Legislature(2023 - 2024)ADAMS 519
03/04/2024 01:30 PM House FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB268 || HB270 | |
| Subcommittee Closeout Reports | |
| Department of Military and Veterans Affairs | |
| Office of the Governor | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 268 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 270 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HOUSE BILL NO. 268
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
loan program expenses of state government and for
certain programs; capitalizing funds; amending
appropriations; making capital 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. 270
"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."
1:35:32 PM
^SUBCOMMITTEE CLOSEOUT REPORTS
1:35:37 PM
^DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
1:35:45 PM
BRODIE ANDERSON, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE NEAL FOSTER,
reviewed the finance subcommittee recommendations for the
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) (copy on
file):
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The House Finance Budget Subcommittee for the
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs submits
the following recommended operating budget for FY 2025
to the House Finance Committee:
Fund Source: (dollars are in thousands)
Unrestricted General Funds (UGF) $17,218,800
Designated General Funds (DGF) $28,500
Other Funds $12,538,800
Federal Funds $34,302,800
Total $64,088,900
The Unrestricted General Fund difference from FY 25
Adjusted Base to the House Subcommittee budget
recommendation is an increase of $1,843.1 million of
Unrestricted General Funds, which is 12 percent above
the FY 25 Adjusted Base.
Positions:
Permanent Full-time 283
Permanent Part-time 0
Temporary 0
Total 283
BUDGET ACTION:
The House Finance Budget Subcommittee for the
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs reviewed
the FY 2025 Governor's budget request, including
amendments, and recommends the following actions:
1) Accept all the Governor's proposals for the Alaska
Military Youth Academy (AMYA) This includes the
following items:
• $160 thousand increase of General Fund Match for
federally funded employee benefit costs.
• $51.3 thousand of General Fund Match for 2
Coordinators to meet federally required
counselor-to-cadet and case manager-to-cadet
ratios.
• $631.8 thousand of General Funds for operational
costs increases due to inflation, maintenance,
and technology costs.
2) Approve all transactions for the Office of the
Commissioner, including following new positions:
• $138.1 thousand for a Program Manager to oversee
the Alaska State Defense Force.
• $26.4 thousand of General Funds, $1.8 thousand of
General Fund Match for an Accounting Technician
to process travel for Army National Guard and
Alaska State Defense Force.
• $50.9 thousand of General Funds, and $1.1
thousand of General Fund Match for a Systems
Programmer for Cybersecurity.
3) Accept the Governor's request for $261.7 thousand
of General Funds to expand operations of the Alaska
State Defense Force, Naval Militia, and Civil Air
Patrol
4) Accept the Governor's request for $200.0 thousand
of General Funds for tuition assistance for Alaska
National Guard and Naval Militia members.
5) Approve all transactions for the Homeland Security
and Emergency Management, including following new
positions:
• $143.2 thousand of Federal Funds, and $61.4
thousand of I/A Receipts for two Emergency
Management Specialist positions
• $80.2 thousand of Federal Funds, and $34.4
thousand of I/A Receipts for one Emergency
Management Specialist supervisor position.
6) The subcommittee also took the following action:
• Added $186.0 thousand of General Funds for
increased pay of $7,000.00 for each of the 17
Veteran Service Officers (VSO) around the state
and added one additional VSO for additional
services in Ketchikan.
1:41:01 PM
Co-Chair Foster summarized that the subcommittee had
accepted all of the governor's recommendations.
Additionally, the subcommittee added $186,000 in general
funds [for increased pay] for veteran service officers
(VSO). He detailed that the original amendment offered in
subcommittee was for an additional $400,000, which had
subsequently been reduced to $186,000.
Co-Chair Johnson informed the committee that the goal of
the meeting was to hear the presentations and not to go
into depth on all of the subcommittee work.
Representative Hannan remarked on the funding for emergency
management specialist positions for disaster assistance.
She assumed that the subcommittee had a dialogue about the
disaster assistance funding being parceled out. She
understood that communities needed assistance when
disasters occurred, but they also needed bureaucratic
assistance accessing a pool of money. She wondered if the
[disaster] fund was increasing in addition to the increase
in staffing. She asked for additional details on the role
of the disaster specialists.
