05/05/1998 03:40 PM Senate STA

Number 400                                                                     
                                                                               
       CSHB 464(STA) - NURSING CARE AT STATE VETERANS' HOME                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN introduced CSHB 464(STA) as the next order of                   
business.                                                                      
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE JEANNETTE JAMES, prime sponsor of HB 464, explained             
the legislation provides only one change in the current law which              
will add in nursing home care with related medical services as an              
option for state veterans' home facilities.  Currently, the only               
federal money that is available for any veterans' home would                   
require that they include nursing home care with related medical               
services.                                                                      
                                                                               
Representative James pointed out that there is no fiscal note with             
the legislation because all it does is authorize a feasibility                 
study to see whether or not it is a good idea to try to put in a               
nursing home care with related medical facilities for a veterans'              
home in Alaska.  Veterans' organizations have been working to raise            
funds to do that study, and if it was determined that such a                   
facility would be a good idea, they could then come back to the                
Legislature and request funding to construct a facility.  Sixty-               
five percent of the cost of building such a home would be funded by            
the Federal Government.                                                        
                                                                               
GERALD DORSHER, representing the Veterans of Foreign Wars and                  
testifying in support of HB 464, said a nursing home facility for              
veterans is truly needed in Alaska.  He related that because of the            
lack of facilities in this state, the local veterans' organization             
recently paid transportation costs for a long-time resident of                 
Juneau who had been accepted into a Washington state veterans'                 
home.  Mr. Dorsher pointed out that there are 42 states that                   
currently have veterans' homes and that number will increase to 47             
states in the next two years.                                                  
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN noted that there is a great deal of interest in the             
Mat-Su area for a veterans' home.                                              
                                                                               
JIM KOHN, Director, Division of Alaska Longevity Programs, said the            
reason the Department of Administration is in favor of the                     
legislation is because they believe it gives a full range of                   
choices to look at from domiciliary care through skilled nursing               
care, although he cautioned that the result of the study may not be            
the building of a veterans' home in the state.  He stated the                  
department fully supports the legislation.                                     
                                                                               
CHARLES MCLEOD, JR., Special Assistant, Department of Military and             
Veterans Affairs, testifying in support of HB 464, said it would               
allow the state to take advantage of funding from the federal                  
Department of Veterans' Affairs.  He said money has been set aside             
for the study and they will proceed with the study as soon as they             
receive the funds.  He urged passage of the bill out of committee.             
                                                                               
There being no further testimony on HB 464, CHAIRMAN GREEN stated              
she would accept a motion to move the bill out of committee.                   
                                                                               
Number 480                                                                     
                                                                               
SENATOR MACKIE moved CSHB 464(STA) and the accompanying zero fiscal            
note be passed out of committee with individual recommendations.               
Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.