Legislature(2023 - 2024)SENATE FINANCE 532

05/14/2024 08:45 AM Senate CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON HB268 AND HB270

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Audio Topic
08:52:26 AM Start
09:10:07 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Conference Committee: TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 268 APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET; CAP; SUPP; AM TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 270 APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET TELECONFERENCED
               33RD ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                    
                      SECOND SESSION                                                                                            
         CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON HB 268 and HB 270                                                                              
                       May 14, 2024                                                                                             
                         8:52 a.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:52:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman called the Conference Committee meeting on HB
268 and HB 270 to order at 8:52 a.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT:                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senate:                                                                                                                         
Senator Bert Stedman, Chair                                                                                                     
Senator Lyman Hoffman                                                                                                           
Senator Donny Olson                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
House:                                                                                                                          
Representative DeLena Johnson, Vice-Chair                                                                                       
Representative Bryce Edgmon                                                                                                     
Representative Dan Ortiz                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT:                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Alexei Painter, Director, Legislative Finance Division.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
HB 268    APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET; CAP; SUPP; AM                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
          CCS HB 268 was REPORTED out of committee with a                                                                       
          "do pass" recommendation.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HB 270    APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
          CCS HB 270 was REPORTED out of committee with a                                                                       
          "do pass" recommendation.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
DEPARTMENTS:                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES                                                                                            
     STATE RETIREMENT PAYMENTS                                                                                                  
     PERMANENT FUND                                                                                                             
     FUND CAPITALIZATION                                                                                                        
     FUND TRANSFERS                                                                                                             
     LANGUAGE AND OTHER APPROPRIATIONS                                                                                          
     FY24 OPERATING SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS                                                                                          
    MONETARY TERMS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS                                                                          
     FISCAL NOTES                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 268(FIN)                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     loan  program  expenses  of state  government  and  for                                                                    
     certain   programs;   capitalizing   funds;   repealing                                                                    
     appropriations;    amending   appropriations;    making                                                                    
     supplemental  appropriations and  reappropriations; and                                                                    
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 268(FIN) am(brf sup maj fld)                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     loan  program  expenses  of state  government  and  for                                                                    
     certain   programs;    capitalizing   funds;   amending                                                                    
     appropriations; making  supplemental appropriations and                                                                    
     reappropriations;  and   providing  for   an  effective                                                                    
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
and                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 270(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. 270(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."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:53:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Johnson  MOVED to  ADOPT  the  following in  the                                                                    
Department of Natural Resources' budget:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Item 5         Senate                                                                                                      
     Item 6         Senate, all items                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Johnson  MOVED that  the Committee REOPEN  Item 7                                                                    
in the Department of Natural Resources' budget.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Johnson MOVED  for the intent language  in Item 7                                                                    
to  be   applied  to   the  Fire   Suppression  Preparedness                                                                    
allocation.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
There being  NO OBJECTION,  it was  so ordered.  This action                                                                    
closed  the  conference-able  items  in  the  Department  of                                                                    
Natural Resources' budget.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Johnson  MOVED  to   REOPEN  the  Department  of                                                                    
Revenues   budget.  There  being  NO OBJECTION,  it  was  so                                                                    
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Johnson MOVED to  ADOPT the following department-                                                                    
level language:                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     It  is   the  intent   of  the  legislature   that  the                                                                    
     Department  of Revenue  clearly delineate  the separate                                                                    
     dollar  amounts attributable  to  the  FY 25  Permanent                                                                    
     Fund  Dividend, and  the FY  25 Energy  Relief Payments                                                                    
     when making these payments.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
This  action   closed  the  conference-able  items   in  the                                                                    
Department of Revenues budget.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
^STATE RETIREMENT PAYMENTS                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:55:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Johnson MOVED to ADOPT the following in State                                                                        
Retirement Payments:                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1         House                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. This action                                                                        
