Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532
05/03/2018 02:30 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB106 | |
| HB76 | |
| HB304 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 106 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 76 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 304 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HOUSE BILL NO. 106
"An Act allowing appropriations to the civil legal
services fund from court filing fees."
3:07:38 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon relayed that the committee had heard HB
106 on April 3, 2018; at which time the public hearing was
opened and closed.
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to ADOPT proposed committee
substitute for HB 106(FIN), Work Draft 30-LS0397\J
(Radford, 4/30/18).
Co-Chair MacKinnon OBJECTED for discussion.
JULI LUCKY, STAFF, SENATOR ANNA MACKINNON, discussed the
changes to the bill. She noted that the previous time the
bill was heard, there had been discussion regarding the
percentage of the filing fees that should be sent to the
Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC). She noted that
the Committee Substitute (CS) increased the percent to 10
percent of court filing fees and had also made a technical
change that referenced the previously closed fiscal year.
The technical change had been at the recommendation of the
Legislative Finance Division, in order to make clear which
fiscal year filing fees were coming from.
Ms. Lucky informed that the changes to the bill
necessitated two new fiscal notes.
Ms. Lucky addressed a new fiscal note (FN 5) from the
Office of the Governor for Fund Transfers, with a transfer
to the Civil Legal Services Fund. The FY 19 appropriation
was for $300,300; with the same amount estimated for the
out years.
Ms. Lucky addressed a new fiscal note (FN 4) from
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development;
which showed a one-time appropriation of $300,300 for FY
19. The amount would go into the base budget for the out
years.
Co-Chair MacKinnon WITHDREW her OJBECTION. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
3:10:51 PM
LIZZIE KUBITZ, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE MATT CLAMAN, stated
that the sponsor was supportive of the changes to the bill.
She reiterated that the CS would allow the legislature to
appropriate up to 10 percent of filing fees received by the
Court System (for the previously closed fiscal year) to the
Civil Legal Services Fund. The sponsor viewed the
legislation as a possible mechanism for providing more
funds to ALSC.
Co-Chair MacKinnon recalled that the original bill had a 25
percent fee associated with it. The committee had doubled
the fee in order to increase access in designating a larger
share of the Court System receipts. She understood that 25
percent was closer to a number that was previously
allocated in General Fund (GF) dollars to the Civil Legal
Services Fund.
Ms. Kubitz deferred the question to staff from Alaska Legal
Services. She relayed that the sponsor was supportive of
the 10 percent compromise as proposed in the CS.
NICOLE NELSON, ALASKA LEGAL SERVICES, ANCHORAGE (via
teleconference), relayed that ALSC received a general
appropriation of $450,000 per year that came through DCCED.
Originally ALSC had thought the 25 percent of filing fees
would replace the appropriation and allow ALSC to expand
its services to more Alaskans. She appreciated the
compromise of 10 percent of the Court System filing fees;
but emphasized the original intent was not to lower the
amount of funding from $450,000.
3:14:33 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon referenced an additional appropriation
of $300,000 listed in the fiscal note.
Co-Chair MacKinnon explained that the fiscal note reflected
an effort to stabilize funding. She thought it was unusual
to allocate state revenue to an individual non-profit. She
thought the extenuating factor was the need for Alaskan's
access to legal services considering the abrupt rise of
crime in the state. She recalled that similar legislation
had not been successful in the past due to opposition to
designating funds for an individual non-profit.
Vice-Chair Bishop thought the committee's action was
recognizing the needs of Alaskans. He supported the bill.
3:16:20 PM
ART DELAUNE, GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL
EDUCATION (via teleconference), spoke in support of the
bill, which he felt would positively impact the state's
most vulnerable constituencies. He thought the without
vital legal services, low-income Alaskans with disabilities
would be at risk for unfair treatment. He discussed his
work as an independent living advocate and emphasized that
often individuals with disabilities were at risk of
unscrupulous parties. He commented on the increased number
of individuals below the poverty line.
Senator Micciche commented on the volunteer service that
went into ALSC. He believed the underprivileged should have
access to medical care. He supported the bill.
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that the bill was a compromise
between the two bodies. It was her hope that the bill would
pass the Senate.
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to report SCS HB 106(FIN) out of
Committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was
so ordered.
SCS HB 106(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with a "do
pass" recommendation and with a new fiscal impact note from
the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic
Development; and a new fiscal impact note from the Office
of the Governor for Fund Transfers.
3:20:22 PM
AT EASE
3:21:57 PM
RECONVENED
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 304 Amendment 1 von Imhof.pdf |
SFIN 5/3/2018 2:30:00 PM |
HB 304 |
| HB 76 SCS FIN v. M Explanation.pdf |
SFIN 5/3/2018 2:30:00 PM |
HB 76 |
| HB 76 SCS FIN work draft version. M.pdf |
SFIN 5/3/2018 2:30:00 PM |
HB 76 |
| HB 106 SCS FIN work draft version. J.pdf |
SFIN 5/3/2018 2:30:00 PM |
HB 106 |