04/29/1997 02:00 PM House FIN

  HOUSE BILL NO. 127                                                           
                                                                               
       "An Act relating to the citizen review board and panels                 
       for permanency  planning for certain  children in state                 
       custody;  renaming  the   Citizens'  Review  Panel  For                 
       Permanency Planning as the Citizens' Foster Care Review                 
       Board; extending the termination date  of the Citizens'                 
       Foster  Care  Review  Board;   and  providing  for   an                 
       effective date."                                                        
                                                                               
  BLAIR  MCCUNE,  DEPUTY  DIRECTOR,  ALASKA  PUBLIC  DEFENDERS                 
  AGENCY  testified  via  the   teleconference  network.    He                 
  observed that section  20 provides that the  Public Defender                 
  Agency  "shall"  cooperate with  the  Citizen's  Foster Care                 
  Review Board.  Section  23 says that the Board  shall submit                 
  reports to the  court.   He observed that  section 23  would                 
  strengthen the Board.   He stated  that there would be  some                 
  financial  impact  to  the  Public   Defender  Agency.    He                 
  expressed concern that there is a duplication of effort.  He                 
  observed  that the Board  is about permanency  planning.  He                 
  added that there  are other entities  involved in the  court                 
  process.   He suggested that  the Public Defender  Agency be                 
  taken off the Board.  He noted that conflicts could arise if                 
  the Agency was representing parents in criminal proceedings.                 
                                                                               
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  He  noted  that   the  Public   Defender  Agency  would   be                 
  represented on panels.                                                       
                                                                               
  SCOTT  CALDER,  FAIRBANKS testified  via  the teleconference                 
  network.  He  maintained  that  the  bill is  premature  and                 
  excessive.    He   stressed  that  the  State   has  delayed                 
  implementation for six and  a half years.  He  asserted that                 
  arguments  that  the  lack  of  funding  for  administrative                 
  functions  obscure  the  fact  that  the  Governor  has  not                 
  appointed members to  the local  panel, under AS  47.14.220.                 
  He  observed that  approximately  $500 thousand  dollars has                 
  been  appropriated  to  fund  a local  and  special  act for                 
  Anchorage.  He stressed that it is inappropriate to consider                 
  reshaping existing laws  for a statewide program  based upon                 
  one local experience.  He  emphasized that the provisions of                 
  AS 47.14.200 would  be eliminated  by the  legislation.   He                 
  pointed  out  that   the  duties  of  cooperation   for  the                 
  Department of Health  & Social Services, Department  of Law,                 
  Public Defender Agency,  Office of  Public Advocacy and  the                 
  Alaska  Court  System is  contained  in existing  statute AS                 
  47.14.250.    He  expressed  concern that  there  will  be a                 
  duplication of effort.   He  referred to AS  47.14.210.   He                 
  asserted that the reason  the law exists is to make  a basic                 
  factual report  to the  Legislature about  what is  going on                 
  with the system.  He stressed that nonvoting representatives                 
  of  these  agencies   need  to  be  present   to  facilitate                 
  cooperation.  He  maintained that the sunset date  should be                 
  extended and the  Governor should appoint members in each of                 
  the  judicial  districts  and  implement   the  panel.    He                 
  acknowledged the work of the Anchorage panel, but emphasized                 
  that other areas should  not be excluded.  He  cited Article                 
  II, Section 19 or the Alaska Constitution.                                   
                                                                               
  CONNIE  SIPES,  DIRECTOR,   DIVISION  OF  SENIOR   SERVICES,                 
  ANCHORAGE  testified  via the  teleconference network.   She                 
  observed that the panel is placed  in the Division of Senior                 
  Services  for administrative purposes.   She maintained that                 
  it is an  appropriate time to revitalize  the citizen foster                 
  care  review experience.   She maintained that  it should be                 
  more than an Anchorage pilot project.   She observed that it                 
  is a complex system.  The legal rights of parents, children,                 
  families,  and  foster  care providers  are  involved.   She                 
  asserted that guidance is  needed from a state panel  to set                 
  policies and procedures, coordinate between agencies, and to                 
  set standards for training, handling and management of cases                 
  at local levels.   She stressed that the bill  benefits from                 
  the pilot  experience.   She noted  that the  Administration                 
  supports the bill.                                                           
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Therriault observed that the Committee will look at                 
  the fiscal impact and other issues.                                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
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  HB 127 was HELD in Committee for further consideration.