04/12/2016 01:30 PM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 147(HSS)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to eligibility requirements of the                                                                        
     Alaska senior benefits payment program; and providing                                                                      
     for an effective date."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:39:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SEAN  O'BRIEN,  DIRECTOR,  DIVISION  OF  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT OF  HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES,  relayed that the                                                                    
bill was  a result  of an omission  by error.  The provision                                                                    
added qualifying  criterion to the  eligibility requirements                                                                    
specifying  that   an  individual  must  be   a  citizen  or                                                                    
qualified alien for the senior  benefits program. The change                                                                    
aligned   the  eligibility   requirements  with   all  other                                                                    
programs in  the Division of Public  Assistance. He reported                                                                    
that  approximately 16  individuals would  be excluded  from                                                                    
the program  with adoption  of the bill.  He noted  that the                                                                    
fiscal note showed a potential savings of $43.2 thousand.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Guttenberg asked  about the bill's inception.                                                                    
He wondered how eligibility would  be determined if the bill                                                                    
passed.                                                                                                                         
MONICA WINDOM, POLICY CHIEF,  DIVISION OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT  OF HEALTH  AND SOCIAL  SERVICES, responded  that                                                                    
the Department of Health and  Social Services (DHSS) was not                                                                    
required  to collect  citizen information  on recipients  of                                                                    
the program.  She explained that the  department performed a                                                                    
"cross  match" with  other  programs  where citizenship  was                                                                    
required  and discovered  the 16  recipients  in the  senior                                                                    
benefits   program  were   not  eligible   based  on   their                                                                    
ineligibly for the other programs.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Guttenberg commented  that the  cost of  the                                                                    
legislation was  more than the savings  the department would                                                                    
gain.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:43:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kawasaki surmised that  the saving would come                                                                    
from  the elimination  of the  16 disqualified  persons. Ms.                                                                    
O'Brien affirmed the statement.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Munoz  was curious  about the "status  of the                                                                    
payment for the highest  income bracket." Ms. O'Brien stated                                                                    
that  a payment  of $47  per  month for  the highest  income                                                                    
bracket went  into effect on  March 1,  2016. Representative                                                                    
Munoz asked  about the 16  that would lose the  benefits and                                                                    
asked  what  income bracket  the  individuals  were in.  Ms.                                                                    
Windom responded that  there were some that fell  in each of                                                                    
the brackets and she could not remember specifics.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gattis  asked how many of  the 16 individuals                                                                    
were  on  a  fixed  income. She  stated  concerns  regarding                                                                    
seniors  on a  fixed income  receiving little  or no  notice                                                                    
regarding the issue.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson interjected  a  point  of order.  She                                                                    
noted that eligibility was not the subject of the bill.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kawasaki  asked whether any audits  were done                                                                    
on eligibility. Ms. Windom answered  that the program had an                                                                    
annual  renewal  policy  and  the  department  reviewed  the                                                                    
recipient's qualifications each  year. Since citizenship was                                                                    
not  a qualifier  the department  never  checked on  status.                                                                    
Representative Kawasaki  asked whether proof  of citizenship                                                                    
such as a birth certificate  was required in the future. Ms.                                                                    
Windom stated  that DHSS verified  citizenship in  a variety                                                                    
of  ways  including  an interface  with  the  United  States                                                                    
Immigration  and  Naturalization  Service  (INS)  and  would                                                                    
become routine for the senior benefits program.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:47:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson OPENED public testimony.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. O'Brien appreciated consideration of the bill.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson noted the fiscal  note (FN2 (DHS) attached                                                                    
to the bill.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kawasaki asked  whether  the 16  individuals                                                                    
received notification  of their  impending removal  from the                                                                    
program.  Ms. Windom  replied in  the  negative. She  stated                                                                    
that  when  the bill  was  adopted  by the  legislature  the                                                                    
division would notify the individuals.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative Munoz MOVED  to REPORT CSSB 147  (HSS) out of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal  note(s). There  being NO  OBJECTION, it                                                                    
was so ordered.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CSSB  147 (HSS)  was REPORTED  out of  committee with  a "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendation  and  with  one  previously  published                                                                    
fiscal note: FN2 (DHS).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:49:39 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:51:47 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED