02/12/2025 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 53                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     loan  program  expenses  of state  government  and  for                                                                    
     certain   programs;    capitalizing   funds;   amending                                                                    
     appropriations;  making   supplemental  appropriations;                                                                    
     making  reappropriations;  making appropriations  under                                                                    
     art.  IX,  sec. 17(c),  Constitution  of  the State  of                                                                    
     Alaska,  from the  constitutional budget  reserve fund;                                                                    
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 55                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "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."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:39:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster MOVED to ADOPT the proposed committee                                                                           
substitute (CS) for HB 53, Work Draft 34-GH1462\N (Marx,                                                                        
1/28/25).                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson OBJECTED for discussion. He asked his                                                                        
staff to explain the CS.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:40:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALEXANDER SCHROEDER,  STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE  ANDY JOSEPHSON,                                                                    
explained the  changes in  the CS. The  bill had  no changes                                                                    
from the  governor's proposed  operating budget,  and merely                                                                    
conformed to  the drafting style  for the  Legislative Legal                                                                    
Services.  He continued  that the  Office of  Management and                                                                    
Budget  (OMB)  confirmed  with Co-Chair  Josephson's  office                                                                    
that  it  had  no  concerns  with  the  differences  between                                                                    
Version A and Version N of the bill.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson  recognized Representative  Louise Stutes                                                                    
in the audience.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson WITHDREW the OBJECTION.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp OBJECTED.  He  asked for  a minute  to                                                                    
look at the CS.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:41:46 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:42:10 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp WITHDREW his OBJECTION.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  further OBJECTION,  Work Draft  34-GH1462\N                                                                    
was ADOPTED.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to  ADOPT  the  proposed  committee                                                                    
substitute  for   HB  55,  Work  Draft   34-GH1459\N  (Marx,                                                                    
1/28/25)).                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp OBJECTED.  He  asked  for the  working                                                                    
document number.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster provided the number.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp WITHDREW his OBJECTION.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  further OBJECTION,  Work Draft  34-GH1459\N                                                                    
was ADOPTED.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hannan  asked  if  the new  version  of  the                                                                    
budget  included  both  rounds of  supplemental  items.  She                                                                    
noted that the initial governor's proposal did not include                                                                      
the supplementals.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson replied in the negative.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
HB 53 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                               
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
HB 55 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                               
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson handed the gavel to Co-Chair Foster.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster reviewed the remainder of the agenda.