2005-03-02                     Senate Journal                      Page 0443
was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education and Social                            
Services, Judiciary and Finance Committees.                                                         
                                                                                                    
The following fiscal information was published today:                                               
 Fiscal Note No. 1, Department of Law                                                               
 Fiscal Note No. 2, zero, Department of Health and Social Services                                  
                                                                                                    
Governor's transmittal letter dated March 1:                                                        
                                                                                                    
Dear President Stevens:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am                          
transmitting a bill relating to consolidating the licensing functions of                            
the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS).                                                
                                                                                                    
Executive Order No. 108, which took effect in 2003, reorganized the                                 
DHSS in an effort to streamline functions and make services more                                    
efficient and cost effective.  As part of that reorganization, DHSS is                              
consolidating all of its licensing functions.                                                       
                                                                                                    
Currently, there are at least 12 different statutory schemes for the                                
licensure of different entities by the DHSS.  The complexity of the                                 
existing statutes and regulations and the absence of any clear rationale                            
for the wide variation in standards for licensing, enforcement, and                                 
appeals has resulted in a very burdensome and bureaucratic system.                                  
The proposed bill will streamline the licensing process so that the                                 
functions are administered in a much more efficient and cost-effective                              
manner by consolidating virtually all of the licensing functions related                            
to standards, enforcement, and appeal rights into a single chapter of                               
the Alaska Statutes.                                                                                
                                                                                                    
In addition, the bill requires the DHSS to implement a single,                                      
consolidated background check process across all of its programs with                               
the goal of reducing the risk of abuse and neglect of vulnerable clients.                           
                                                                                                    
In December 2004, the DHSS was awarded a $4.9 million federal                                       
grant to conduct background checks for any new worker with direct                                   
patient care duties in nursing homes and other long-term care                                       
facilities, and to establish a comprehensive training program that will                             
meet the unique needs of workers in Alaska's long-term care system.                                 
This grant, in conjunction with the provisions of the legislation I am                              
proposing today will: