00SENATE BILL NO. 120                                                                                                     
01 "An Act relating to the operation of state veterans' home facilities; and providing                                     
02 for an effective date."                                                                                                 
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1.  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.  (a)  In                                                
05 1992, the legislature established the state veterans' home facilities program after finding that                        
06   (1)  a large number of veterans reside in Alaska;                                                                     
07   (2)  there was no state veterans' home to meet the needs of these veterans; and                                       
08   (3)  under the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration State                                             
09 Home Program in the United State Department of Veterans Affairs, funds were available to                                
10 help states establish state veterans' homes.                                                                            
11  (b)  The legislature further directed the Department of Administration to establish and                                
12 operate state veterans' homes in such a manner as to be eligible for the maximum amount of                              
13 federal funds for the homes.  However, the state veterans' homes program was not eligible                               
14 to receive federal funds for the homes since the enabling legislation passed by the legislature                         

01 in 1992 provided only for "domiciliary care."  To qualify for federal funding, the state                                
02 veterans' homes have to provide some nursing home care or related medical services.                                     
03  (c)  The purpose of this Act is to remove all reference to "domiciliary care" in order                                 
04 to make the state veterans' homes program eligible to apply and receive the maximum amount                              
05 of federal funding available.                                                                                           
06    * Sec. 2.  AS 44.21.035(a) is amended to read:                                                                       
07  (a)  The Department of Administration shall apply for federal assistance to                                           
08 establish and operate state veterans' home facilities [THAT PROVIDE DOMICILIARY                                         
09 CARE].  The department, within available funds, shall establish and operate veterans'                                   
10 homes at sites selected by the commissioner of administration after consultation with                                   
11 the adjutant general and veterans' organizations.                                                                       
12    * Sec. 3.  AS 44.21.035(b) is amended to read:                                                                       
13  (b)  A person who resides in a veterans' [DOMICILIARY] home operated                                                  
14 under this section shall pay the Department of Administration a monthly charge                                          
15 established by the department by regulation in payment of the cost of the care.  The                                    
16 charges shall be designed so that, when combined with federal or other nonstate                                         
17 assistance that may be received on behalf of the residents, all costs of care are paid by                               
18 residents.  The regulations may provide for exemptions or reductions based upon                                         
19 hardship.                                                                                                               
20    * Sec. 4.  AS 44.21.035(c) is repealed.                                                                              
21    * Sec. 5.  This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).