CSSB 301(HES): "An Act relating to the Alaska Pioneers' Home and the Alaska Veterans' Home; relating to eligibility for admission to the Alaska Pioneers' Home and Alaska Veterans' Home; relating to the eligibility of residents for the Alaska Pioneers' Home and the Alaska Veterans' Home for general relief assistance; relating to state veterans' home facilities; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date."
00 CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 301(HES) 01 "An Act relating to the Alaska Pioneers' Home and the Alaska Veterans' Home; relating 02 to eligibility for admission to the Alaska Pioneers' Home and Alaska Veterans' Home; 03 relating to the eligibility of residents for the Alaska Pioneers' Home and the Alaska 04 Veterans' Home for general relief assistance; relating to state veterans' home facilities; 05 making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date." 06 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 07 * Section 1. AS 08.68.395(g)(2) is amended to read: 08 (2) "health care facility" means a private, municipal, state, or federal 09 hospital, psychiatric hospital, tuberculosis hospital, skilled nursing facility, kidney 10 disease treatment center (excluding freestanding hemodialysis units), intermediate care 11 facility, or Alaska Pioneers' Home or Alaska Veterans' Home administered by the 12 Department of Health and Social Services [ADMINISTRATION] under AS 47.55. 13 * Sec. 2. AS 15.05.020 is amended to read:
01 Sec. 15.05.020. Rules for determining residence of voter. For the purpose 02 of determining residence for voting, the place of residence is governed by the 03 following rules: 04 (1) A person may not be considered to have gained a residence solely 05 by reason of presence nor may a person lose it solely by reason of absence while in the 06 civil or military service of this state or of the United States or of absence because of 07 marriage to a person engaged in the civil or military service of this state or the United 08 States, while a student at an institution of learning, while in an institution or asylum at 09 public expense, while confined in public prison, while engaged in the navigation of 10 waters of this state [,] or the United States or of the high seas, while residing upon an 11 Indian or military reservation, or while residing in the Alaska Pioneers' Home or the 12 Alaska Veterans' Home. 13 (2) The residence of a person is that place in which the person's 14 habitation is fixed, and to which, whenever absent, the person has the intention to 15 return. If a person resides in one place, but does business in another, the former is the 16 person's place of residence. Temporary construction camps do not constitute a 17 dwelling place. 18 (3) A change of residence is made only by the act of removal joined 19 with the intent to remain in another place. There can only be one residence. 20 (4) A person does not lose residence if the person leaves home and 21 goes to another country, state, or place in this state for temporary purposes only and 22 with the intent of returning. 23 (5) A person does not gain residence in any place to which the person 24 comes without the present intention to establish a permanent dwelling at that place. 25 (6) A person loses residence in this state if the person votes in another 26 state's election, either in person or by absentee ballot, and will not be eligible to vote 27 in this state until again qualifying under AS 15.05.010. 28 (7) [REPEALED 29 (8)] The term of residence is computed by including the day on which 30 the person's residence begins and excluding the day of election. 31 (8) [(9) REPEALED
01 (10)] The address of a voter as it appears on an official voter 02 registration card is presumptive evidence of the person's voting residence. This 03 presumption is negated only by the voter's [VOTER] notifying the director in writing 04 of a change of voting residence. 