Co-Chair Foster responded that the added emergency
specialist positions were additional resources to help
respond to disasters in the future. He referenced
Representative Hannan's question about whether there was an
increase to the Disaster Relief Fund. He stated his
understanding that the fund did not fall under the DMVA
budget, and any increased funding would be part of the
operating budget process. He did not believe the committee
had reached that point in the process. He asked his staff
to elaborate.
Mr. Anderson confirmed that the Disaster Relief Fund
normally fell under the language section [of the operating
budget], which was funded separately. The positions
approved by the subcommittee fell directly under the
department and were funded with general fund requests
outside of funding associated with the Disaster Relief
Fund. He relayed that it would be a conversation for the
committee when it reviewed the entire operating budget.
Co-Chair Johnson noted that Representative Stapp and
Representative Galvin had joined the meeting.
1:44:57 PM
Representative Ortiz referenced the addition of $186,000 in
general funds for increased pay of $7,000 [for VSOs]. He
highlighted Co-Chair Foster's statement that the figure had
been reduced. He asked if the governor had proposed a
higher increase in pay or if it would be split between
fewer people. He asked where the decrease had come from.
Co-Chair Foster clarified that the governor did not include
a request for an increase to VSO pay. He explained that an
amendment had been proposed in subcommittee to add $400,000
for increased pay, but the subcommittee ultimately adopted
an increase of $186,000 for existing VSOs and the one new
VSO position in Ketchikan.
Mr. Anderson agreed. The $7,000 increase [per VSO] came
from a resolution passed by the Alaskan Veterans Advisory
Council, which had been submitted as a backup document to
the subcommittee. He elaborated that the council included
the figure in its resolution to meet the current cost of
inflation; therefore, the subcommittee decided a total of
$186,000 was more in line with the council's
recommendation. The increment also extended the increase to
the one new position in Ketchikan.
Representative Ortiz stated his understanding that the VSOs
were located in communities and were responsible for
facilitating on behalf of veterans in relationship to the
federal and state governments.
Mr. Anderson answered that VSOs were funded through a grant
program administered by the Division of Veteran Services.
The division contracted out through the American Legion and
other veteran service organizations in communities and
funding was passed through to pay for their services.
Co-Chair Foster stated that the purpose of VSOs was to
ensure veterans were taking advantage of all available
benefits and to help them navigate the associated
bureaucracy and paperwork.
Representative Stapp asked if the funding pertained to
American Legion and VFW [Veterans of Foreign Wars]
contracted VSOs. He remarked that the federal government
had VSOs and separate veterans' services had VSOs. He
thought state VSOs were contracted through the American
Legion and VFW.
Mr. Anderson agreed. He elaborated that the majority of the
contracted VSOs came from the American Legion and VFW, but
the association dealing with purple heart recipients
[Purple Heart Foundation] was also included on the
contracting list.
^OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
1:48:51 PM
BRODIE ANDERSON, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE NEAL FOSTER,
reviewed the finance subcommittee recommendations for the
Office of the Governor (copy on file):
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The House Finance Budget Subcommittee for the Office
of the Governor submits the following recommended
operating budget for FY 2025 to the House Finance
Committee:
Fund Source: (dollars are in thousands)
Unrestricted General Funds (UGF) $28,519.8
Designated General Funds (DGF) $0.0
Other Funds $390.6
Federal Funds $137.2
Total $29,047.6
The Unrestricted General Fund difference from FY 25
Adjusted Base to the House Subcommittee budget
recommendation is an increase of $997.0 thousand of
Unrestricted General Funds, which is 3.6 percent above
the FY 25 Adjusted Base.
Positions:
Permanent Full-time 146
Permanent Part-time 0
Temporary 24
Total 170
BUDGET ACTION:
The House Finance Budget Subcommittee for the Office
of the Governor reviewed the FY 2025 Governor's budget
request, including amendments, and recommends the
following actions:
1) Accept all the Governor's proposed budget. This
includes the following items:
• $300.0 thousand for two new special agents
assigned to the Governor's security team.
