2000-01-21                     House Journal                      Page 1965
HB 302                                                                       
HOUSE BILL NO. 302 by the House Rules Committee by request of                  
the Governor, entitled:                                                        
                                                                               
"An Act relating to disclosure of public assistance information to            
report suspected abuse or neglect of children or vulnerable adults."           
                                                                               

2000-01-21                     House Journal                      Page 1966
HB 302                                                                       
was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education & Social         
Services and Judiciary Committees.                                             
                                                                               
The following fiscal notes apply:                                              
                                                                               
Indeterminate fiscal note, Dept. of Administration, 1/21/00                    
Zero fiscal note, Dept. of Administration, 1/21/00                             
Zero fiscal note, Dept. of Health & Social Services, 1/21/00                   
                                                                               
                                                                               
The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 19, 2000, appears              
below:                                                                         
                                                                               
"Dear Speaker Porter:                                                          
                                                                               
Part of the state's multi-faceted battle against child abuse is to take        
protective action for those children suspected to be victims of this           
crime.  We can only succeed, though, if people who are aware of the            
abuse are allowed to report it to the proper authorities.  This bill I         
transmit today makes it clear that employees of the state Division of          
Public Assistance may report cases of suspected child abuse, and abuse         
of a vulnerable adult, without violating any confidentiality                   
requirements of their positions.                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
Public assistance information is entitled to confidentiality protections       
under both federal and state law.  However, before welfare reform, it          
was clear under federal law that public assistance employees were              
required to report information concerning suspected child abuse or             
neglect to the state agency charged with investigating such reports.           
Since welfare reform, this requirement is no longer explicit in the            
federal law.  Furthermore, under state law, employees of contractors           
who provide services for the Department of Health and Social Services          
are mandatory reporters of suspected harm to vulnerable adults.  The           
lack of clarity in terms of the responsibility of our own employees is         
inconsistent.                                                                  
                                                                               
                                                                               
This legislation explicitly exempts public assistance employees from           
their confidentiality requirements in order to file a report of suspected      

2000-01-21                     House Journal                      Page 1967
HB 302                                                                       
abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult.  In this way, we can          
move Alaska further along in its efforts to stop child abuse and               
neglect.                                                                       
                                                                               
							Sincerely,                                                              
							/s/                                                                     
							Tony Knowles                                                            
							Governor"