05 * Sec. 3. AS 17.37.070(6) is amended to read: 06 (6) "facility monitored by the department or the Department of 07 Administration" means an institution, building, office, or home operated by the 08 department or the Department of Administration, funded by the department or the 09 Department of Administration, under contract with the department or the Department 10 of Administration, inspected by the department or the Department of Administration, 11 designated by the department or the Department of Administration, or licensed by the 12 department or the Department of Administration, for the care of 13 (A) juveniles; for the purposes of this subparagraph, 14 "institution" includes a foster home and a group home, and a juvenile detention 15 facility, a juvenile detention home, a juvenile work camp, and a treatment 16 facility, as those terms are defined in AS 47.14.990; 17 (B) the elderly; for the purposes of this subparagraph, 18 "institution" includes 19 (i) an assisted living home as defined in AS 47.33.990; and 20 (ii) the Alaska [A] Pioneers' Home or the Alaska Veterans' 21 Home, operated under AS 47.55; 22 (C) the mentally ill; for the purposes of this subparagraph, 23 "institution" includes a designated treatment facility and an evaluation facility, 24 as those terms are defined in AS 47.30.915; 25 * Sec. 4. AS 18.07.111(8) is amended to read: 26 (8) "health care facility" means a private, municipal, state, or federal 27 hospital, psychiatric hospital, tuberculosis hospital, skilled nursing facility, kidney 28 disease treatment center (including freestanding hemodialysis units), intermediate care 29 facility, and ambulatory surgical facility; the term excludes 30 (A) the [AN] Alaska Pioneers' Home and the Alaska 31 Veterans' Home administered by the Department of Health and Social
01 Services [ADMINISTRATION] under [AS 44.21.02(9) AND] AS 47.55; and 02 (B) the offices of private physicians or dentists whether in 03 individual or group practice; 04 * Sec. 5. AS 18.35.300 is amended to read: 05 Sec. 18.35.300. Places where smoking is regulated. Smoking in any form is 06 a nuisance and a public health hazard and is prohibited in the following vehicles and 07 indoor places, except as allowed under AS 18.35.310: 08 (1) a vehicle of public transportation and a waiting, baggage, or 09 boarding area for a vehicle of public transportation, including a bus, ferry vessel, train, 10 limousine for hire, taxicab, or scheduled interstate or intrastate aircraft flight when 11 consistent with federal law; 12 (2) a place of employment, a building or other structure, or a portion of 13 them, owned, leased, or operated by the state or a political subdivision of the state, 14 including an office, library, museum, theater, concert hall, convention hall, 15 gymnasium, swimming pool, or other place of entertainment or recreation; 16 (3) a public or private postsecondary educational institution or adult 17 day care facility; 18 (4) a courtroom or jury deliberation room; 19 (5) a room, chamber, or other place under the control of the state 20 senate or state house of representatives while a public meeting or public assembly is 21 not in progress; 22 (6) a nursing home, rest home, or other residential health care 23 institution or facility, or a public or private office or facility that is engaged primarily 24 in providing mental health services; 25 (7) a food service establishment that has a seating capacity of at least 26 50 persons; 27 (8) a grocery store or other store maintained primarily for the retail 28 sale of food products; 29 (9) a place of employment in which the owner, manager, proprietor, or 30 other person who has control of the premises posts a sign stating that smoking is 31 prohibited by law;
01 (10) a correctional facility; and 02 (11) the Alaska [A] Pioneers' Home or the Alaska Veterans' Home. 03 * Sec. 6. AS 36.30.990(1) is amended to read: 04 (1) "agency" 05 (A) means a department, institution, board, commission, 06 division, authority, public corporation, the Alaska Pioneers' Home, the Alaska 07 Veterans' Home, or other administrative unit of the executive branch of state 08 government; 09 (B) does not include 10 (i) the University of Alaska; 11 (ii) the Alaska Railroad Corporation; 12 (iii) the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation; 13 (iv) a regional Native housing authority created under 14 AS 18.55.996 or a regional electrical authority created under 15 AS 18.57.020; 16 (v) the Department of Transportation and Public 17 Facilities, in regard to the repair, maintenance, and reconstruction of 18 vessels, docking facilities, and passenger and vehicle transfer facilities 19 of the Alaska marine highway system; 20 (vi) the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation; 21 (vii) the Alaska State Pension Investment Board; 22 (viii) the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute; 23 * Sec. 7. AS 37.05.146(c)(31) is amended to read: 24 (31) Alaska Pioneers' Home and Alaska Veterans' Home care and 25 support receipts under AS 47.55.030; 26 * Sec. 8. AS 37.05.990(2) is amended to read: 27 (2) "state agency," "agency," "department," or similar term means a 28 department, office, institution, board, commission, bureau, division, or other 29 administrative unit forming the state government, and includes the Alaska Pioneers' 30 Home, the Alaska Veterans' Home, and the University of Alaska. 31 * Sec. 9. AS 37.07.120(1) is amended to read:
01 (1) "agency" means a department, officer, institution, board, 02 commission, bureau, division, or other administrative unit forming the state 03 government and includes the Alaska Pioneers' Home, the Alaska Veterans' Home, 04 and the University of Alaska, but does not include the legislature or the judiciary; 05 * Sec. 10. AS 39.25.120(c)(8) is amended to read: 06 (8) Alaska Pioneers' Home and Alaska Veterans' Home managers; 07 * Sec. 11. AS 44.29.020(a)(16) is amended to read: 08 (16) the Alaska Pioneers' Home and the Alaska Veterans' Home 09 [HOMES]; 10 * Sec. 12. AS 47.25.140 is amended to read 11 Sec. 47.25.140. Residents of public institutions. Payment under 12 AS 47.25.120 - 47.25.300 may not be made to or on [IN] behalf of an individual who 13 is a resident of a [THE ALASKA PIONEERS' HOME OR OTHER] public institution, 14 except as a patient in a public medical institution, or an individual who is a patient in a 15 public or private institution for tuberculosis or mental disease. A resident of a [THE 16 ALASKA PIONEERS' HOME OR OTHER] public institution who is otherwise 17 eligible to receive an allowance under AS 47.25.120 - 47.25.300 may apply for the 18 allowance instead of the support and maintenance provided in the [HOME OR] public 19 institution. 20 * Sec. 13. AS 47.25.140 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 21 (b) In this section, "public institution" does not include the Alaska Pioneers' 22 Home or the Alaska Veterans' Home. 23 * Sec. 14. AS 47.45.240(c) is amended to read: 24 (c) The commission may not investigate, review, or undertake any 25 responsibility for the longevity bonus program under AS 47.45.010 - 47.45.160 or the 26 Alaska Pioneers' Home or Alaska Veterans' Home [HOMES] under AS 47.55. 27 * Sec. 15. AS 47.55.010 is repealed and reenacted to read: 28 Sec. 47.55.010. Maintenance of Alaska Pioneers' Home and Alaska 29 Veterans' Home. (a) The state shall maintain facilities known as the Alaska 30 Pioneers' Home at sites designated by the commissioner of health and social services. 31 The state may maintain one or more facilities known as the Alaska Veterans' Home at
01 sites designated by the commissioner of health and social services. The only Pioneers' 02 Home that may be maintained as a Veterans' Home is the Pioneer's Home located in 03 Palmer, Alaska. The Alaska Pioneers' Home and the Alaska Veterans' Home shall be 04 collectively administered by the Department of Health and Social Services as the 05 Alaska Pioneers' Home and Alaska Veterans' Home. 06 (b) The department shall formulate general policies for the homes designated 07 under (a) of this section. It may hold hearings and subpoena witnesses and documents 08 and may administer oaths in connection with the homes. 09 (c) The department shall 10 (1) cooperate with the federal government in matters pertaining to the 11 welfare of Alaska pioneers and of veterans who reside in the homes operated under 12 this chapter, make the reports in the form and containing the information the federal 13 government from time to time desires, and accept money allotted by the federal 14 government, its agencies, or its instrumentalities in establishing, extending, and 15 strengthening services for pioneers and veterans who reside in a home operated under 16 this chapter; 17 (2) adopt regulations necessary to conduct business and to carry out 18 the provisions of this chapter, require bonds and undertakings from persons employed 19 by a home as in its judgment are necessary, and pay the premiums on them, and 20 establish regional and local offices and the advisory groups that are necessary or 21 considered expedient to carry out or assist in carrying out a duty or authority assigned 22 to it; 23 (3) perform all executive or administrative duties necessary and 24 advisable to carry out the purpose of this chapter, including the power to make 25 contracts and to make disbursements on vouchers against appropriations for the 26 purpose of this chapter, within the limit of appropriations available; 27 (4) study the needs of pioneers and veterans of this state who reside in 28 the homes operated under this chapter and submit recommendations for new 29 regulations and proposed legislation. 30 (d) The department may employ the necessary subordinate officers and 31 employees, and shall prescribe methods for operation of the homes, standards of care