• $350.0 thousand for inflationary costs
increases and enhanced security in the
Governor's Anchorage Office.
• $75.0 thousand for maintenance on the Ranked
Choice Voting system.
• $120.0 thousand for a Division of Elections
Public Relations Manager.
• $152.0 thousand fund source swap to General
Funds from Capital Improvement Projects
Receipts for the Division Operation Manager
position.
• $100.0 thousand reduction in Federal Funds
within the Human Rights Commission to align
with expected expenditures.
Mr. Anderson elaborated on the second to last bullet point
related to a fund source swap to general funds from capital
improvement project (CIP) receipts for a division operation
manager position. He explained that the position was
currently filled, but the CIP receipt funding was no longer
available.
1:51:53 PM
Co-Chair Foster summarized that the subcommittee accepted
all of the governor's requests. He added that the preceding
year, the governor requested two additional positions for
his security team. The funding had been approved by the
House but had ultimately been removed during conference
committee on the operating budget. He added that the
governor had subsequently vetoed $100,000 from the
legislature's request for security.
Representative Hannan asked how many security officers the
governor had.
Co-Chair Foster responded that a lifeline may be needed to
answer the question.
Representative Hannan asked how much of the $350,000
increment pertained to security cost versus inflation.
Mr. Anderson replied that he would get an answer to
Representative Hannan's first question pertaining to the
number of security officers the governor had. He answered
the second question and explained that the cost of
inflation and cost of the lease had increased according to
the Office of the Governor. He noted that the governor did
not request the entire amount of the inflation cost because
a portion of the funding would go towards security. He
elaborated that the governor's floor used to share office
space with another department. The governor's office
proposed that the other department vacate the floor and
that improvements be made to enhance security. The total
request was $350,000 even though the governor's office
alluded to the fact that the full cost exceeded the
request.
1:54:44 PM
Representative Coulombe asked about the ranked choice
voting increment. She referenced backup documents showing
the total multiyear appropriation was $3 million. She noted
the request for $2.5 million. She asked if the subcommittee
asked why there was a continued need for funding for rank
choice voting. She observed it did not appear to be
operations funding for the Division of Elections.
Mr. Anderson replied that ranked choice voting operating
funds were built into the base budget for the Division of
Elections; therefore, the subcommittee had not extensively
discussed current spending on ranked choice voting. The
$75,000 would fund a needed upgrade to the current IT
program responsible for running the ranked choice voting
system. He addressed the additional increment [of $120,000]
for a public relations manager position. He detailed that
the administration determined it needed an additional
position to educate the public on using ranked choice
voting.
1:56:38 PM
Representative Josephson stated that the governor's request
of $300,000 in FY 24 for special agents had been
disapproved by the legislature. He asked for verification
that the governor was requesting more than $300,000 in the
FY 25 budget for special agents and enhanced security.
Mr. Anderson replied that he did not know whether the
enhanced security was a direct correlation to the amount
the governor had requested for his security team. He
confirmed that the governor had requested funding for two
full-time agents in FY 24, which had been denied.
1:57:49 PM
Mr. Anderson responded to Representative Hannan's earlier
question about the size of the governor's security team.
The governor currently had seven security officers and his
budget request increased the number to nine.
HB 268 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
HB 270 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
Co-Chair Johnson reviewed the schedule for the following
day.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| DCCED Closeout Combined Files.pdf |
HFIN 3/4/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 268 |
| DoC Closeout Combined Files.pdf |
HFIN 3/4/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 268 |
| DCCED House BA Sheet.pdf |
HFIN 3/4/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 268 |
| 2nd .session. Subcommittee GOV Close-out Memo 3.2.24.pdf |
HFIN 3/4/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 268 |
| Subcommittee DMVA Close-out Narrative 3.1.24.pdf |
HFIN 3/4/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 268 |
| HB 268 Subc Closeout OOGOV 030424.pdf |
HFIN 3/4/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 268 |
| HB 268 Op Budget Subcom Closeout DMVA 030424.pdf |
HFIN 3/4/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 268 |