Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/10/2018 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB285 || HB286 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 285 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 286 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
April 10, 2018
1:39 p.m.
1:39:59 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Hoffman called the Senate Finance Committee
meeting to order at 1:39 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Anna MacKinnon, Co-Chair
Senator Click Bishop, Vice-Chair
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Gary Stevens
Senator Natasha von Imhof
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
ALSO PRESENT
Pete Ecklund, Staff, Senator Lyman Hoffman
SUMMARY
CSHB 285(FIN)
APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET
SCS CSHB 285(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee
with a "do pass" recommendation.
CSHB 286(FIN) am(brf sup maj fld)(efd fld)
APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET/LOANS/FUNDS
SCS CSHB 286(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee
with a "do pass" recommendation.
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 285(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."
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 286(FIN) am(brf sup maj fld)(efd fld)
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
loan program expenses of state government and for
certain programs; capitalizing funds; amending
appropriations; and making supplemental
appropriations."
1:40:19 PM
Co-Chair Hoffman stated that the committee would take up
proposed amendments and pass the bill from committee.
Senator von Imhof MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1:
DEPARTMENT: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
APPROPRIATION: Sport Fisheries
ALLOCATION: Sport Fisheries
ADD: Add $150,000 in one-time only funding from 1223
Commercial Charter Fisheries RLF.
DELETE: N/A
POSITIONS: N/A
EXPLANATION: Continue to support the sport fishing
business and guide logbook and vessel registration
program for six months in case the Saltwater Guide
License Fee sunsets on December 31, 2018. This support
allows the program to continue operating while ADF&G
seeks the removal of the sunset date by the 31st
Legislature.
Co-Chair Hoffman OBJECTED for discussion.
Senator von Imhof explained that currently a log book was
required by all sports fish charter guide operators. She
stated that all daily trips must be reported in the log
book, and the book was given to the Department of Fish and
Game (DFG). She shared that DFG used the data to manage
sports fishing in Alaska. The data was given to the Board
of Fisheries to restrict or liberalize limits. The North
Pacific Fisheries Management Council used the data for
halibut management. She explained that the amendment would
keep the program until the end of the following year.
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked for confirmation that it was a
one-time increment.
Senator von Imhof replied in the affirmative.
Co-Chair Hoffman WITHDREW his OBJECTION. There being NO
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Amendment 1 was
ADOPTED.
Senator Micciche MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 2:
DEPARTMENT: Administration
APPROPRIATION: Centralized Administrative Services
ALLOCATION: Labor Relations
ADD INTENT: Alaska is facing an increasing crisis
regarding the recruitment and retention of Alaska
State Troopers. It is the intent of the legislature to
encourage the Department of Administration to review
and adjust as needed contracts for Alaska State
Troopers to ensure successful recruitment and
retention to meet the Department's mission in ensuring
the public safety of Alaskans.
EXPLANATION: In recent years a concern was voiced
regarding Trooper recruitment and retention levels. A
report was requested by the legislature in the FYI 8
budget process to identify the underlying causes. This
intent language addresses the primary issue identified
in the report.
Co-Chair Hoffman OBJECTED for discussion.
Senator Micciche discussed the amendment.
Co-Chair Hoffman WITHDREW his OBJECTION. There being NO
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Amendment 2 was
ADOPTED.
1:44:32 PM
Senator Olson MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 3:
DEPARTMENT: Public Safety
APPROPRIATION: Fire and Life Safety
ALLOCATION: Fire and Life Safety
ADD:
$75,000 1004 Gen Fund (UGF)
$125,000 1005 GF/Prgm(DGF)
EXPLANATION: Building inspection and rural
firefighter training. This item was in the Governor's
budget, and is important for the communities in rural
Alaska because of the problems they have with
maintaining public buildings and with fires. Properly
funding the inspections of schools, businesses,
hospitals, churches and other buildings is also a
crucial component of protecting these assets.
Co-Chair Hoffman OBJECTED for discussion.
