03/11/2009 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

          SB  27-FOSTER CARE AGE LIMIT/TUITION WAIVER                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DAVIS announced consideration of SB 27.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:47:56 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  PASKVAN  moved  to  adopt  CS for  SB  27,  labeled  26-                                                               
LS0205\E,  as the  working document.  There  being no  objection,                                                               
version E was before the committee.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
TOM  OBERMEYER,  staff  to  Senator  Davis,  sponsor  of  SB  27,                                                               
explained that version E changes  the definition of "foster care"                                                               
to  "out-of-home care"  because  so many  relatives  who are  not                                                               
licensed foster parents take care  of children who are in out-of-                                                               
home  care. It  extends  eligibility for  tuition  waivers for  a                                                               
person in foster care from 19 to  21, if the person was in foster                                                               
care at age 16  for not less than 6 consecutive  months and is in                                                               
out-of-home care  at the time  of application. The  bill subjects                                                               
waivers of tuition to availability of funds by appropriation.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
He noted  that the sectional  analysis is very complete  and went                                                               
through it quickly for the members as follows:                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: Adds a  new section, AS 14.43.086, entitling                                                                    
     a person who was in the  state in out-of-home care to a                                                                    
     waiver of  undergraduate tuition  and fees in  a state-                                                                    
     supported school.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2: Adds  a cross reference to  a definition for                                                                    
     out-of-home care for purposes of the tuition waiver.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3: Changes "foster  care" to "out-of-home care"                                                                    
     for purposes of the procurement code.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4: Adds  a cross reference to  a definition for                                                                    
     out-of-home care form medical assistance provision.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5: Extends  court orders to age 21  for a child                                                                    
     committed to the custody of  the department if they are                                                                    
     placed in out-of-home care.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:49:41 PM                                                                                                                    
     Section 6:  Changes the definition of  "child" under AS                                                                    
     47.10.990(3)  (child  in  need  of aid)  to  include  a                                                                    
     person  under 21  years of  age  living in  out-of-home                                                                    
     care.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 7: Changes "foster  care" to "out-of-home care"                                                                    
     for purposes of the child in need of aid statutes.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Section 8: Changes "foster  care" to "out-of-home care"                                                                    
     for purposes  of the transition program  to independent                                                                    
     living.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Section 9: Changes "foster  care" to "out-of-home care"                                                                    
     for  purposes of  the transition  program for  children                                                                    
     who  are not  less than  age 18  living in  out-of-home                                                                    
     care, as defined.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 10:  Adds children who  were placed  in out-of-                                                                    
     home care  to provide  transition program  services for                                                                    
     the purpose of achieving self-sufficiency.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Section  11:  Changes  "foster  care"  to  "out-of-home                                                                    
     care"  for  the  purposes  of  the  transition  program                                                                    
     definition.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section  12: Adds  a monetary  stipend for  children in                                                                    
     the transition program for a specified period of time.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 13: Adds a cross  reference to a definition for                                                                    
     out-of-home  care   for  purposes  of   the  transition                                                                    
     program.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. OBERMEYER said that Jean Michelle, Legislative Legal                                                                        
Division, was online if the members had any questions about this                                                                
draft or its intent.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:51:25 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DAVIS closed public testimony and held SB 27 in committee.