01 and service to home residents, and rules governing personnel. The methods for 02 operation and standards of care and services to residents prescribed under this 03 subsection shall be the same as the methods for operation and standards of care 04 established by the department for an assisted living home licensed under AS 47.33. 05 (e) The department may engage in activities directed to increase revenue from 06 a home. These activities may include the lease of excess bed or floor space or lease of 07 space or buildings that are not in use or are underutilized. 08 * Sec. 16. AS 47.55.020 is repealed and reenacted to read: 09 Sec. 47.55.020. Admission to a home. (a) Every person residing in the state 10 who is 65 years of age or older, has been a resident of the state continuously for more 11 than one year immediately preceding application for admission, and is in need of 12 residence at a home because of physical disability or other reason, is eligible for 13 admission to the Alaska Pioneers' Home or the Alaska Veterans' Home under 14 conditions prescribed in regulations. The spouse of a person who is eligible for 15 admission under other provisions of this subsection is also eligible for admission to a 16 home under conditions prescribed by the department if the spouse is 65 years of age or 17 older and has been a resident of the state continuously for more than one year 18 immediately preceding application for admission. 19 (b) Every person admitted to a home who receives income from any source in 20 excess of $100 a month shall be required by the department to pay the excess to the 21 department immediately upon receipt of the money in payment, or part payment, of 22 the cost of the person's care. However, the department may not require in any month 23 the payment of an amount greater than the monthly rate set under AS 47.55.030(b) 24 except to satisfy indebtedness incurred under AS 47.55.070. The department may not 25 evict a person from a home if the income and assets of the person are insufficient to 26 pay the monthly rate set under AS 47.55.030(b) and the person is otherwise in 27 compliance with requirements under this chapter. 28 (c) At the end of each month, the payments made under (b) of this section 29 shall be transmitted to the commissioner of revenue. The department may pay the sum 30 of $100 a month to a resident without money. 31 (d) Notwithstanding AS 47.55.070 and (b) of this section, a resident of a home
01 whose income, assets, and other resources are insufficient to pay the monthly rate set 02 under AS 47.55.030(b), and who does not have private insurance to cover the cost of 03 care, qualifies for payment assistance if the resident is otherwise in compliance with 04 requirements under this chapter. The amount of payment assistance equals the amount 05 needed, when added to other income and assets of the resident, to pay the monthly rate 06 set under AS 47.55.030(b). Payment assistance received by a home resident is a debt 07 to the state. In determining the amount of payment assistance for which a home 08 resident qualifies, the following income, assets, and other resources of the resident 09 shall be disregarded: 10 (1) income from any source in an amount up to $100 a month as 11 established by the department by regulation; 12 (2) the following assets received under 43 U.S.C. 1601 - 1629g 13 (Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act): 14 (A) cash dividends and other income equal to at least $2,000 as 15 established by the department by regulation; 16 (B) stock; 17 (C) noncash dividends from stock; and 18 (D) land; 19 (3) a permanent fund dividend issued under AS 43.23; 20 (4) compensation to volunteers under the federal retired and senior 21 volunteers (42 U.S.C. 5001), foster grandparents (42 U.S.C. 5011), and senior 22 companion (42 U.S.C. 5013) programs made in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 5044(f); 23 (5) federal World War II restitution payments made under 50 U.S.C. 24 App. 1989b-4 and c-5; 25 (6) payments under AS 18.67 (Violent Crimes Compensation Board); 26 (7) an amount, determined by the department by regulation, that is 27 sufficient for burial expenses of the resident, the resident's spouse, and dependents of 28 the resident; 29 (8) real property being used as the primary residence of the resident's 30 spouse or a dependent of the resident; 31 (9) other real or personal property equal to at least a total value of