Senator Olson explained the amendment. He recalled the last
large fire in his district was in Hooper Bay and resulted
in the addition of the money.
Co-Chair Hoffman MAINTAINED his OBJECTION.
Co-Chair MacKinnon noted that the item was in the
governor's budget. She wondered whether it was contained in
the budget from the other body.
Senator Olson replied in the negative.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Olson
OPPOSED: Bishop, Micciche, Stevens, Von Imhof, Hoffman,
MacKinnon
The MOTION FAILED (1/6).
Senator Olson MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 4:
DEPARTMENT: Public Safety
APPROPRIATION: Village Public Safety Officer Program
ALLOCATION: Village Public Safety Officer Program
ADD: $1,500,000 1004 Gen Fund (UGF)
EXPLANATION: This funding, if approved, will be used
to improve law enforcement access to rural communities
by Alaska State Troopers (AST) and by Village Public
Safety Officers (VPSOs). With the shortage of both
ASTs and VPSOs, adding the travel funds will allow
existing positions to go where they are needed in
rural Alaska. ASTs and VPSOs have had severe problems
with recruitment and retention, which has left many
villages without any public protection. So these funds
will allow for travel to villages that need those
services, and will improve the response time to
emergency calls; which will enhance the level of
service provided and thus the level of public safety
in rural Alaska.
ADD LEGISLATIVE INTENT: Village Public Safety Officer
Program Appropriation
It is the intent of the legislature that the amount of
$1,500,000 be used only for travel to rural
communities by VPSOs or Alaska State Troopers. It is
also the intent of the legislature that the Department
support VPSO contractors' efforts to provide public
safety services to the maximum geographic area
surrounding their duty station.
EXPLANATION: The provision of public safety in
remote rural Alaska comes with challenges related to
distance. VPSO rovers and travel from village to
village provides a significantly broader reach for the
Department. The intent is to ensure that these
additional funds are used only for travel and travel
related costs to rural communities, to ensure greater
public safety in rural Alaska where distance creates
challenges and there are problems with recruitment and
retention of VPSOs to provide public safety services.
Co-Chair Hoffman OBJECTED for discussion.
Senator Olson discussed the amendment.
Senator Micciche stated he would offer a conceptual
amendment to Amendment 4.
1:49:13 PM
AT EASE
1:51:25 PM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Hoffman informed that Senator Olson //
1:51:51 PM
AT EASE
2:15:16 PM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Hoffman reminded that the committee was
considering Amendment 4.
Senator Micciche MOVED to ADOPT Conceptual Amendment 1 to
Amendment 4. The conceptual amendment proposed a $1 million
reduction, with the remaining $500,000 as a one-time
increment.
Co-Chair Hoffman asked if all members understood the
motion. The members acknowledged understanding of the
motion.
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Conceptual
Amendment 1 was ADOPTED.
Co-Chair Hoffman asked if there was objection to the motion
to pass Amendment 4 as amended. There being NO OBJECTION,
it was so ordered. Amendment 4 was ADOPTED as conceptually
amended.
Senator Olson MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 5:
DEPARTMENT: Department of Education and Early
Development
APPROPRIATION: Educational Support and Administrative
Services
ALLOCATION: Student and School Support and Achievement
ADD: $97,800, UGF, 1004
DELETE: IncoTI, $97,800, UGF, 1004
POSITIONS: ADD: 1 PFT position
EXPLANATION: DEED is having a difficult time filling
the position because it is temporary. This amendment
would make the requested data analyst position
permanent, allowing DEED to move forward with filling
the position for data collection, analysis, and
reporting.
Co-Chair Hoffman OBJECTED for discussion.
Senator Olson explained the amendment. [Senator Olson
erroneously discussed the explanation for Amendment 6 while
the committee was considering Amendment 5. The committee
later decided to proceed with its action on the amendment
despite the error.]
Senator Olson continued to discuss Amendment 5.
Co-Chair Hoffman MAINTAINED his OBJECTION.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Olson
OPPOSED: Micciche, Stevens, von Imhof, Bishop, MacKinnon,
Hoffman
The MOTION FAILED (1/6).
