29TH ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE SECOND SESSION CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON HB 256 and HB 257 April 14, 2016 4:59 p.m. 4:59:05 PM CALL TO ORDER Chair Kelly called the Conference Committee meeting on HB256 and HB257 to order at 4:59 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Senate: Senator Pete Kelly, Chair Senator Anna MacKinnon Senator Lyman Hoffman House: Representative Mark Neuman, Vice-Chair Representative Steve Thompson Representative Les Gara MEMBERS ABSENT None ALSO PRESENT: David Teal, Director, Legislative Finance Division; fiscal analysts with the Office of Management and Budget and Legislative Finance Division; and aides to committee members and other members of the Legislature. SUMMARY HB 256 APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET/LOANS/FUNDS HB 256 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. HB 257 APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET HB 257 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. DEPARTMENTS: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LAW PUBLIC SAFETY UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 256(FIN) "An Act making appropriations for the operating and loan program expenses of state government and for certain programs; capitalizing funds; amending appropriations; repealing appropriations; making supplemental appropriations; and providing for an effective date."   SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 256(FIN) "An Act making appropriations for the operating and loan program expenses of state government and for certain programs; capitalizing funds; amending appropriations; repealing appropriations; making supplemental appropriations; and providing for an effective date." and CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 257(FIN) "An Act making appropriations for the operating and capital expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program; making supplemental appropriations; and providing for an effective date." SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 257(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." 4:59:15 PM Chair Kelly called the meeting to order. Chair Kelly communicated that the conference committee would be meeting on HB 256 and HB 257 open items. He noted that Limited Powers of Free Conference had been granted by both the Senate and the House. Representative Gara stated that it was his intention to object to some items, but for purposes of expediency he did not want a roll call vote on all the items he objected to. He clarified that the removal of his objection [for the purpose of not calling a vote] would not signify his support for the item in question. Chair Kelly appreciated the idea, and asked Representative Gara to indicate if he wanted to take a break for more discussion on individual items, or if he wanted a vote on the item in question. Chair Kelly communicated that departments with open items would be taken up based on the motion sheets distributed to members earlier in the day and dated April 14, 2016. He specified that the committee could be addressing the following departments: Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Department of Law, Department of Public Safety, and the University of Alaska. 5:01:11 PM DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION Vice-Chair Neuman MOVED to ADOPT the Chair's recommendation on the following items for the Department of Environmental Conservation's budget: Item 1 House Item 2 Senate Item 3 Senate There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. The action closed all conferencable items in the budget for the Department of Environmental Conservation. 5:01:36 PM DEPARTMENT OF LABOR and WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Vice-Chair Neuman MOVED to ADOPT the Chair's recommendation on the following items for the Department of Labor and Workforce Development budget: Item 1 Hold Item 2 House plus $100 thousand Item 3 House Item 4 Senate Item 5 Senate Representative Gara OBJECTED. He asked that the committee consider holding Item 3, which was intent language that specified that the construction academy should expect that within a few years there would be no general fund (GF) funding. Chair Kelly agreed to hold Item 3. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. There being NO further OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Items 2, 4, and 5 were ADOPTED. This action left open Item 1 and Item 3 for the Department of Labor & Workforce Development's budget. 5:03:11 PM AT EASE 5:03:51 PM RECONVENED Chair Kelly re-stated that Item 1 and Item 3 were held for action at a later time. Items 2, 4, 5 were adopted. 5:04:30 PM DEPARTMENT OF LAW Vice-Chair Neuman MOVED to ADOPT the Chair's recommendation on the following items for the Department of Law's budget: Item 1 House Item 2 Senate There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. This action closed all conferencable items in the budget for the Department of Law. 5:04:56 PM DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY Vice-Chair Neuman MOVED to ADOPT the Chair's recommendation on the following items for the Department of Public Safety budget: Item 1 Hold Item 2 Senate Item 3 Senate plus $160 thousand 5:05:18 PM Senator Hoffman OBJECTED. He stated that he had chaired the Senate Finance Subcommittee on the Department of Public Safety, and requested that the committee hold Item 2. Chair Kelly agreed to hold Item 2 for a later date. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. There being NO further OBJECTION, Item 3 was ADOPTED. This action left open Item 1 and Item 2 for the Department of Public Safety's budget. 5:05:59 PM UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA Vice-Chair Neuman MOVED to ADOPT the Chair's recommendation on the following items for the Department of University of Alaska budget: Items 1 through 9 Hold Item 10 House Items 11 and 12 Hold Representative Gara OBJECTED. He stated that the governor had proposed a $15 million cut to the University, which had been cut for a number of years. He continued that the House had added an additional $35 million cut (to total $50 million in cuts) to the University general fund, which was almost 20 percent of the university's general fund. His concern was that the state was building a university that people would not want to go to, and talent would be lost. He pointed out that the University generated grant funds and outside funds. He reiterated his opposition to the amount of the cut. Representative Gara MAINTAINED his OBJECTION. He asked that the committee consider holding Item 10. Vice-Chair Neuman OBJECTED to holding Item 10. A roll call vote was taken on the motion. IN FAVOR: Hoffman, Neuman, Kelly, Thompson, MacKinnon OPPOSED: Gara The MOTION PASSED (5/1). Item 10 was adopted. 5:08:58 PM AT EASE 5:09:19 PM RECONVENED There being NO further OBJECTION, Item 10 was ADOPTED. This action left open Items 1 through 9, Item 11, and Item 12 for the University of Alaska's budget. Representative Gara thought he may have read an item incorrectly, and requested that the committee re-open the budget for the Department of Law. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. The budget for the Department of Law was reopened for consideration. Representative Gara understood that for Item 1, the committee had adopted the restoration of the Dillingham district attorney's office through picking the House number. Chair Kelly confirmed that the recommendation for "House" for Item 1 was adopted, and contained funding for restoration of the Dillingham office. 5:11:05 PM AT EASE 5:11:20 PM RECONVENED Representative Gara stated that he had concluded his remarks on Item 1 of the budget for the Department of Law. Senator MacKinnon asked if the committee would consider holding Item 1 open for the budget of the Department of Law. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Item 1 was held open for the budget of the Department of Law. 5:11:49 PM AT EASE 5:12:03 PM RECONVENED Vice-Chair Neuman MOVED to RESCIND the action on Item 1 for the Department of Law. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Senator MacKinnon asked to hold open Item 1. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Item 1 for the budget of the Department of Law was held open. Chair Kelly relayed that the next meeting would be held on April 15th at 4:00 p.m. and it will be noticed on BASIS. HB 256 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. HB 257 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. ADJOURNMENT 5:13:16 PM The meeting was adjourned at 5:13 p.m.