01 $5,000 as established by the department by regulation. 02 (e) As a condition for receipt of payment assistance under (d) of this section, 03 the department, under regulations adopted by the department, may require a person to 04 apply for other state or federally sponsored programs that may reduce the amount of 05 the payment assistance. 06 * Sec. 17. AS 47.55.030(a) is amended to read: 07 (a) A person eligible for admission under AS 47.55.020 may, on application, 08 be admitted to the Alaska Pioneers' Home or the Alaska Veterans' Home [HOME] 09 upon the person's agreement to pay to the state each month an amount the department 10 [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES] considers sufficient to 11 compensate the state for the cost of care and support of the person at the home. When 12 this agreement is entered into, the department [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 13 SOCIAL SERVICES] may require security for the payments. 14 * Sec. 18. AS 47.55.030(c) is amended to read: 15 (c) The department [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL 16 SERVICES] shall provide to all residents of the homes [PIONEERS' HOME] written 17 notice of any proposed change in the rate charged for care and support of persons at 18 the homes [HOME]. Notice under this section shall be given not less than 60 days 19 before a change is adopted. The notice must include the time, date, and place of a 20 hearing to be held by the department [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL 21 SERVICES] under (d) of this section. The department may not change the rate 22 charged more than once in a fiscal year. 23 * Sec. 19. AS 47.55.040 is amended to read: 24 Sec. 47.55.040. Transfer of mentally ill residents to an [ANOTHER] 25 institution. A person regularly admitted into the Alaska Pioneers' Home or the 26 Alaska Veterans' Home [HOME] who is found to be insane may be transferred to an 27 institution provided for the care and custody of insane persons for the state in the 28 manner provided by law for the admission of other persons to the institution. 29 * Sec. 20. AS 47.55.050 is amended to read: 30 Sec. 47.55.050. Maintenance funds. The legislature shall, each session, 31 appropriate the necessary funds for the maintenance of the Alaska Pioneers' Home
01 and the Alaska Veterans' Home [HOME] to be expended by the department 02 [DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES], and the [THAT] 03 department may receive funds, donations, and bequests from private individuals, 04 societies, or organizations, and funds from the federal government for the support and 05 maintenance of the homes [HOME]. 06 * Sec. 21. AS 47.55.060 is amended to read: 07 Sec. 47.55.060. Trust fund. Unless otherwise provided by the donor, money 08 bequeathed to the Alaska Pioneers' Home or the Alaska Veterans' Home constitutes 09 a special trust fund. Unless otherwise provided by the donor, interest from the special 10 trust fund is under the control and at the disposal of the department [DEPARTMENT 11 OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES], and expenditure from it is limited to the 12 benefit and comfort of the residents of the homes [HOME]. 13 * Sec. 22. AS 47.55.070 is repealed and reenacted to read: 14 Sec. 47.55.070. Indebtedness of Alaska Pioneers' Home or Alaska 15 Veterans' Home resident to state. The following expenses incurred for an Alaska 16 Pioneers' Home or Alaska Veterans' Home resident under this chapter and not 17 recoverable from a collateral source are a debt of the resident to the state and may be 18 recovered during the life of the resident: 19 (1) costs of standard or nursing care provided in the home each month 20 to the resident not exceeding the rate established by the department under 21 AS 47.55.030, with credit given for any amounts paid by or collected from the 22 resident; 23 (2) allowances paid under AS 47.55.020(c); 24 (3) arrearages in fees for television and telephone services provided in 25 the home; and 26 (4) prescription medicine. 27 * Sec. 23. AS 47.55.095 is amended to read: 28 Sec. 47.55.095. Limitation on enforcement of claims against estate. 29 Notwithstanding AS 47.55.080 and 47.55.090, upon the death of an Alaska [A] 30 Pioneers' Home or Alaska Veterans' Home resident or of a recipient of day care or 31 respite services, a state claim for unpaid debt owed to the home [PIONEERS' HOME]
