Legislature(2017 - 2018)
2017-07-01 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2017-07-01 House Journal Page 1720 HB 59 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 3:22 p.m., June 28: CONFERENCE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 59 "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 June 19 to Mr. Russ Webb, Chair, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority: "Dear Mr. Webb: Pursuant to the requirements of AS 37.14.005(c), this letter and the enclosed reports describe how the funding contained in HB 59 (the FY18 Mental Health budget) and SB 23 (the Capital Bill) differ from the FY18 Mental Health Trust Authority's (Authority) 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. Operating Appropriations For mental health operating program funding, the Agency Summary report compares the FY18 Mental Health Trust Authority operating budget recommendations to the Governor's request and to the appropriations passed by the legislature. Note that, for comparison purposes, Authority recommendations include FY18 salary adjustments and base transactions requested by the Governor. This brings the FY18 total recommendations to $218.5 million (column 1). The Governor requested $218.3 million (column 2), and the Conference Committee's budget totaled $218.1 million (column 3). The Conference Committee budget is $215.4 (0.1 percent) less than the Governor's request. 2017-07-01 House Journal Page 1721 Governor's Request An enclosed Transaction Comparison report shows differences between Authority recommendations and the Governor's request. The only differences between the two are as follows: • Department of Natural Resources/Mental Health Trust Lands Administration. The MH Trust requested $54.7 more of MHTAAR funding than the Governor requested. • Department of Revenue/Mental Health Trust Operations. The Trust requested $117.0 more of MHTAAR funding than the Governor's request. Conference Committee Budget The legislature treated the Governor's request as a starting point for budget deliberations. Other than the differences listed below, the legislature approved the FY18 Mental Health Budget as submitted by the Governor. • Department of Health and Social Services/Behavioral Health Medicaid Services - Decremented $200.0 of GF/Mental Health funding to incorporate a portion of the $462.0 of SB74 fiscal note savings projected for FY18. • Department of Revenue/Mental Health Trust Lands Administration - Decremented $250.0 of MHTAAR funding to eliminate funding for public relations contract. • Department of Revenue/Mental Health Trust Operations. o Added $150.0 of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Treatment & Prevention funding to continue to develop, implement and evaluate Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) prevention strategies and to continue the FASD media campaign. o Added $43.3 of MHT Admin funding to increase the travel and contractual services lines. • Added $41.3 to remove the Governor's placeholder reduction to reflect the cost of zeroing out merit increases for exempt and partially exempt employees. The legislature believed this funding should be included in a fiscal note if legislation passed (which did not occur). 2017-07-01 House Journal Page 1722 Supplemental Appropriations All of the Mental Health supplemental requests submitted by the Governor were accepted by the legislature, though they are contained within SB 23 which has not yet passed the legislature, but is expected to do so soon, and include: • A veterans database grant in DMVA/Veterans' Services: $50.0 MHTAAR • Salary adjustments in various departments totaling $61.2 for the following: o Supervisory Unit Furlough Contract Terms decrements totaling $17.2 ($16.0 UGF and $1.2 MHTAAR) o Health insurance increase from $1,346 to $1,555 per month for an increase of $78.4 GF/MH Capital Appropriations The Authority recommended a $15.2 million capital budget. The Governor's request totaled $12.1 million (a reduction of $3.1 million). The enclosed Project Detail by Agency report shows how the Governor modified the Authority's recommendations. Other than a few fund changes for two projects, 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/ Representative Paul Seaton Conference Committee Chair Senator Lyman Hoffman Conference Committee Vice Chair 2017-07-01 House Journal Page 1723 Enclosures Agency Summary (Operating Budget) Transaction Compare between MH Trust Request & Governor's Amd+ Transaction Compare (GovAmd+ to CCMH) Capital Project Detail by Agency"