Legislature(2011 - 2012)SENATE FINANCE 532
01/20/2012 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB51 | |
| SB53 | |
| SB103 | |
| SB68 | |
| SB30 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 51 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 53 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 103 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 68 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 30 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE BILL NO. 51
"An Act relating to the operation of vending
facilities on public property."
9:02:54 AM
SENATOR BETTYE DAVIS, introduced Thomas Obermeyer and
thanked the committee for the opportunity.
THOMAS OBERMEYER, STAFF, SENATOR BETTYE DAVIS, explained SB
51. He referred to the Sponsor Statement (copy on file). He
explained that SB 51 would restore to blind persons first
priority for a contract to operate a vending facility on
state and other public property. This bill would amend the
Alaska Chance Act of 1976 to require that the State
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Business Enterprise
Program provide the same first priority to the blind on
state and other public property as it did on federal
property enforced under the Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936.
The Alaska Chance Act for the first time added disabled
persons in addition to the blind in preference for vending
licenses on public facilities. This loss of first priority
and expansion of beneficiaries had thwarted the spirit and
letter of the Randolph-Sheppard Act. The resulting decrease
in vending opportunities for blind merchants in Alaska
exacerbated their already extraordinarily high unemployment
rates among all types and severities of the disabled and
the population in general.
Mr. Obermeyer stated that SB 51 recognized that the blind
were dissimilarly situated compared to other disabled
persons who did not suffer the same degree of impairment
and unemployment as an economic matter. Although the state
had combined management and training opportunities for both
the blind and other persons with disabilities under one
Business Enterprise Program of the Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation, this bill would require that it must give
first priority to the blind for vending contracts on state,
federal or other public property.
Mr. Obermeyer reported that SB 51 would comport with
original legislative intent and would give first priority
to the blind imposed under AS 23.15.100 prior to changes in
1974 and 2006 which added persons with disabilities and
severe disabilities who had currently competed with the
blind for licenses on vending facilities on public
property.
Mr. Obermeyer explained that blind individuals who receive
Randolph-Sheppard contracts acted as managers of large
vending or cafeteria facilities, subcontracting with food
service organizations to provide meals and/or vending
services on a day to day basis. They could independently
operate lobby concession stands, or vending machine banks.
In October, 2009 Alaska's Business Enterprise Program had
only six sites operating in federal facilities under
Randolph-Sheppard, and six sites operating in state
facilities under the Chance Act.
Senator Olsen wondered how many people would be affected by
SB 51. Mr. Obermeyer replied that he was told by an
Anchorage resident that there were approximately 12,000
blind people in Alaska.
Senator Olson referred to a legislative research report
that found that the United States Department of Education's
Rehabilitation Services Randolph-Sheppard Act programs were
often labeled as business enterprises. He wondered why
Wyoming was the only state that was not participating in
the programs. Mr. Obermeyer did not know why Wyoming was
considered an exception.
9:07:35 AM
Co-Chair Stedman noted there was a new zero fiscal note
from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
LYNNE KORAL, ALASKA INDEPENDENT BLIND (via teleconference),
spoke in support of SB 51. She pointed out that there was
low unemployment for people with disabilities. She stressed
that blind people were subject to learned helplessness, and
did not have many decision-making models. The blind were
subject to the butt of jokes and are often considered to be
the "worthy poor." In 1936 the Randolph-Sheppard Act was
initiated to address under-employment among the blind.
JAMES SWARTZ, ALASKA INDEPENDENT BLIND (via
teleconference), spoke in support of SB 51.
Co-Chair Stedman asked if there were any further comments
from the bill sponsor.
Tom Obermeyer commented that there were only two states
that included the disabled in the Randolph-Sheppard Act:
Georgia and Alaska. He felt that the original intent of the
Act was to include the severely disabled for those blind
people in Alaska who were impaired, but considered only
partially blind.
SB 51 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for further
consideration.
9:17:00 AM
AT EASE
9:17:08 AM
RECONVENED