01 may be satisfied only out of the decedent's estate. The state may not pursue a claim to 02 the extent doing so would work undue hardship, as determined by the department by 03 regulation [OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES], on 04 the surviving spouse or dependent of the decedent. Family portraits and heirlooms of 05 the type identified under AS 09.38.020(a)(3), without regard to value, may not be 06 taken by the state in satisfaction of a debt to the home [PIONEERS' HOME]. 07 * Sec. 24. AS 47.55 is amended by adding a new section to read: 08 Sec. 47.55.900. Definitions. In this chapter, unless the context otherwise 09 requires, 10 (1) "department" means the Department of Health and Social Services; 11 (2) "home" means 12 (A) the Alaska Pioneers' Home; or 13 (B) the Alaska Veterans' Home; 14 (3) "physical disability or other reason" means inability of an 15 individual to maintain a household without regular assistance in shopping, 16 housekeeping, meal preparation, dressing, or personal hygiene because of physical or 17 medical impairment, infirmity, or disability; 18 (4) "resident of the state" has the meaning given "resident" in 19 AS 47.25.430(a); 20 (5) "veteran" means a person who has been discharged from the armed 21 forces of the United States, including the Alaska National Guard or the Alaska 22 Territorial Guard; the discharge from the armed forces must be other than 23 dishonorable. 24 * Sec. 25. (a) AS 44.29.020(a)(17) and 44.29.400 are repealed. 25 (b) Sections 5 and 8 - 15, ch. 4, SSSLA 2002, as those sections are amended 26 by a version of HB 447, if HB 447 is passed by the Second Session of the Twenty- 27 Third Alaska State Legislature and enacted into law, are repealed. 28 (c) Sections 50 and 51 of HB 447 or the equivalent bill sections of a later 29 version of HB 447, if passed by the Second Session of the Twenty-Third Alaska State 30 Legislature and enacted into law, are repealed. 31 * Sec. 26. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to
01 read: 02 TRANSITION: STATUS OF CERTAIN RESIDENTS OF THE ALASKA 03 PIONEERS' HOME OR THE ALASKA VETERANS' HOME. (a) If a resident of an Alaska 04 Pioneers' Home facility or Alaska Veterans' Home facility was admitted to the facility before 05 the Department of Health and Social Services received the United States Veterans 06 Administration certification for the Alaska Veterans' Home to begin receiving per diem 07 payments for eligible veterans, the resident may not be evicted or required to relocate to a 08 different Alaska Pioneers' Home or Alaska Veterans' Home facility solely because of that 09 certification. 10 (b) The commissioner of the health and social services shall promptly post on the 11 Alaska Online Public Notice System (AS 44.62.175) the date that the certification described 12 in (a) of this section was received. 13 * Sec. 27. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 14 read: 15 TRANSITION: REGULATIONS. The Department of Health and Social Services 16 and other state agencies affected by this Act may immediately proceed to adopt regulations 17 necessary to implement the changes made by this Act. The regulations take effect under 18 AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act), but not before the effective date of the respective 19 statutory changes. 20 * Sec. 28. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 21 read: 22 REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION. The revisor of statutes is instructed to change the 23 heading of AS 47.55 from "Pioneers' Home" to "Alaska Pioneers' Home and Alaska Veterans' 24 Home." 25 * Sec. 29. Section 27 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 26 * Sec. 30. Except as provided in sec. 29 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2004.