Legislature(2011 - 2012)
2012-09-25 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2012-09-25 House Journal Page 2643 HB 285 The following was engrossed and enrolled, signed by the Speaker and Chief Clerk, President and Secretary of the Senate, and the engrossed and enrolled copies were transmitted to the Office of the Governor at 1:51 p.m., May 3, 2012, with a fiscal note packet and Legislative Finance letter (page 2634): CONFERENCE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 285 "An Act making appropriations for the operating and capital expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program; and providing for an effective date." Also transmitted was a copy of the following letter dated April 26, 2012, to Dr. William Doolittle, MD, Chair, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority: "Dear Dr. Doolittle: Pursuant to the requirements of AS 37.14.005(c), this letter and the enclosed reports describe how the funding contained in HB 285-the FY13 Mental Health budget-differs from the FY13 Mental Health Trust Authority's (MH Trust) funding recommendations for the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program. While the statute requires reporting only on general fund expenditures, information regarding expenditures of Authority receipts is also included in the attached reports. 2012-09-25 House Journal Page 2644 Operating Appropriations For mental health operating program funding, the Agency Summary report compares the FY13 Mental Health Trust Authority recommendations to the Governor's request and to appropriations. Note that Authority recommendations include FY13 salary adjustments, base transactions and the Department of Health and Social Services/Medicaid Services appropriation transactions requested by the Governor. This brings the FY13 total recommendations to $240.7 million (column 1). The Governor requested $237.1 million (column 2), and the legislature appropriated $237.6 million (column 3). An enclosed Transaction Comparison report shows differences between Authority recommendations and the Governor's request: "MH Rec Tot" in the second column indicates that a transaction recommended by the Authority was denied or modified; "Gov Amd+" indicates a transaction that was added or modified by the Governor. Highlights include the following reductions: · $1.5 million in HSS/Behavioral Health; · $200,000 in HSS/Public Health · $690,000 in HSS/Senior and Disabilities Services · $500,000 in HSS/Departmental Support Services · $244,200 in DNR/Mental Health Trust Land Administration; and · $930,000 in the University/Anchorage Campus. The legislature treated the Governor's request as a starting point for budget deliberations; Authority recommendations excluded from the Governor's request were not deliberated. A second Transaction Comparison report shows differences between the Governor's request and the appropriations incorporated in the Mental Health bill. As shown in the report, the legislature denied ten percent (a total of $340,000) of most of the Governor's requested GF increments for new programs or expansions to existing programs. The legislature added funding for the following projects or programs to the Governor's request: 2012-09-25 House Journal Page 2645 1. Complex behavior collaborative project $325,000 GF/MH & $325,000 MHTAAR). The MH Trust requested $650,000 of GF/MH but the Governor did not forward this request to the legislature. 2. Senior In-Home Services Grants ($175,000 GF/MH); For the two funds controlled by the Authority-Mental Health Trust Authority Authorized Receipts (MHTAAR) and Mental Health Trust Admin (MHT Admin)-legislative appropriations are consistent with the Governor's request except as follows: 3. A $325,000 increase in MHTAAR funding (this was referenced in item 1) for the Alaska Complex Behavior Collaborative Hub. The legislature substituted $325,000 of MHTAAR funding for the GF/MH that was requested by the MH Trust. Capital Appropriations The Authority recommended a $15.075 million capital budget. The Governor's request totaled $12.875 million (a reduction of $2.2 million). The enclosed Project Detail report shows how the Governor modified the Authority's recommendations. The legislature approved the Governor's request as submitted. We appreciate the good working relationship between the Authority and the legislature. If you have questions regarding the enclosed reports, please contact Amanda Ryder of the Legislative Finance Division at 465-5411. Sincerely, /s/ Senator Lyman Hoffman Conference Committee Chair /s/ Representative Bill Thomas Conference Committee Vice Chair 2012-09-25 House Journal Page 2646 Enclosures Agency Summary Transaction Compare Between MH Req Tot & Gov Amd+ Transaction Compare Between Gov Amd+ and 13Budget Capital Project Detail" Enclosed reports were transmitted to the Office of the Governor, and they are on file in the Chief Clerk's office.