Legislature(1999 - 2000)
04/27/2000 04:29 PM Senate 312
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
MINUTES
HOUSE AND SENATE CONFERENCE COMMIITTEE
FOR HB 312 AND HB 313
April 27, 2000
4:29 PM
TAPES
CC-00 # 7, Side A
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Sean Parnell convened the meeting at approximately
4:29 PM
PRESENT
Chair Sean Parnell
Vice-Chair Eldon Mulder
Senator John Torgerson
Representative Gene Therriault
Senator Al Adams
Representative John Davies
Also Attending: DAVID TEAL, Director, Division of
Legislative Finance
SUMMARY INFORMATION
HB 312-APPROPRIATIONS: OPERATING BUDGET
HB 313-APPROPRIATIONS: MENTAL HEALTH
Department of Community and Economic Development
Language Section
Conclusion
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 312(FIN)
"An Act making and amending appropriations for the
operating and loan program expenses of state
government, for certain programs, and to capitalize
funds; making appropriations under art. IX, sec.
17(c), Constitution of the State of Alaska, from the
constitutional budget reserve fund; and providing for
an effective date."
AND
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 313(FIN)
"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."
Co-Chair Mulder moved to formally allow the Division of
Legislative Finance and the Division of Legal and Research
Services make necessary technical corrections. There being
no objection, it was so ordered.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Chair Parnell reviewed the proposed conference committee
motions for the Department of Community and Economic
Development. [See motion sheets on file.]
AT EASE
Representative Mulder moved to adopt the items contained on
the motion sheets. There being no objection, the items were
ADOPTED.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT
Chair Parnell reviewed the remaining open item, Item #11,
Alaska State Council on the Arts, of the proposed
conference committee motion for the Department of Education
and Early Development. [See motion sheets on file.]
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt Item #11 as reviewed by
Chair Parnell and contained on the motion sheets.
There being no objection, the item was ADOPTED.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Chair Parnell reviewed the remaining item, Item #1, State
Training Employment Program, on the proposed conference
committee motions for the Department of Labor and Workforce
Development. [See motion sheets on file.]
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt Item #1 as reviewed by Chair
Parnell and contained on the motion sheets. There being no
objection, the item was ADOPTED.
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
Chair Parnell reviewed the remaining items, Item #4, Alaska
Military Youth Academy, and Item #5, Educational Benefits,
of the proposed conference committee motions for the
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. [See motion
sheets on file.]
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt Items #4 and #5 as reviewed
by Chair Parnell and contained on the motion sheets. There
being no objection, the items were ADOPTED.
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
Chair Parnell reviewed the proposed conference committee
motions for the University of Alaska. [See motion sheets on
file.]
Chair Parnell commented on the increase of $8.6 million. He
noted that the pending, SB 289 would add an additional $4
million university funding. He added that the issue of
employee contracts is not addressed in this appropriation,
but would be addressed separately
Representative Therriault asked if the fiscal note for SB
289 had been changed since it was originally written.
Senator Torgerson responded that the House of
Representatives lowered the allocation to $1.725
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt the items as reviewed by
Chair Parnell and contained on the motion sheets. There being
no objection, the items were ADOPTED.
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Co-Chair Parnell reviewed the proposed conference committee
motion for the Office of the Governor. [See motion sheets
on file.]
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt Item #1 as reviewed by Co-
Chair Parnell and contained on the motion sheets. There being
no objection, the item was ADOPTED.
LEGISLATURE
Chair Parnell reviewed the proposed conference committee
motions for the Legislature. [See motion sheets on file.]
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt Item #1 as reviewed by Chair
Parnell and contained on the motion sheets. There being no
objection, the item was ADOPTED.
LANGUAGE SECTION
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt Item #6, Section 20.
Learning Opportunity Grants, of the conference committee
proposed motion for the Language section. [See motion
sheets on file.]
Senator Adams moved to amend the language to change "ADM
multiplied by $43.75" to "adjusted ADM multiplied by
$27.51". He expressed his intent for fair and equitable
treatment for all children in Alaska. He continued that if
this amendment were adopted, he would request the House of
Representatives, it it's deliberation of the FY 01 Capital
Budget, adjust the K-12 Education FY 00 lapse fund
appropriation by $600,000. He stated that these funds could
be reappropriated to the Learning Opportunity Grants
program. His reasoning was to "hold harmless" school
districts that are expected to learn more.
Chair Parnell requested that the motion be withdrawn.
Senator Adams withdrew his motion to amend the language.
Vice-Chair Mulder withdrew his motion to adopt Item #6.
There being no objection to either motion, it was so
ordered.
Chair Parnell clarified that the language contained in
"Amendment to EED #5" was originally passed in the Senate
version of the bill, but was incorrectly inserted into the
legislation.
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt the language contained in
Amendment to EED #5, Section 13. Learning Opportunity
Grants. [See motion sheets on file.]
Senator Adams moved to amend the language to insert,
"adjusted" before "average daily membership" and replace
"$43.75" with "$27.51" in that same sentence. He noted this
would accomplish the same goal as his proposed amendment to
Item #6, and that he also intended to propose follow-up
changes to the FY 01 capital budget.
Senator Torgerson and Chair Parnell objected.