closed the conference-able items in State Retirement                                                                            
Payments.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
^FUND CAPITALIZATION                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:55:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Johnson MOVED to ADOPT the following in Fund                                                                         
Capitalization:                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Item 1         Senate minus $15 million UGF                                                                                     
Item 2         Senate                                                                                                           
Item 3         Senate                                                                                                           
Item 4         House, both items. Modify as follows:                                                                            
               Line 1, House minus $159.5 thousand Public                                                                       
               School Trust Fund                                                                                                
               Line 2, House plus $159.5 thousand UGF                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. This action                                                                        
closed the conference-able items in Fund Capitalization.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
^PERMANENT FUND                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:56:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Johnson MOVED to ADOPT the following in                                                                              
Permanent Fund:                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1         Senate                                                                                                      
     Item 2         Senate                                                                                                      
     Item 3         Senate                                                                                                      
                    Modify amount to "not to exceed $1                                                                          
                    billion"                                                                                                    
     Item 4         Senate                                                                                                      
                    Modify amount to "not to exceed $1                                                                          
                    billion"                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There being  NO OBJECTION,  it was  so ordered.  This action                                                                    
closed the conference-able items in the Permanent Fund.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
^FUND TRANSFERS                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:57:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Johnson MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following in  Fund                                                                    
Transfers:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1         Senate                                                                                                      
     Modify by adopting amendment T.37                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman  explained that the  effect of  this amendment                                                                    
was  to  raise the  threshold  before  the FY25  'waterfall'                                                                    
starts. This  effectively leaves  the first $135  million of                                                                    
revenue   above   the    spring   forecast   available   for                                                                    
appropriations. This  is estimated  to be at  prices between                                                                    
$78 and $81 per barrel.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
This  action  closed  the   conference-able  items  in  Fund                                                                    
Transfers.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Ortiz  asked for clarification  about leaving                                                                    
an amount of money for  appropriations. He asked whether the                                                                    
word  appropriations  signified any kind of appropriations.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Chair  Stedman  thought  the  Legislative  Finance  Director                                                                    
could address Representative Ortizs question.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:58:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALEXEI  PAINTER,  DIRECTOR,  LEGISLATIVE  FINANCE  DIVISION,                                                                    
explained  that  the  language directed  additional  revenue                                                                    
received to  be split  between the Statutory  Budget Reserve                                                                    
and energy  relief checks. He  noted that  the configuration                                                                    
was similar to  the waterfall provision in  the current year                                                                    
and would  go into effect  at $135 million above  the spring                                                                    
revenue  forecast. The  condition would  leave $135  million                                                                    
available for appropriation.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Ortiz asked  if  the $135  million could  be                                                                    
used for anything.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr.   Painter  answered   in   the  affirmative,   including                                                                    
supplemental items.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative asked if the amount signified headroom.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter answered affirmatively.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  explained that  when the  members referred                                                                    
to "headroom" it  indicated having space in  the budget that                                                                    
was unappropriated  revenue for items such  as forest fires,                                                                    
agency expenditures, or natural disasters.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
^LANGUAGE AND OTHER APPROPRIATIONS                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:00:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Johnson MOVED to ADOPT  the following in Language                                                                    
and Other Appropriations:                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1         Senate                                                                                                      
                    Modify by the previous adoption of                                                                          
                    amendment T.37                                                                                              
     Item 2         Senate                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
There being  NO OBJECTION,  it was  so ordered.  This action                                                                    
closed  the  conference-able  items in  Language  and  Other                                                                    
Appropriations.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
^FY24 OPERATING SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:00:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Johnson MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following in  FY24                                                                    
Supplemental Operating Items:                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Item 15        House                                                                                                       
                    Modify by adopting amendment T.41                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
