Legislature(2013 - 2014)HOUSE FINANCE 519
02/18/2014 01:30 PM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB263 | |
| HB211 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 211 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 263 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HOUSE BILL NO. 211
"An Act relating to the education and employment of
individuals with disabilities."
2:17:20 PM
Representative Costello moved the House Labor and Commerce
Committee bill version before the committee.
VASILIOS GIALOPSOS, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE CHARISSE MILLET,
relayed that the bill would make Alaska an Employment First
state. He explained that goal for departmental and agency
levels dealing with disabled individuals would be to work
towards a primary objective of gainful employment. He
detailed that more than 25 other states had adopted similar
legislation recognizing the problem of expanding Medicaid
and healthcare costs and the underrepresentation of
disabled individuals in the workforce who were without the
appropriate tools. Additionally, the bill addressed whether
the desired outcome was currently met with the funds spent
on individuals with disabilities.
Mr. Gialopsos communicated that the bill would implement an
external body that would collect silos of data to be vested
in the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. The data would
work towards determining whether departments and agencies
were currently producing the preferred outcomes; whether
individuals receiving benefits were getting the requisite
training, and whether benefits were enabling recipients to
reach the desired outcome. Additionally, the bill language
worked to prevent individuals with a disability from
feeling that their disability kept them from being a
gainful member of society. Gainful employment enriched
individuals' lives, enabled them to increase their net
worth, and reduced healthcare costs. He stated that
individuals statistically led healthier lives, were
psychologically much happier, and that the broader society
benefitted from the contributions as well.
Mr. Gialopsos provided a sectional analysis of the bill
(copy on file). Sections 1 through 5 required departments
working with disabled individuals to ensure the primary
objective of gainful employment. Sections 1 and 2 dealt
with the Department of Education and Early Development;
Sections 3 and 4 dealt with the Department of Labor and
Workforce Development (DLWD), Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation; and Section 5 dealt with the Department of
Health and Social Services. He discussed an oversight in
Section 2; the section dealt with a requirement related to
transition services. He detailed that transition services
pertained to children with disabilities over the age of 15
who had an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The
original bill language aimed to ensure that as part of the
transition services that school districts make it a primary
objective to help the students become gainfully employed.
The language had inadvertently precluded the potential for
any postsecondary education. He believed a change should be
made to fix the error.
2:22:55 PM
RICHARD SANDERS, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON
DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL EDUCATION (via teleconference),
was available for questions. He relayed that the bill was a
priority of the council's. He shared that he worked on
employment programs including the Alaska Integrated
Employment Initiative. He had previously worked on the
Disability Employment Initiative with DLWD over the past
three years. He agreed that the initiative was seeking
employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
Co-Chair Stoltze remarked that Representative Millet had
read song lyrics by Rich Sanders' father on the House floor
during an earthquake resolution. He explained that Don
Sanders was a former educator, gold miner, and musician. He
asked Mr. Sanders if his parents were from Seward, Alaska.
Mr. Sanders replied in the affirmative.
2:26:12 PM
CATHERINE BABUSCIO, MAT-SU REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, PALMER
(via teleconference), testified in support of the bill. She
spoke to a program called Project Search, which was a
collaboration with the Mat-Su Borough School District, the
Governor's Council on Disabilities, and the Division of
Vocational Rehabilitation. She detailed that the business-
led vocational program was for adult students aged 18 to 22
who experience disabilities. The ultimate program goal was
securing employment within the community. Students
experienced full emersion at the hospital worksites and had
three 10-week rotations; students were then placed based on
their skills and experience. There had been three
successful program completions since 2011; all students who
completed the program had achieved employment. The average
wage of those employed was greater than $13 per hour. She
communicated that the medical center had employed 20
percent of the program's participants; the individuals
apply competitively and were currently successful members
of the workforce. She elaborated that the program had
greatly benefitted the organization by measurable increased
employee satisfaction and dedicated skilled workers.
Co-Chair Stoltze commented on the great employees at the
medical center. He was impressed by the employees' strong
work ethic and the pride they took in their jobs. He had
been pleased to see the medical center featured in an
educational and promotional video.
2:29:35 PM
ART DELAUNE, GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL
EDUCATION, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), spoke in support
of the bill. He shared that his son had Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome and other mental health issues. He discussed his
son's personal story related to high school and graduation.
