2003-02-19                     Senate Journal                      Page 0225
SB 75                                                                                             
SENATE BILL NO. 75 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                    
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                               
                                                                                                    
                    "An Act making supplemental and other                                          
                 appropriations; amending appropriations; and                                      
          providing for an effective date."                                                         
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                                      
                                                                                                    
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 18:                                                    
                                                                                                    
Dear President Therriault:                                                                          
                                                                                                    
Today I am transmitting two supplemental appropriation bills for                                    
Fiscal Year 2003. This bill is sometimes referred to as the "fast track"                            
supplemental bill because it includes items that have particularly tight                            
time requirements that are not accommodated by the usual passage of                                 
supplemental appropriations later in the spring.                                                    
                                                                                                    
As you know, the Legislature's staff estimated the expected                                         
supplemental would total $140 million. The two bills we are                                         
submitting total $63.3 million. Our goal was to include general fund                                
supported requests for circumstances that were not within                                           
management's control, such as disasters, caseload growth in formula-                                
driven programs, and increased fuel costs.                                                          
                                                                                                    
We are also requesting Federal funds of $19.8 million to begin three                                
urgently needed highway projects sooner than waiting for the Fiscal                                 
Year 2004 capital budget. Two of the fast track supplemental requests                               
are due to programs that were short-funded in last year's budget:                                   
subsidized adoptions and foster care special needs. The subsidized                                  
adoption program was funded $2 million less than the department's                                   

2003-02-19                     Senate Journal                      Page 0226
projection. It now appears that a total of $2.8 million more will be                                
needed this year to meet state obligations to parents who have adopted                              
children with special needs. The foster care special needs program was                              
short-funded $445,300, while now, due to additional caseload growth,                                
a total of $615,300 is required.                                                                    
                                                                                                    
I request that you put this bill on a "fast track" for final action in early                        
March.                                                                                              
                                                                                                    
Sincerely yours,                                                                                    
/s/                                                                                                 
Frank H. Murkowski                                                                                  
Governor