer rush," has also been in
communication with Kewerak to try to do "some sort of a summer
road show" to surrounding villages.
9:30:34 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that after hearing from leaders of the
communities it seemed like a real opportunity lost to wait until
summer to provide an additional non-permanent position within
each DMV if they are not consistently open now, and there could
be more proactive outreach into respective subregions to answer
questions and to be able to keep regular open office hours. She
asked Ms. Wamsganz whether the DMV would be opposed to providing
these positions now rather than waiting until summer when the
October 1 deadline would be much closer.
9:31:25 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ answered that the DMV is not opposed to providing
the additional positions, but that the department had not yet
seen the volume to warrant them.
9:31:36 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY also urged "more employees sooner" because
their training is critical. She added that perhaps new
employees could work on improving the DMV website if there is
down time during training.
9:32:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked what the options were for rural
communities who don't have a regular road system and addresses.
9:33:00 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ responded that there was a system in place where
verified leaders could attest in writing to the description and
location of a resident's home.
9:33:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked whether there is anything besides a
physical address, such as the proof tribal members have to
provide to the Bureau of Indian Affairs that could verify
identity.
9:35:01 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ answered that DHS left it up to the states. In
this way, the DMV has been able to determine creative solutions
to problems unique to Alaska. She admitted that gathering up
the documents and getting the REAL ID can be challenging. Since
the REAL ID requires original, certified documents, in some
cases it makes more sense to suggest tribal members get tribal
IDs, which is why that is the course the DMV has been following
in certain instances.
9:36:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP said that he wanted to compliment the
Department of Administration (DOA) for the residency description
improvements for the PFD. He mentioned that it was "vastly more
descriptive."
9:36:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked whether there was a way for a
letter to be sent with an individual verifying that person's
address.
9:37:10 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ confirmed that the DMV will accept such letters.
9:37:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS requested that information about the DMV
accepting letters be included in the address verification
literature tribes will receive.
9:37:31 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said that the DMV is currently working with the
Alaska Federation of Natives to create a newsletter, and that
these types of concerns would be spelled out therein.
9:37:48 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that after having heard overwhelming
testimony from folks living and working in rural Alaska and the
cost of travel from a village in a particular sub-region to a
hub city, she wished to return to the statement about not seeing
the demand for additional DMV staff in rural areas. "Ramping
up" may be difficult during summer with it being the subsistence
season and folks being engaged in traditional gathering to
offset costs on their family throughout the winter season, she
added. Regarding the lack of request to the community for
additional DMVs in certain areas, Representative Zulkosky said
that her office was starting to see formal requests for those
services. She then asked Ms. Wamsganz whether it was the DMV's
expectation and/or requirement that tribes and villages should
be submitting letters of request to bring DMV services to their
villages, and if that is indeed the expectation, whether that
had been communicated as such.
9:39:37 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ, referencing slide 12 in her presentation, said
that step one would be teaching the community about its options
for federally compliant IDs. After learning all of the options,
some communities would determine there is not much need for REAL
IDs as they would have their tribal IDs, she stated. Others
would go back and survey their communities, she continued, which
was really important as communities cannot request the DMVs to
come; the request must come from the applicants themselves.
After the community surveys are completed, a document checker
would check that everyone had what they needed to have a
successful travel trip, Ms. Wamsganz informed the committee.
9:41:09 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY checked with Ms. Wamsganz that she was saying it
was the DMV's belief that because there was not a DMV in a
community there must be a formal request to provide what are
otherwise basic state-funded services in other parts of Alaska.
9:41:33 AM
MS. TSHIBAKA said that the DMV was trying to comply with the
statute that there is an "organized way of making sure" an
individual has requested a REAL ID and understand that neither
their community nor the state were requiring them to obtain a
REAL ID.
9:42:06 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS said that based on earlier testimony he might
request a different approach in which access to basic state
documents is the default. If there were a community that did
not want such services, the DMV could in that case look at not
providing those services. When there are elections, he pointed
out, it costs more to provide polling places, and yet it is done
because there are citizens living in those communities. He
added that it did not make sense to wait until a specific
request was received when [federally recognized identification]
is a very basic state service that should be provided.
9:43:17 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY added that the fact that the DMV would go out to
a rural community doesn't necessarily compel someone to apply
for a REAL ID if that person doesn't want one. There is a
difference in expectation of what equitable access could and
should provide from the DMV, she pointed out. She echoed
testifiers who said that all Alaskans were still Alaskans
regardless of where they lived and pointed out that with a firm
deadline of October 1, with its real implications for movement
of Alaskans, the expectation needed to be revised.
9:44:15 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP added that one of the reasons DOA is in a
"no-man's land" with regard to REAL ID is because in 2018 it was
optional, meaning it was not meant to make people feel as though
it were their only option. Now, as it has evolved, he
continued, it has become apparent how many people need to
travel, it has become mandatory, especially in certain areas of
the state, but it didn't start out that way.
