Legislature(2021 - 2022)SENATE FINANCE 532

05/11/2022 01:00 PM Senate FINANCE

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled: TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 99 PHYSICAL/OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY BD/PRACTICE TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 99 Out of Committee
+= HB 155 COURT SYSTEM PROVIDE VISITORS & EXPERTS TELECONFERENCED
Moved SCS HB 155(JUD) Out of Committee
+= HB 307 EXTEND BOND AUTH FOR INTERIOR ENERGY PROJ TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 307 Out of Committee
+= HB 168 ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR STATE BENEFITS TELECONFERENCED
Moved SCS HB 168(FIN) Out of Committee
                 SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                       May 11, 2022                                                                                             
                         1:16 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:16:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman called the Senate Finance Committee                                                                            
meeting to order at 1:16 p.m.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Lyman Hoffman                                                                                                           
Senator Donny Olson                                                                                                             
Senator Natasha von Imhof                                                                                                       
Senator David Wilson                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Click Bishop, Co-Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Bill Wielechowski                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Matt Claman,  Sponsor; Representative  Chris                                                                    
Tuck, Sponsor;  Representative Grier Hopkins,  Sponsor; Erin                                                                    
Shine,  Staff,  Senator  Click  Bishop;  Representative  Liz                                                                    
Snyder, Sponsor.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
HB 99     PHYSICAL/OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY BD/PRACTICE                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
          HB 99 was REPORTED out  of committee with four "do                                                                    
          pass"   recommendations    and   with    one   "no                                                                    
          recommendation"     recommendation,    and     one                                                                    
          previously published fiscal note: FN 2(CED).                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
HB 155    COURT SYSTEM PROVIDE VISITORS & EXPERTS                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
          SCS  HB 155(JUD)  was  REPORTED  out of  committee                                                                    
          four "do  pass" recommendations  and with  one "no                                                                    
          recommendation"     recommendation,    and     two                                                                    
          previously  published  fiscal   impact  notes:  FN                                                                    
          3(ADM), FN 4(AJS).                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HB 168    ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR STATE BENEFITS                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
          SCS  HB 168  was  REPORTED out  of committee  with                                                                    
          four "do  pass" recommendations  and with  one "no                                                                    
          recommendation"   recommendation,  and   with  one                                                                    
          previously published zero fiscal note: FN 2(DHS).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
HB 307    EXTEND BOND AUTH FOR INTERIOR ENERGY PROJ                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
          HB  307 was  REPORTED out  of committee  with four                                                                    
          "do  pass"   recommendations  and  with   one  "no                                                                    
          recommendation"   recommendation,  and   with  one                                                                    
          previously published zero fiscal note: FN 1(CED).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 99                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act relating  to the  State  Physical Therapy  and                                                                    
     Occupational  Therapy Board;  relating to  the practice                                                                    
     of physical  therapy; and relating  to the  practice of                                                                    
     occupational therapy."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:17:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman relayed  that it was the  second hearing on                                                                    
HB  99, and  the  committee had  heard  public testimony  on                                                                    
April  22, 2022.  He stated  that the  committees  intention                                                                    
was to  hear a quick  reintroduction of the bill,  cover the                                                                    
fiscal note, and look to the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:18:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MATT  CLAMAN,  SPONSOR,  discussed  a  brief                                                                    
overview  of the  bill.  He described  that  his office  had                                                                    
introduced HB 99  at the request of the  Alaska Physical and                                                                    
Occupational Therapy  Association. The bill would  amend the                                                                    
governing  statutes and  would  bring them  up  to date  for                                                                    
modern  standard   for  occupational   therapists,  physical                                                                    
therapists,  occupational therapy  assistants, and  physical                                                                    
therapy assistants.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman discussed a fiscal  note from the Department                                                                    
of  Commerce, Community  and Economic  Development, with  an                                                                    
appropriation   and   allocation   from  the   Division   of                                                                    
Corporations,  Business and  Professional Licensing  (CBPL),                                                                    
OMB Component 2360. The fiscal  note had one line item under                                                                    
Services of  $2.3 thousand. The  funding source  was receipt                                                                    
