Legislature(2009 - 2010)SENATE FINANCE 532
03/19/2009 02:30 PM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB75 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 75 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
March 19, 2009
2:40 p.m.
2:40:27 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Stedman called the Senate Finance Committee meeting
to order at 2:40 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice-Chair
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Joe Thomas
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Johnny Ellis
ALSO PRESENT
Guy Bell, Assistant Commissioner and Director, Division of
Administrative Services, Department of Labor and Workforce
Development; Chris Christensen, Deputy Administrative
Director, Alaska Court System.
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
(None)
SUMMARY
SB 75 "An Act making and amending appropriations,
including capital appropriations, supplemental
appropriations, and appropriations to capitalize
funds; and providing for an effective date."
SB 75 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for further
consideration.
SENATE BILL NO. 75
"An Act making and amending appropriations, including
capital appropriations, supplemental appropriations,
and appropriations to capitalize funds; and providing
for an effective date."
2:41:02 PM
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR and WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (DLWD)
GUY BELL, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER AND DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, introduced the department's first item, $1.5
million for the Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC)
Deferred Maintenance and Major Maintenance and Expansion of
the Industrial Electrical Program Building. The first
component covers the cost of some of the maintenance staff
at AVTEC funded with capital project receipts. The component
also covers the day-to-day maintenance of the facility as
issues arise. The second component is for major maintenance
and expansion of the electrical program building to increase
its capacity and deal with environmental systems issues. The
increase should allow program enrollment to increase from 24
to 30 students.
Mr. Bell turned to the second item, the AVTEC Third Avenue
Dormitory Replacement. The dormitory houses around 120
students. The project has been deleted in the governor's
amended budget due to the revenue shortfall.
Co-Chair Stedman asked if the item would be in DLWD's FY11
capital budget. Mr. Bell answered that the department
intended to request funds for the project at some future
date; the item will be in the FY11 budget if possible. He
explained that the facility is old and needs to be replaced.
Co-Chair Stedman asked whether the structure was still
usable. Mr. Bell responded that students are still housed in
the facility and maintenance staff has been working to keep
it operational.
2:44:32 PM
Mr. Bell described the third item for the Division of
Workers' Compensation to upgrade and rewrite computer
systems. The program is funded with workers' safety account
receipts, which are set aside from workers compensation
taxes and reimbursements from self-insured employers to fund
worker safety activities. The systems include filing of
proof of coverage from employers, the claims management
database, the fraud management database, and other databases
maintained by the division to serve clients.
Mr. Bell explained the next item for $275,000 to the
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for an interface
between the case management and accounting system with the
social security administration database and with the
unemployment insurance program. Connecting with the
databases will enable the department to better track actual
outcomes such as what an individual earns after exiting the
program and returning to work. In addition, the department
will be able to use the interface to track the ability to
recover social security receipts. When individuals complete
the department's program and return to work, the Social
Security Administration reimburses the DLWD for a percentage
of savings in reduced social security benefit payments.
Mr. Bell referred to the next item, $6 million for the AVTEC
New Heavy Equipment Shop and Diesel Shop with Pipe Welding
Program Relocation. The initial request for the project was
for $12 million. The governor's amended budget reduced the
request to $6 million. The new request plans to split the
project. The first funds would be used to partially replace
the building currently occupied by the diesel technology
training program with an estimated 8,000 square foot modular
facility. In FY11 there will be another request for an
additional $6 million to complete the project.
Co-Chair Stedman noted that the additional $6 million was
not listed in the FY11 column. Mr. Bell acknowledged that
the item should have been indicated. He added that the FY10
request would pay for a useable building that would stand
next to and extend the existing building. The intent is to
continue with an adjacent building. The thirty-year-old
building being replaced has structural problems and should
be vacated.
Co-Chair Stedman asked if the vacated building would be used
for storage or other purposes. Mr. Bell answered that the
intent was to use the building for storage.
2:49:18 PM
Mr. Bell concluded with the department's last project, $1.3
million for Alaska Works Partnership Fairbanks Pipeline
Training Center Equipment. The original request was reduced
by $1 million. Equipment purchased will include welding
stations, health and safety lab-related equipment, and
instructional equipment for the facility.