9:46:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE admitted that REAL ID is still optional,
but that one of the larger concerns was Alaska residents getting
stuck because they lacked proper identification. She asked
whether there were a "temporary turnaround" to REAL ID that
could help in an emergency situation, and whether it would be
helpful to the DMV for the committee to try to come up with
something.
9:48:18 AM
MS. TSHIBAKA said that the DMV was in active discussions
regarding an expansion location in Southwest Alaska targeting 20
communities [slide 10]. She then directed the committee to
slide 15, which showed that there were DMV locations in "hub"
[TSA screening checkpoint] cities. Obtaining a REAL ID
currently takes two days; Ms. Tshibaka asked Ms. Wamsganz what
it would require in order for the DMV to give Alaskans the
option of a 24-hour return time.
9:51:40 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ replied that it would require some minor
programming and operational changes, and an expedited REAL ID
would be at an additional cost. Referencing slide 16, Ms.
Wamsganz added by way of summary that the DMV was tasked with
implementing an unfunded federal mandate that was imposed on
Alaska. The DMV is responsible for providing REAL IDs to
Alaskans who want the ID because they don't have an alternative
form of identification or they want an additional form. She
continued that the DMV's plan was to continue to take on
additional duties, such as education and outreach, engaging with
rural communities, and partnering with different stakeholders
and advocacy groups to inform Alaskans of their options.
9:54:02 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked whether the personnel cost covered the non-
permanent positions Ms. Wamsganz spoke of earlier.
9:54:12 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ replied that it did not and that those positions
would be at an additional cost.
9:54:17 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked how the DMV planned to prioritize outreach
to rural Alaska if there were only $1000 to spend for the
remainder of fiscal year 2020 (FY 20).
9:54:41 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said that for the rural REAL ID outreach the DMV
had mirrored another of their policies it had done "for quite
some time" in which it didn't offer certain services, such as
road testing, but in which services could instead be requested
by communities. The communities would be responsible for the
travel expenses such as airfare, lodging, meals, and
incidentals. RavnAir Alaska airline had also offered to cover
travel to "most" communities, she added.
9:55:44 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS asked whether parts of the state that are on the
road system, such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, or the Matanuska-
Susitna Borough, paid the DMV to implement REAL ID.
9:56:29 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ replied that those municipalities did not pay the
DMV to implement REAL ID.
9:56:30 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS suggested revisiting the requirement that rural
communities pay for a service that the DMV pays for in urban
Alaska.
9:56:58 AM
MS. TSHIBAKA replied that the DMV is revisiting this topic, as
well as trying to get the word out that DHSS is paying $19
million for 9,375 adults from rural communities to come into hub
locations. She added that if the DMV could get "really
effective" messaging to those adults traveling before the
October 1 deadline, then they can come into the DMV where there
wouldn't be issues with the camera, and it would be confirmed
they had the right paperwork. She added that the effective
messaging campaign would be a much better use of state money
when it came to those adults getting their REAL IDs in time.
9:58:00 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS said he is glad that policy is being revisited
as the committee has heard that many rural communities do not
have the capacity to pay for REAL ID infrastructure. He also
noted that in 2019 Alaska saved $45.7 million in travel for
healthcare, up from $10.5 million in 2017 and $28.8 million in
2018. It costs money to issue REAL IDs, he continued, but when
it is looked at in terms of Medicaid financing and the 100
percent Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) rate, the
return on investment should be clear, even moving beyond the
state's obligations to its citizens.
9:59:00 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY asked for background on whether the DMV is net
revenue positive or net revenue negative every fiscal year and,
if it is positive, how much is returned to the general fund each
year.
9:59:16 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ said that she did not have the number that the DMV
returned to the general fund, but she noted that the budget was
$17 million and the DMV brought in close to $60 million.
9:59:35 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that between $38 million to 42 million is
returned to the general fund every year.
9:59:39 AM
MS. WAMSGANZ responded that is correct.
9:59:40 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY said that the committee had heard the facts about
the numbers that are saved in general funds through partnerships
with tribes every year. She went on to say she appreciated Ms.
Tshibaka's willingness to revisit the cost for rural communities
to provide travel and access to the DMV for individuals,
especially when the DMV is willing to request $500,000 to move
the Anchorage DMV to a new location but has only budgeted $1,000
for rural outreach for the remainder of FY 20.
10:01:34 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committees, the joint
meeting of the House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs and the
House State Affairs Standing Committee was adjourned at 10:02
a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 148 Fiscal Note DHSS-BVS 2.13.2020.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2020 8:00:00 AM HSTA 2/27/2020 3:00:00 PM |
HB 148 |