2:19:13 PM
AT EASE
2:20:39 PM
RECONVENED
Senator Olson MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 6.
Co-Chair Hoffman OBJECTED for discussion.
Senator Olson explained that he had mistakenly offered the
explanation for Amendment 6 during the committee's
consideration of Amendment 5.
2:21:21 PM
AT EASE
2:22:10 PM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Hoffman MAINTAINED his OBJECTION to Amendment 6.
He stated that the budget gave half of what was requested
in the governor's proposed budget, and the House had fully
funded the item. The item was conferencable at the expected
budget conference committee.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Olson
OPPOSED: Micciche, Stevens, von Imhof, Bishop, MacKinnon,
Hoffman
The MOTION FAILED (1/7).
Co-Chair Hoffman clarified that he had mis-spoken on
Amendment 3, which was in the House budget.
Co-Chair MacKinnon lauded the actions of Co-Chair Hoffman.
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to give the Legislative Finance
Division and Legislative Legal Services the ability to make
technical and conforming changes to SCS CSHB 285 and SCS
CSSB 286. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
Co-Chair Hoffman asked his staff to comment on changes to
SCS CSHB 285.
2:25:04 PM
PETE ECKLUND, STAFF, SENATOR LYMAN HOFFMAN, stated that
there had a been tradition that one body removed four
projects and kept one in their budget, and the other body
did the opposite, resulting in every project becoming
conferencable. He pointed out that the Mental Health
Essential Program Equipment for $500,000 was included in
the budget. He remarked that there were five other capital
projects removed in the other body's version that would all
be conferencable.
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked if it was four or five that were
removed.
Mr. Ecklund had received a report from LFD that listed five
programs.
Co-Chair Hoffman informed that the committee of the
process. He thanked committee members for the work within a
concentrated time period to complete the budget. He
recognized that staff had worked on the budget.
Co-Chair Hoffman thanked LFD for working on the budget. He
referenced the $2.5 billion deficit and thought it needed
to be addressed in addition to the services. He stated that
the committee was still working with the other body on HB
287, and it was the intention of the Senate to come to some
conclusion on the early funding of education. He reiterated
that the budget did not have education funding contained
within the bill, as was normally done.
2:29:10 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to report SCS CSHB 286(FIN) out of
Committee with individual recommendations.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Micciche, Olson, Stevens, Von Imhof, Bishop,
MacKinnon, Hoffman
OPPOSED: NONE
The MOTION PASSED (7/0).
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to report SCS CSHB 285(FIN) out of
Committee with individual recommendations.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Micciche, Olson, Stevens, Von Imhof, Bishop,
MacKinnon, Hoffman
OPPOSED: NONE
The MOTION PASSED (7/0).
Co-Chair MacKinnon expressed gratitude for the efforts on
the budget.
Co-Chair Hoffman discussed committee business.
SCS CSHB 286(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with a "do
pass" recommendation.
SCS CSHB 285(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with a "do
pass" recommendation.
ADJOURNMENT
2:31:57 PM
The meeting was adjourned at 2:31 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 285 ABADA AMHB budget letter to Senate Finance.pdf |
SFIN 4/10/2018 1:30:00 PM |
HB 285 |
| HB 286 Amendment 5 Olson.pdf |
SFIN 4/10/2018 1:30:00 PM |
HB 286 |
| HB 286 Amendment 4 Olson.pdf |
SFIN 4/10/2018 1:30:00 PM |
HB 286 |
| HB 286 Amendment 6 Olson.pdf |
SFIN 4/10/2018 1:30:00 PM |
HB 286 |
| HB 286 Amendment 1 von Imhof.pdf |
SFIN 4/10/2018 1:30:00 PM |
HB 286 |
| HB 286 Amendment 3 Olson.pdf |
SFIN 4/10/2018 1:30:00 PM |
HB 286 |
| HB 286 Amendment 2 Micchiche.pdf |
SFIN 4/10/2018 1:30:00 PM |
HB 286 |