04/19/2022 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

        SB 184-SETTLEMENT TRUSTS & BENEFITS ELIGIBILITY                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:04:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   WILSON  reconvened   the   meeting   and  announced   the                                                               
consideration of SENATE  BILL NO. 184 "An Act  relating to Alaska                                                               
Native  settlement  trusts  and   eligibility  for  adult  public                                                               
assistance, senior benefits, and the Alaska Pioneers' Home."                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
He asked Loki Tobin to give a brief overview of the bill before                                                                 
the committee considered a committee substitute (CS).                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:04:51 PM                                                                                                                    
LOKI TOBIN, Staff, Senator Tom Begich, Alaska State Legislature,                                                                
Juneau, Alaska, paraphrased the sponsor statement for SB 184. It                                                                
read as follows:                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Historic in  its application, the Alaska  Native Claims                                                                    
     Settlement  Act (ANCSA)  sought to  resolves indigenous                                                                    
     land  claims by  transferring land  titles to  regional                                                                    
     corporations  for the  benefit  of  Alaska Natives  and                                                                    
     their  descendants.  Part  of the  settlement  included                                                                    
     distributions  or  benefits  to  1971  enrolled  tribal                                                                    
     members,  compensating   them  for  their   portion  of                                                                    
     historic  land   ownership  and  in   recognition  that                                                                    
     financial   resources  may   be   needed  to   preserve                                                                    
     indigenous  cultures  and  ensure  Alaska  Natives  and                                                                    
     their  descendants are  able to  contribute to  live in                                                                    
     indigenous communities.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Distributions  or benefits  from ANCSA  settlements are                                                                    
     meant   to   compensate   Alaska  Natives   and   their                                                                    
     descendants   for  indigenous   land  claims   and  are                                                                    
     separate from other benefits  an individual may receive                                                                    
     due to disability or age.  Unfortunately, the law as it                                                                    
     currently  is  written  does not  guarantee  an  Alaska                                                                    
     Native   can   and    will   receive   their   rightful                                                                    
     distribution  as well  as other  benefits available  to                                                                    
     all Alaskans due to qualifying circumstances. Senate                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Bill 184  seeks by statute to  exclude certain payments                                                                    
     to   aged  or   disabled   Alaska   Natives  or   their                                                                    
     descendants  from being  used to  determine eligibility                                                                    
     for adult  public assistance, senior benefits,  and the                                                                    
     Alaska  Pioneers' Home.  A  similar  bill is  currently                                                                    
     being  considered   in  the  United   States  Congress,                                                                    
     introduced  by Senator  Murkowski  and co-sponsored  by                                                                    
     Senator Sullivan.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:06:02 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON solicited a motion to adopt the CS.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:06:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGHES  moved to  adopt  the  Senate Health  and  Social                                                               
Services CS  for SB 184,  work order 32-LS1473\B, as  the working                                                               
document.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:06:19 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON  objected for purposes  of discussion.  He explained                                                               
that the CS does two things.  First, it removes the references to                                                               
an  Alaska Native  individual or  a descent  of an  Alaska Native                                                               
individual  and opens  the legislation  to any  beneficiary of  a                                                               
trust settlement. Second, it places a $1,500 cap on the income.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:06:55 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGHES asked  him  to confirm  that the  cap  is not  on                                                               
individual income;  it's the amount  of interest in  a settlement                                                               
trust.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON agreed.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:07:08 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BEGICH   agreed  with   Senator  Hughes  and   added  an                                                               
individual  who received  a settlement  or interest  payment that                                                               
was over $1,500 would lose their  benefits. It's the same idea as                                                               
the cap on the PFD [to determine certain eligibility].                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON called in a  hold harmless provision and the sponsor                                                               
agreed.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGHES  offered her belief  that the  CS made the  bill a                                                               
better product.  She asked the  sponsor if it resolves  a problem                                                               
and creates more fairness.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:08:50 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BEGICH answered yes; it  addresses a fairness issue about                                                               
somebody continuing  to receive  public assistance when  they are                                                               
receiving consistently  large dividends that remove  the need for                                                               
public assistance. He stated support for the changes.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:09:31 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WILSON   removed  his  objection;  he   found  no  further                                                               
objection and  the CS for SB  184, version B, was  adopted as the                                                               
working document.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
He asked the sponsor if he had any closing comments.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR   BEGICH  said   the  law   is  nuanced   and  unintended                                                               
consequences have to be addressed.  He expressed appreciation for                                                               
the committee's thoughtfulness.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:10:26 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES  moved to report  SB 184, work  order 32-LS1473\B,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:10:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON  found no objection  and CSSB 184(HSS)  was reported                                                               
from committee.