Representative Davies spoke in favor of the amendment. He
stated that many people had separated the Learning
Opportunity Grants from other school operations. He
stressed that the amount of funds appropriated through this
grant program would actually effect the quality of
education in the classrooms. He noted that in smaller
school districts, the consequences of lower attendance
would have a greater effect than in the larger schools. He
expressed that even if the Fairbanks school district was
funded at the level requested by the governor, teachers
would still be laid off. At the level proposed by the
legislature, he warned that more teachers would be laid off
in Fairbanks with an even greater impact in smaller
districts. He recommended that the legislature should do
all it can to find additional ways to help school
districts, which he asserted this amendment would do.
Chair Parnell countered that the budget before the
Committee fully funds the K-12 Education formula. In
addition, he commented, the Learning Opportunity Grants
inserted by the Senate, provide an increase to pay the cost
of supplemental student instructional programs to improve
student performance on the high school graduation
examinations. He pointed out that this is a one-time
appropriation. He then commented on Senator Adams's intent
that the excess funds be spent on individual school
districts on a per student basis. Chair Parnell stated that
the grant program is structured to provide an equal dollar
amount for every pupil.
Senator Adams stated that he was trying to reach equity in
the funding. He argued that the cost per student in rural
Alaska is actually sixty cents on every dollar spent in
urban areas.
Representative Davies asserted that equal and equitable
were two different things.
A roll call was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Representative Davies and Senator Adams
OPPOSED: Representative Therriault, Senator Torgerson,
Vice-Chair Mulder and Chair Parnell
The motion FAILED (2-4)
The amendment to EED #5 FAILED to be adopted.
There was no objection to the language of EED #5 and it was
ADOPTED.
Chair Parnell reviewed Item #8, Section 23. Medicaid Pro-
Share as contained in the conference committee motion
sheets. [See motion sheets on file.]
AT EASE 4:46 PM / 4:49 PM
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt Item #8.
Chair Parnell noted an amendment to the language.
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to amend the motion to include
amendment 1-LS1304\K.11. [See motion sheets on file.]
Without objection Item #8 was AMENDED.
Item #8 as amendment was ADOPTED without objection.
Chair Parnell presented amendment 1-LS1304\K.10 to replace
the original Senate language of proposed in Item #9,
Section 27. Occupational Licensing, of the conference
committee motion sheet. [See motion sheets on file.]
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt the 1-LS1304\K.10, amended
language of Item #9. There being no objection, it was
AMENDED and ADOPTED.
AT EASE 4:52 PM / 5:00 PM
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to rescind the conference
committee's earlier action to adopt subsection (c) of Item
#11, Section 33. Student Loan Program, of the conference
committee motion sheets.
There being no objection, the action was RESCINDED.
Vice-Chair Mulder reviewed and moved to adopt new
subsection (c) language to Item #11. [See motion sheets
attached.]
Without objection it was ADOPTED.
Chair Parnell clarified that subsection (b) of Item #11
would be NOT OFFERED.
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt the language contained in
Item #13, Section 42. University of Alaska of the
conference committee motion sheets. [See motion sheets on
file.]
There being no objection, it was ADOPTED.
Chair Parnell reviewed proposed intent language contained
in the conference committee motion sheets that reads as
follows. [See motion sheets on file.]
"For agencies in which FY01 total position counts
exceed the respective FY00 Management Plan total
position counts, the FY01 total position count is
reduced to the FY00 Management Plan level."
Vice-Chair Mulder moved for adoption.
The language was ADOPTED without objection.
AT EASE 5:05 PM / 7:07 PM
Chair Parnell pointed out that budget items contained in
Category I of the conference committee material, are
components in which the House of Representatives and the
Senate agree to the same allocation amounts.
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt all items contained in
Category I.
There being no objection, Category I was ADOPTED.
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to reopen the Governor's budget.
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to rescind action on Item #2, Human
Rights Commission component, on the conference committee
motion sheets. [See motion sheets on file.]
There being no objection, the earlier action was RESCINDED.
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt the Senate appropriation.
Without objection, the Senate allocation was ADOPTED.
Chair Parnell reviewed amendment 1-LS1304\K.14, relating to
debt retirement. [See motion sheets on file.]
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt the amendment.
There being no objection, it was ADOPTED.
AT EASE 7:10 PM / 7:18 PM
FISCAL NOTES
Co-Chair Parnell referred to a spreadsheet titled, Fiscal
Notes, Conference Committee, 21st Legislature, 2nd
Session, dated 4/27/00 6:19 PM. [Copy on file.]
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt the fiscal notes contained
on the summary.
There being no objection, it was ADOPTED.
LANGUAGE SECTION
Chair Parnell reviewed the amendment titled, Conference
Committee (Fiscal Notes) and amended the wording to include
the bill numbers, HB 312 and HB 313. [See motion sheets on
file.]
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt the amendment as amended.
There being no objection, it was ADOPTED.
Mr. Teal pointed out that the conference committee had not
addressed the intent language for the Division of
Occupation Licensing, the Worker's Compensation program,
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the
Department of Fish and Game, Boards of Fisheries and Game.
Chair Parnell stated that the decision was made to not
address those issues.
Chair Parnell thanked all conference committee members. He
said goodbye to the retiring Senator Adams.
Vice-Chair Mulder thanked Senator Adams and Chair Parnell,
who was also retiring from public service, for their work
in the legislature.
Vice-Chair Mulder moved to adopt all items adopted, report
back to each body, and close the conference committee on HB
312 and HB 313.
Without objection it was so ordered.
ADJOURNED
Chair Parnell adjourned the meeting at 7:23 PM.
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