02/19/2004 01:35 PM Senate L&C

            SB 263-EXTEND ALASKA COMMISSION ON AGING                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CON BUNDE  announced SB 263 to be up  for consideration. He                                                               
recognized  that  the following  people  from  the Commission  on                                                               
Aging were present  in the audience: Steven  Ashman, Frank Appel,                                                               
Doris  Bacus, Ella  Craig, Jesse  Gardner, Betty  Keegan, Banarsi                                                               
Lal and Priscilla Thorsness.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. RICHARD BENAVIDES, staff to  Senator Bettye Davis, sponsor of                                                               
SB 263, said this legislation  would extend the Alaska Commission                                                               
on Aging  until June 30, 2008  and would make changes  to statute                                                               
that reflect the  transfer of the commission  from the Department                                                               
of  Administration  to  the  Department   of  Health  and  Social                                                               
Services.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     The  changes basically  have the  effect of  making the                                                                    
     actual  commission  more  of a  planning  and  advocacy                                                                    
     organization while allowing  the department to actually                                                                    
     be  the  reviewer  and decision  maker  on  the  actual                                                                    
     grants.  The Senator  believes that  these changes  are                                                                    
     for the  good and  believes that the  Alaska Commission                                                                    
     on  Aging has  continued  to help  older Alaskans  lead                                                                    
     dignified, independent and useful lives.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. STEVEN  ASHLAND, Director, Division of  Senior and Disability                                                               
Services,  Department  of  Health   and  Social  Services  (DHSS)                                                               
supported reauthorization  of the Commission on  Aging, which has                                                               
put  together some  very  good programs  for  seniors and  elders                                                               
throughout the entire State of Alaska.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. MARIE DARLIN,  AARP Capitol City Task  Force, fully supported                                                               
extension of the Commission on Aging.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. PAT DAVIDSON, Legislative Auditor,  said the audit recommends                                                               
a four-year extension of the  commission. Other than overwhelming                                                               
support for  the commission, the  reasonableness of  the granting                                                               
process was noted, but it wanted more services and more funding.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE asked  if a move to HESS would  help grant monitoring                                                               
opportunities.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. DAVIDSON replied that she believed so.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     I  believe  you're going  to  have  a little  bit  more                                                                    
     professional   eye    towards   just    overall   grant                                                                    
     management. This  is an issue  that came up  during our                                                                    
     statewide single  audit. Because of that,  this will be                                                                    
     one of those recommendations  that we continue on until                                                                    
     it has been resolved.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS.  NANCY BURKE,  Program Officer,  Alaska Mental  Health Trust,                                                               
supported SB 263. She said:                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     The Alaska  Commission on Aging  is a critical  part of                                                                    
     the  trust budgeting  finance and  advocacy procedures.                                                                    
     We value and require their  support in watching out for                                                                    
     the most vulnerable Alaskans, which they do.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  SEEKINS  moved  to  pass  SB  263,  version  A,  out  of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note.  Senators Stevens,  Seekins, French  and Chair  Bunde voted                                                               
yea; and SB 263 moved from committee.