2000-01-20                     Senate Journal                      Page 2014
SB 206                                                                       
SENATE BILL NO. 206 BY THE SENATE 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.                                                 
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education and              
Social Services, Judiciary and Finance Committees.                             
                                                                               
Indeterminate fiscal note published today from Department of                   
Administration. Zero fiscal notes published today from the                     
Department of Health and Social Services, Department of                        
Administration.                                                                

2000-01-20                     Senate Journal                      Page 2015
SB 206                                                                       
Governors transmittal letter dated January 19:                                 
                                                                               
Dear President Pearce:                                                         
                                                                               
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 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