services.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman MOVED to report  HB 99 out of Committee with                                                                    
individual  recommendations  and   the  accompanying  fiscal                                                                    
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
HB  99 was  REPORTED out  of committee  with four  "do pass"                                                                    
recommendations   and    with   one    "no   recommendation"                                                                    
recommendation,  and one  previously published  fiscal note:                                                                    
FN 2(CED).                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 155                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act  relating   to  court-appointed  visitors  and                                                                    
     experts;  relating  to the  powers  and  duties of  the                                                                    
     office of  public advocacy; relating to  the powers and                                                                    
     duties of  the Alaska  Court System; and  providing for                                                                    
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:20:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman relayed that it  was the second hearing for                                                                    
HB  155, and  the committee  had heard  public testimony  on                                                                    
April  25, 2022.  The committees   intention was  to have  a                                                                    
quick bill reintroduction, cover  the fiscal notes, and look                                                                    
to the will of the committee.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:20:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS  TUCK, SPONSOR, discussed  a high-level                                                                    
overview  of the  bill. He  explained  that the  bill was  a                                                                    
collaborative effort  between the Office of  Public Advocacy                                                                    
(OPA) and the  Alaska Court System to put  the Court Visitor                                                                    
Program into the  Court System rather than in  OPA. He spoke                                                                    
to FN 4,  which proposed about $104,700  in additional money                                                                    
going into the program. He  explained that the funding would                                                                    
provide  for an  additional  staff member  to  take care  of                                                                    
training.  He noted  that there  was an  increase in  cases,                                                                    
particularly   with  the   states    aging  population.   He                                                                    
commented  that  OPA  had been  reluctant  to  complete  the                                                                    
training, which was best done by the Court System.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator  von Imhof  discussed FN  3 from  the Department  of                                                                    
Administration,  which  reflected  a decrement  of  $854,400                                                                    
annually that was transferred to  FN 4, for the Alaska Court                                                                    
System.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator von  Imhof discussed FN  4, which reflected  a total                                                                    
of $960,600 annually to cover the program.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator von  Imhof MOVED  to report SCS  HB 155(JUD)  out of                                                                    
Committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal notes. There  being NO OBJECTION, it was                                                                    
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SCS  HB 155(JUD)  was  REPORTED out  of  committee four  "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendations  and  with  one  "no  recommendation"                                                                    
recommendation, and  two previously published  fiscal impact                                                                    
notes: FN 3(ADM), FN 4(AJS).                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 307                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act  relating to  the  financing  and issuance  of                                                                    
     bonds  for a  liquefied natural  gas production  system                                                                    
     and natural gas distribution  system; and providing for                                                                    
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:23:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman relayed  that it was the  second hearing on                                                                    
HB 307, and the committee  had taken public testimony on May                                                                    
5, 2022.  It was the  committees  intention to have  a quick                                                                    
bill reintroduction, cover the fiscal  note, and look to the                                                                    
will of the committee.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:23:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRIER HOPKINS,  SPONSOR, explained  that the                                                                    
bill  would   extend  the   authorization  for   the  Alaska                                                                    
Industrial  Development  and  Export  Authority  (AIDEA)  to                                                                    
issue conduit  revenue bonds related to  the Interior Energy                                                                    
Project for  an additional  five years to  the date  of June                                                                    
30, 2028.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson discussed a  previously published zero fiscal                                                                    
note  from   the  Department  of  Commerce,   Community  and                                                                    
Economic Development, OMB Component 1234.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson MOVED to report  HB 307 out of Committee with                                                                    
individual  recommendations  and   the  accompanying  fiscal                                                                    
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
HB 307  was REPORTED  out of committee  with four  "do pass"                                                                    
recommendations   and    with   one    "no   recommendation"                                                                    
recommendation,  and  with  one  previously  published  zero                                                                    