Senator Huggins asked for more information regarding bush
training. Mr. Bell answered that the department provides
grants to entities that provide job training in rural
Alaska, such as Nome, Kotzebue, Bethel, King Salmon, and
Galena. He wondered if the training Senator Huggins had
heard about was provided through the Denali Commission.
Co-Chair Stedman noted challenges in keeping track of the
money put into training and workforce development and
suggested an overview of legislative activities in workforce
development over the past years.
Mr. Bell reported that Representative Hawker had requested
an accounting of the various gasline-related appropriations
from all agencies and that DWLD was putting together their
data. He added that the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) would compile the information.
2:52:53 PM
ALASKA COURT SYSTEM (COURTS)
CHRIS CHRISTENSEN, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA
COURT SYSTEM, explained the relationship between the court
system, the legislature, and OMB in connection with the
capital budget. He directed attention to the ten-project
list and noted that only the first item was in the
governor's budget.
Mr. Christensen informed the committee that the first item,
$2.5 million for the Anchorage Campus Project Renovation,
was the COURTS top priority. The request would fund one part
of the multi-year Boney Courthouse renovation project in
Anchorage. He provided a history of funding for the $21.8
million project. Over 40 percent of the court system
caseload is in Anchorage.
Mr. Christensen described problems with the Boney
Courthouse, including substantial deferred maintenance
needs, seismic issues, problems installing needed electronic
equipment, and a lack of security for handling prisoners,
the cause of mistrials and regular escapes. Anchorage has
had a 75 percent increase in felony cases in the past five
years, dramatically increasing the need for criminal trials,
new judges, and therapeutic courts. Renovating the building
would be more cost effective than re-building it.
Mr. Christensen noted that the federal stimulus package
indicates that 18 percent of each state's allocation must be
used for public safety and other government services. He
added that $9.9 million of the courthouse project could be
ready within 30 days.
2:58:50 PM
Mr. Christensen turned to the second priority item, $1.344
million for CourtView Enhancements. The purpose of the
project is to enhance the CourtView case management system
that has been developed over the past five years. The system
makes criminal case data available to other law enforcement
agencies in a more complete, accurate, accessible, and
timely manner. The basic version of CourtView is operational
in 24 court locations throughout the state. Southeast Alaska
is the last remaining location to be developed. He provided
examples of problems caused by a lack of the case management
system.
Mr. Christensen added that the request was the capital
component to get the system operational.
Co-Chair Stedman clarified that COURTS would request $1.344
for FY10 and follow with a request for over $800,000 in
FY11. He asked if the challenges would be solved with the
two appropriations. Mr. Christensen opined that the amount
would solve the problems. Currently data is available on the
internet, but limited; law enforcement needs access to
information not available to the public.
3:02:34 PM
Co-Chair Stedman asked if location would affect retrieval.
Mr. Christensen explained that the system is state-wide and
the information is electronic. The system is used by both
the city police and state troopers.
Mr. Christensen described the COURTS third priority on the
list, Court Security Projects. The request is made of many
discreet projects of all sizes; any amount provided would be
useful. He pointed out that courthouses are filled with
people with problems that make them security risks. Alaska
does not have armed officers in courthouses or courtrooms.
Security upgrades will provide for safer holding cells,
secure transportation, alarms, replacements for worn-out
metal detectors, and other security projects.
Mr. Christensen detailed the fourth item, $350,000 expended
over three years for the Mediation Pilot Project. He
explained that child custody, visitation, and support are
huge issues in the courts, making up approximately 20
percent of superior court caseload in Alaska. People rarely
like initial custody determinations and return to the courts
repeatedly over a long period of time. The request would
fund a mediation pilot project in Fairbanks, Palmer, and
Anchorage for cases where custody has been set, but someone
is trying to change it. Mediation has been used effectively
in similar cases around the country. The money would be used
for training personnel.
3:07:22 PM
Mr. Christensen emphasized that there are no federal funds
available for the project. After the program has been in
place and demonstrates success, the court system will ask
for general funds. Surveys in other states show that people
who participate in agreements regarding custody issues are
more satisfied.
Co-Chair Stedman explained that the legislature cannot
guarantee amounts above the governor's requests.
SB 75 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for further
consideration.
3:09:37 PM
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 3:09 PM.
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