The effect  of adopting  amendment T.41  is to  increase the                                                                    
funds available for an energy  relief payment in the current                                                                    
year. This  will raise the  estimated payment from  $222 per                                                                    
person, which was  based on the Spring  Revenue Forecast, to                                                                    
$295 per person.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Item 16        Senate                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
^MONETARY TERMS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:01:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Johnson   MOVED  to   ADOPT  Packet   1,  titled                                                                    
 Monetary  Terms of  Collective Bargaining  Agreements.  She                                                                    
explained that  the packet  funded the  negotiated contracts                                                                    
for:                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
         Labor, Trades and Crafts Unit                                                                                       
         Alaska Public Employees Association/Supervisory                                                                     
          Unit                                                                                                                  
         Alaska Graduate Workers Association                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There being  NO OBJECTION,  it was  so ordered.  This action                                                                    
closed the items in Monetary  Terms of Collective Bargaining                                                                    
Agreements.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
^FISCAL NOTES                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:02:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Johnson  MOVED to ADOPT  Packet 2  titled  Fiscal                                                                    
Notes.  She explained that the  document added a new Section                                                                    
2  to both  the Operating  Budget,  HB 268,  and the  Mental                                                                    
Health budget, HB 270:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     1.   Section 2 makes appropriations associated with                                                                        
     the bills listed.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     2.   If  a  bill  listed  either  fails  to  pass,  its                                                                    
     substance  fails  to  be  incorporated  in  some  other                                                                    
     measure,   or   is   vetoed  by   the   Governor,   the                                                                    
     appropriations associated with that bill are reduced.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     3.   The attached reports prepared by the Legislative                                                                      
     Finance Division list the fund sources and agencies                                                                        
     associated with the bill.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman asked Mr. Painter  if he had any comments that                                                                    
he would  like to  make regarding  the mental  health fiscal                                                                    
notes.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Painter indicated  that the  only fiscal  notes in  the                                                                    
mental health bill were a portion  of SB 259, which paid for                                                                    
exempt employees and  a portion of which  was mental health.                                                                    
The rest of  the fiscal notes were in HB  268, the operating                                                                    
budget.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Johnson MOVED  to give  Legislative Finance  and                                                                    
Legislative  Legal Services  the ability  to make  technical                                                                    
and  conforming  adjustments  to  the  Conference  Committee                                                                    
Substitute for House Bill 268.  There being NO OBJECTION, it                                                                    
was so ordered.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair   MOVED  to   report  the   Conference  Committee                                                                    
Substitute  for  House  Bill   268  out  of  Committee  with                                                                    
individual  recommendations. There  being  NO OBJECTION,  it                                                                    
was so ordered.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair Johnson MOVED to  report the Conference Committee                                                                    
Substitute  for  House  Bill   270  out  of  Committee  with                                                                    
individual  recommendations. There  being  NO OBJECTION,  it                                                                    
was so ordered.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:05:06 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:07:29 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVNED                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman relayed  that the  meeting closed  out all                                                                    
conference-able  items in  the Operating  and Mental  Health                                                                    
appropriation bills, HB  268 and HB 270.  This concluded the                                                                    
work of the conference committee.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  thanked Vice-Chair Johnson and  her staff.                                                                    
He extended  his thanks to  Senator Hoffman,  Senator Olson,                                                                    
Representative Edgmon  and Representative  Ortiz and  to all                                                                    
their staff.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman thanked Alexei  Painter,  Morgan Foss,  and                                                                    
the exceptional crew at the Legislative Finance Division.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman thanked Marie   Marx,   the   budget   bill                                                                    
drafter at  Legislative Legal Services, along  with the rest                                                                    
of the staff at Legislative Legal Services.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman thanked Lacey Sanders  and her staff at the                                                                    
Office of Management and Budget.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman extended thanks to the Senate Finance                                                                          
Committee assistants and secretaries and especially to Pete                                                                     
Ecklund of his staff.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative Johnson expressed appreciation for the                                                                           
Senate. She appreciated the members' experience and                                                                             
engaging in a fair process.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Johnson MOVED to ADJOURN. There being NO                                                                             
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
9:10:07 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 a.m.                                                                                          

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 268 HB 270 CC Amendments 2 and 3.pdf JHB268 5/14/2024 8:45:00 AM
HB 268
HB 270
HB 268 HB 270 Fiscal Notes PACKET 2 Fiscal Notes.pdf JHB268 5/14/2024 8:45:00 AM
HB 268
HB 270
HB 268 HB 270 Amendment 1.pdf JHB268 5/14/2024 8:45:00 AM
HB 268
HB 270
HB 268 HB 270 PACKET 1 Monetary Terms.pdf JHB268 5/14/2024 8:45:00 AM
HB 268
HB 270