He detailed that his son had worked with the Division of
Vocational Rehabilitation to find a career path, but he had
not been satisfied with the job options that had been
suggested. Subsequently, his son had become involved with
Project Discovery where a division counselor and employment
specialist worked to determine a person's skills, desires,
and how they would fit into the community. His son had
voiced interest in working as a meat cutter; the program
had enabled him to work as an apprentice meat cutter at the
local Fred Meyer. His son was integrated in a workplace
with people without disabilities and was making the same
wage as others at his skill level. He shared that his son's
self-esteem had grown tremendously. His son was currently
receiving state Medicaid benefits; he was hoping to get on
his own insurance in the future. He pointed to his son's
experience as proof of success and spoke in strong support
of the legislation.
2:33:44 PM
MILLIE RYAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, REACH, INC., testified in
support of the legislation.
Research tells us that vocational rehabilitation
funded supported employment services for individuals
with severe disabilities is cost-effective regardless
of the type or severity of disability. In 2009, Dr.
Robert Cimera from Kent State University determined
the average benefit cost-ratio across 17 states was
1.46. He also found that when supported employment
agencies like REACH had financial incentives to reduce
paid job coach support and use the natural supports of
the business supervisor and coworkers that their
average cost decreased by 57.6 percent. Data across 42
states including Alaska, that establish Medicaid buy-
in programs currently shows that buy-in enrollees earn
more money, work more hours, contribute more in taxes,
and rely less on Medicaid than people with
disabilities on regular Medicaid. Mathematica policy
research prepared an expenditure report on buy-in
enrollees in 2005 and 2006. In Alaska average annual
Medicaid expenditures for buy-in enrollees was $15,288
compared to $23,865 for individuals who were not
enrolled in the buy-in, which represents a significant
decrease in expenditures. In summary, House Bill 211
not only makes sense for Alaskans with disabilities,
it also makes sense for the State of Alaska.
2:36:30 PM
Co-Chair Austerman CLOSED public testimony.
2:36:57 PM
AT EASE
2:37:40 PM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Austerman MOVED to ADOPT corrected Amendment 1
(offered by Co-Chair Stoltze by request):
Page 1, Line 15
Following "disabilities" remove "."
Following "disabilities" insert ", or become enrolled
in post-secondary education."
Representative Holmes OBJECTED for discussion.
Mr. Gialopsos relayed that the proposed amendment would
modify Section 2, page 1, line 15 by adding that for
transition services, a school district's primary objective
and preferred outcome is not just to help a student become
gainfully employed in an integrated workplace alongside
individuals without disabilities, but also to become
enrolled in postsecondary education if the individual so
desired. He explained that if an individual with an IEP was
able to enroll in a postsecondary course of any kind,
transition services should not dissuade them from
furthering their educational opportunities.
Representative Holmes WITHDREW her OBJECTION. There being
NO further OBJECTION, corrected Amendment 1 was ADOPTED.
Representative Gara pointed to the absence of a fiscal
impact note and wondered if the department was currently
providing similar services offered under the legislation.
2:40:15 PM
LES MORSE, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
EARLY DEVELOPMENT, answered that the bill used data that
was currently collected by the department and did not
create an additional burden for the department's workload.
He relayed that the only extra effort involved the transfer
of data the department currently collected to another
agency.
Representative Gara asked about potential costs associated
with teaching people with disabilities skills to work
alongside people without disabilities. He wondered if the
training was currently taking place. Mr. Morse answered
that under current law students in the age range (age 15 or
16 and up) were required to have a transition plan for
employment or postsecondary education. He believed with the
collection of the data there may be more effort put into
the work. He noted that significant work was currently put
into IEPs.
Representative Costello addressed the four zero fiscal
notes including three previously published notes from the
Department of Administration, the Department of Health and
Social Services, and the Department of Labor and Workforce
Development, and one new note from the Department of
Education and Early Development.
Representative Costello MOVED to REPORT CSHB 211(FIN) out
of committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal notes.
There being NO OBJECTION CSHB 211(FIN) was REPORTED out of
committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one new
zero fiscal note from the Department of Education and Early
Development and three previously published zero fiscal
notes: FN1 (ADM); FN2 (DHS); FN3 (LWF).
Co-Chair Austerman discussed the schedule for the following
day.