Legislature(2019 - 2020)SENATE FINANCE 532
02/27/2019 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing: Commissioner-designee Kelly Tshibaka, Department of Administration | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
February 27, 2019
9:00 a.m.
9:00:59 AM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Stedman called the Senate Finance Committee
meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Natasha von Imhof, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Click Bishop
Senator Lyman Hoffman
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Mike Shower
Senator Bill Wielechowski
Senator David Wilson
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
ALSO PRESENT
Kelly Tshibaka, Commissioner-Designee, Department of
Administration; Josiah Tshibaka, Eldest Son, Commissioner-
Designee Kelly Tshibaka; Senator Cathy Giessel.
SUMMARY
^CONFIRMATION HEARING: COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE KELLY
TSHIBAKA, DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION
9:02:23 AM
KELLY TSHIBAKA, COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE, DEPARTMENT OF
ADMINISTRATION, stated that her resume was accurate, and
had been background-checked by the FBI, and other agencies.
She continued to discuss her background. She shared
information about a church created by her and her husband.
9:12:27 AM
Senator Bishop wondered whether she would "work with the
rank and file" to stay in line with the mission.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that throughout her
career, she found that it was important to work with the
people.
Senator Hoffman felt that she might be overqualified for
the position. He wondered how she would fulfill the goals
of the administration.
Co-Chair Stedman further wondered how she would fulfill the
responsibilities of the department.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that the role of the
Department of Administration (DOA) was to provide
consistent and efficient support services to the state
agencies to better serve Alaskans. She understood that the
goals of the administration were to do what they could
within the means to accomplish the most critical services
for Alaska.
Senator Bishop noted that data had driven her decisions. He
wondered whether she would stand up to her superiors, if
the data did not support their decisions.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied in the affirmative,
and stated that she had experience in that scenario.
9:19:12 AM
Senator Wielechowski wondered whether there was an intent
to continue the work in elections, National Guard, and
Constitutional Convention issues.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that when she was
brought into the administration, she served as a policy
advisor to the governor. Her purpose was to conduct
efficiency and effectiveness reviews. She remarked that the
review was a multidisciplinary approach to determine a
program's efficiency and effectiveness.
Senator Olson noted that Ms. Tshibaka came from a very
mixed background. He wondered why she wanted the position.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka announced that one of her
core values was wanting to help other people. She loved
Alaska, and wanted to help Alaskans.
9:25:03 AM
Senator Micciche queried the position in DOA prior to the
appointment to commissioner.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that she was first
appointed as policy advisor to the governor.
Senator Micciche queried the state date of that employment.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that it began
January 21, 2019.
Senator Micciche stated that he prescribed to a philosophy
of continuous improvement. He stated that there was a
natural resistance in the public sector to continue to
improve. He remarked that there were some private sector
philosophies in Ms. Tshibaka history. He wondered whether
the administration would allow her to use those abilities.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka relayed that the governor's
office seemed receptive to her ideas.
Co-Chair Stedman noted a letter about the mission of DOA.
Senator Micciche queried examples of areas on where data
analytics could help move in a forward direction.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka believed that there could be
significant cost efficiencies applying data analytics
against health care numbers. She believed that the
Workman's Comp program could also see efficiencies.
9:30:48 AM
Senator Shower noted the inspector general work, and felt
that it was important to examine fraud, waste, or abuse. He
asked about consolidation of services.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that if there was an
effort to consolidate services, especially for travel,
accounts payable, procurement, human resources, so
excellent service could be provided, she felt that would be
a huge success for the state.
Senator Wielechowski noted that she would oversee thousands
of state employees. He wondered whether the state or any
agency to discriminate against employees based on their
sexual orientation.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that she did not
believe that any agency should discriminate against
employees based on their sexual orientation
Senator Wilson noted the numerous databases in the various
agencies. He asked about information about the security of
those databases.
9:35:31 AM
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that she was
concerned about the privacy and security of the information
systems. She had confidence the efforts to heighten the
information security.
Senator Wilson appreciated those efforts. He felt that she
was the right person for the position.
Senator Hoffman queried experience in rural Alaska, and how
she would affect them.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka shared that she had traveled
to some parts of rural Alaska.
Senator Bishop wondered whether the Public Defender's
Office was sufficiently staffed.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that there were some
needs in the Public Defender's Office, but she did not know
those needs yet.
Senator Olson wondered whether Ms. Tshibaka had been to the
North Pole.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that she had been
above the Arctic Circle.
Senator Olson noted the 1200 mile difference.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka shared that she had been to
the oil fields.
Senator Olson stressed that public broadcasting was
essential to the most of the communities, especially those
that had the largest revenue for the state. He queried the
thoughts on the administration's defunding of public
broadcasting.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that the Alaska
Public Broadcasting Commission (APBC) provided an essential
service to the rural communities. She stated that the state
funding was not the only funding that the received. She
stated that it received federal funds, and could receive
funds from local, community, and tribal grants. She stated
that it received grants from the Department of Commerce,
Community and Economic Development (DCCED).
9:40:23 AM
Senator Olson wondered whether she was in agreement with
the administration to withhold funds for those radio
stations.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that she inherited
the budget, but would talk with APBC to examine the
remainder of their financial output.
Senator Wielechowski noted that the state Public Defender
had testified that cuts had placed the state at risk for
violating the constitution. He remarked that the budget cut
public defenders. He wondered how quickly the audit would
be complete.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka responded that the Public
Defender was able to meet the obligation through FY 19, and
would extend the appellate backlog into FY 20.
Co-Chair Stedman wondered whether she intended to assist
the budget process in the subcommittees.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that she would
confirm with OMB about the plan for subcommittee.
Co-Chair Stedman stressed that it was difficult to do the
subcommittee work with only OMB.
Senator Micciche asked that Ms. Tshibaka become intimately
educated with the budget.
Senator Bishop stated that he never missed a meeting with
the committee or subcommittee when he served as
commissioner of a department.
Senator Wielechowski asked whether there was an intent to
seek reductions in any existing state collective bargaining
agreements, or seek reductions in retirement benefits or
health insurance.
Commissioner-Designee Tshibaka replied that she was not
intending to changing the direction of any program.
9:46:00 AM
JOSIAH TSHIBAKA, ELDEST SON, COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE KELLY
TSHIBAKA, introduced himself.
Co-Chair Stedman wondered the legislature should give his
mother the job.
Mr. Tshibaka replied in the affirmative.
Co-Chair Stedman MOVED to FORWARD the appointment of Kelly
Tshibaka in accordance with AS 39.05.080, to a joint
legislative session for consideration as commissioner of
Department of Administration.
Co-Chair Stedman informed that the action did not reflect
an intent by any of the members to vote for or against the
confirmation of the individual during any further sessions.
ADJOURNMENT
9:48:19 AM
The meeting was adjourned at 9:48 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation Resume FIN Commissioner DOA Tshibaka #7.pdf |
SFIN 2/27/2019 9:00:00 AM |
Confirmations 2019 |