04/22/2024 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 149                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the supplemental nutrition                                                                             
     assistance program; and providing for an effective                                                                         
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:37:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL, SPONSOR, introduced the legislation.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:39:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PAIGE  BROWN, STAFF,  SENATOR CATHY  GIESSEL, discussed  the                                                                    
Sectional Analysis (copy on file):                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1. Amends AS. 47.25.980(a)(3):                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     This section  updates the reference  to the  chapter of                                                                    
     United States code governing                                                                                               
     the Supplemental  Nutrition Assistance  Program (SNAP).                                                                    
     This section also increases                                                                                                
     the household  income limits for the  SNAP program from                                                                    
     130% to 200% of the                                                                                                        
     Alaska  poverty standard  and eliminates  the household                                                                    
     asset test.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2.  Amends  uncodified law  by  adding  a  new                                                                    
     section:                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     This section provides the  authority for the Department                                                                    
     of Health to adopt the                                                                                                     
     necessary regulations to implement this Act.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3.  Provides for an effective  date for Section                                                                    
     2:                                                                                                                         
     Section 2 has an immediate effective date.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4. Provides for an effective date.                                                                                 
     Except as  provided in  sec. 3,  the effective  date of                                                                    
     this Act is July 1, 2025                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:40:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RON  MEEHAN, DIRECTOR  OF GOVERNMENT  AFFAIRS, FOOD  BANK OF                                                                    
ALASKA, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference),  spoke in support in                                                                    
of the bill.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:47:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ERIN WALKER-TOLLES,  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,  CATHOLIC COMMUNITY                                                                    
SERVICES, spoke  in support of  the bill, and its  impact on                                                                    
the services of the bill on the organization.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:53:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  remarked that  for many seniors,  the meal                                                                    
delivery  service   was  the   only  contact   with  people.                                                                    
Therefore, the  meal delivery service  allowed for  a person                                                                    
to  check on  the  senior's wellbeing.  He wondered  whether                                                                    
there should be less workload within the fiscal note.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Walker-Tolles   replied  that   there  would   be  time                                                                    
eliminated per case, but the  processing of the overall case                                                                    
will see an increase.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:56:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DEB  ETHERIDGE,  DIRECTOR,  DIVISION OF  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, spoke to the fiscal notes.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:58:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson OPENED public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:58:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAMIE MORGAN,  AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, JUNEAU,  spoke in                                                                    
support of the legislation.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:00:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RACHEL  LORD,  ADVOCACY  AND POLICY  DIRECTOR,  ALASKA  FOOD                                                                    
POLICY  COUNCIL, HOMER  (via  teleconference), testified  in                                                                    
support of the bill.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:02:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HANNAH HILL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,  BREAD LINE, FAIRBANKS (via                                                                    
teleconference), testified in support of the legislation.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:05:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DUANE  PATTERSON, DIRECTOR,  CATHOLIC  SOCIAL SERVICES  FOOD                                                                    
PANTRY, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference),  spoke in support of                                                                    
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:07:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RAY  WARD, SELF,  ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference), testified                                                                    
in support of the legislation.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:10:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SCOTT    LINGLE,   CEO,    BEANS   CAFE,    ANCHORAGE   (via                                                                    
teleconference), spoke in support of the bill.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:11:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:12:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Brown thanked the committee.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SB 149 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                              
consideration.