04/07/2004 01:44 PM House FIN

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 301(FIN)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
     An Act  relating to  the Alaska  Pioneers' Home  and the                                                                   
     Alaska  Veterans'  Home;  relating  to  eligibility  for                                                                   
     admission  to  the  Alaska  Pioneers'  Home  and  Alaska                                                                   
     Veterans'   Home;  relating   to   the  eligibility   of                                                                   
     residents for  the Alaska Pioneers' Home  and the Alaska                                                                   
     Veterans' Home  for general relief assistance;  relating                                                                   
     to state  veterans' home  facilities; making  conforming                                                                   
     amendments; and providing for an effective date.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Harris MOVED  to ADOPT Work Draft Version  U.  There                                                                   
being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
DENNIS  DEWITT,  SPECIAL  STAFF   ASSISTANT,  OFFICE  OF  THE                                                                   
GOVERNOR,   explained  that  the   differences  between   the                                                                   
proposed Committee Substitute  Version U and SB 301 are found                                                                   
on pages  6 and 7. The  amendment substantively named  all of                                                                   
the Pioneers  Homes currently  in operation  instead  of just                                                                   
the Sitka Home, on  page 7, line 1.  On page  6, line 31, and                                                                   
page 7, lines 2 and 5, the words  "and operate" were added to                                                                   
"may maintain." He pointed out  that those amendments make SB
 identical  to HB 440,  which the House Finance  Committee                                                                   
has heard.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stoltze questioned  the amendment made in HESS                                                                   
and whether Mr. DeWitt agrees  with the rationale that Mat-Su                                                                   
is the most appropriate place for a veterans' home.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  DeWitt  explained  that  the  selection  of  the  Palmer                                                                   
Pioneers  Home was  based on  several  factors including  the                                                                   
LB&A Committee study that reported  the most advantageous way                                                                   
to finance a veterans' home was  to convert a pioneers' home.                                                                   
He stated that  if another conversion were considered  in the                                                                   
future,  it  would  be  a policy  issue  brought  before  the                                                                   
Legislature.  For that reason,  language was added in Section                                                                   
15  to  limit  the conversion  process  only  to  the  Palmer                                                                   
Pioneers Home at this time.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Harris  referred to the  fiscal notes, and  asked if                                                                   
the federal money  is a factor in the conversion.  Mr. DeWitt                                                                   
explained  that  the Veterans  Administration  (VA)  provides                                                                   
funding for  veterans who  are in a  state veterans'  home at                                                                   
$26.95 per day.  Alaska needs a state veterans'  home for its                                                                   
vets  to access  those benefits  to  which they're  entitled.                                                                   
This  bill allows  the  conversion  under the  U.S.  Veterans                                                                   
Administration.  The veterans  in  the Palmer  veterans  home                                                                   
could  receive  the  benefit  of  about  $800  a  month.  The                                                                   
advantages would  be to offset General Fund  contributions to                                                                   
individuals with  subsidized care, and to offset  the cost to                                                                   
individuals paying for their own care.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Harris asked  if the veterans would  be eligible for                                                                   
care  at Palmer  medical facilities  or the  hospital on  the                                                                   
base.  Mr. DeWitt replied that  routine care would be offered                                                                   
through the  Veterans Administration, but  the Administration                                                                   
will  address the  process of  moving the  veterans who  need                                                                   
care.  In response  to  a question  by  Co-Chair Harris,  Mr.                                                                   
DeWitt confirmed  that the bill simply authorizes  the Palmer                                                                   
conversion.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
In response  to a question  by Representative  Fate, Co-Chair                                                                   
Harris  noted  that  the  language   designating  the  Palmer                                                                   
Pioneers Home conversion is on page 7, line 5.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Stoltze  commented   that   he  had   gotten                                                                   
assurances  of a slow  transition  and that  no one would  be                                                                   
forced to  move out of existing  senior housing.   Mr. DeWitt                                                                   
referenced language in Sec. 26  on page 13, lines 6-13, which                                                                   
provides that  a resident may  not be evicted or  required to                                                                   
relocate  to a  different  Alaska  Pioneers'  Home or  Alaska                                                                   
Veterans'  Home facility.  The Governor's  Office is  working                                                                   
with the VA to gain assurances  that it will not violate this                                                                   
portion of  state law.   It is a  high priority  for Governor                                                                   
Murkowski.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Croft questioned if  relatives in  the Palmer                                                                   
area would  have to go to  the Anchorage Pioneers Home.   Mr.                                                                   
DeWitt explained under  the VA requirement, 75% or  62 of the                                                                   
beds would be  reserved for vets, with the  remaining 20 beds                                                                   
filled by the  existing Pioneers Home waiting  list. He noted                                                                   
that today  one individual  is  on the waiting  list for  the                                                                   
Palmer Pioneers Home.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Harris asked  if the  bill has the  support of  the                                                                   
Pioneers of  Alaska and  the military  veterans groups.   Mr.                                                                   
DeWitt  affirmed that  his office  had worked  out all  their                                                                   
concerns and has the support of both groups.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster MOVED to report HCS CSSB 301(FIN) out                                                                     
of Committee with the accompanying fiscal note.  There being                                                                    
NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
HCS CSSB 301(FIN) was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do                                                                      
pass" recommendation and with one previously published                                                                          
fiscal impact note.