fiscal note: FN 1(CED).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 168                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  requiring the Department of  Health and Social                                                                    
     Services  to   provide  and  allow  submission   of  an                                                                    
     electronic application for  certain state benefits; and                                                                    
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:24:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman relayed that it  was the second hearing for                                                                    
HB  168, and  the committee  had heard  public testimony  on                                                                    
April  22nd. The  committee intended  to quickly  review the                                                                    
bill, review the  fiscal notes, and look to the  will of the                                                                    
committee.  He noted  that there  was  a proposed  committee                                                                    
substitute for consideration.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  MOVED to ADOPT proposed  committee substitute                                                                    
for HB 168, Work Draft 32-LS0639\N (Foote, 4/28/22).                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:25:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ERIN SHINE, STAFF, SENATOR CLICK  BISHOP, explained that the                                                                    
only  change  in the  proposed  committee  substitute was  a                                                                    
change from the Department of  Health and Social Services to                                                                    
the Department  of Health. There  were also  other technical                                                                    
and conforming  changes related to the  Executive Order 121,                                                                    
which had passed earlier in the session.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman WITHDREW  his  OBJECTION.  There being  NO                                                                    
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:26:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LIZ  SNYDER, SPONSOR, explained that  HB 168.                                                                    
She  explained  that the  bill  required  the Department  of                                                                    
Health to  establish a fully online  application process for                                                                    
public  assistance   programs,  without   eliminating  other                                                                    
existing application  options. She thought it  was important                                                                    
to   know   that    online   applications   could   increase                                                                    
accessibility and efficiency  in application and processing.                                                                    
The greater efficiency would improve  access and granting to                                                                    
eligible applicants more quickly.  She noted that efforts to                                                                    
create  an online  application option  had been  ongoing for                                                                    
many  years but  had  not yet  been  unsuccessful. The  bill                                                                    
established a  deadline of  July 1,  2022 and  protected the                                                                    
option in statute.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  discussed FN 2,  a previously  published zero                                                                    
fiscal note from the Department of Health.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson MOVED  to  report  SCS HB  168  (FIN) out  of                                                                    
Committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal  note. There being NO  OBJECTION, it was                                                                    
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SCS  HB 168  was REPORTED  out  of committee  with four  "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendations  and  with  one  "no  recommendation"                                                                    
recommendation,  and  with  one  previously  published  zero                                                                    
fiscal note: FN 2(DHS).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman reviewed the agenda for the following day.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
1:29:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 1:29 p.m.                                                                                          

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 99 Sponsor Statement v. A.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 99
HB 99 Testimony - Received as of 4.20.2022.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 99
HB 99 Testimony - Received as of 2.1.2022.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 99
HB 99 Sectional Analysis v. A.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 99
HB 99 Questions from SFIN Hearing on 4_22.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 99
HB 155 Explanation of Changes Version B to Version 1 02.16.2022.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 155
HB 155 Version I Sectional Analysis 02.15.2022.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 155
HB 155 Testimony Office of Public Advocacy 4.3.2021.pdf HFIN 5/5/2021 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 4/25/2022 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 155
HB 155 Sponsor Statement 3.30.2021.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 155
HB 155 Additional Document - Alaska Court System Response to HJUD Questions on April 5_2021 4.7.2021.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 155
HB 155 - Court Visitors Moving to Court System Fiscal Note Explanation.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 155
HB 307 - Sponsor Statement 4.25.2022.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 307
HB 307- Sectional Analysis 3.7.2022.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 307
HB 307 - Research - Interior Energy Project January 2022 Update to Legislature 2.23.2022.pdf HFIN 4/4/2022 1:00:00 PM
SFIN 5/5/2022 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 307
HB 307 - Letters of Support 4.25.2022.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 307
HB 168 Work Draft ver. N 4.28.22.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 168
HB168 DPA Response Follow up Questions--Recieved 1.28.2022.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 168
HB168 DPA Follow up Medicaid-CHIP Renewal--Received 1.28.2022.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 168
HB 168 Testimony -- Recieved 4.19.2021.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 168
HB 168 Summary of Changes Version O.pdf SFIN 4/21/2022 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 168
HB 168 Sponsor Statement 4.12.2021.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 168
HB 168 Sectional Analysis Version O.pdf SFIN 4/21/2022 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 168
HB 168 Explanation of Changes ver. O to N 4.28.22.pdf SFIN 5/11/2022 1:00:00 PM
HB 168