Legislature(1993 - 1994)

02/22/1993 01:34 PM House FIN

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
txt
                                                                               
  HOUSE BILL NO. 135                                                           
                                                                               
       "An Act making supplemental and special  appropriations                 
       for the expenses of state government; making, amending,                 
       and repealing capital and operating appropriations; and                 
       providing for an effective date."                                       
                                                                               
  CHERYL  FRASCA, DIVISION DIRECTOR,  OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND                 
  BUDGET,  OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR reviewed  HB 135 by section.                 
  She began  on  section 28.    (See House  Finance  Committee                 
  minutes 2/18/93)                                                             
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT                              
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 28   ASMI - $196.3 thousand dollars                           
                                                                               
            This request would provide a general fund match to                 
            federal   dollars   for  the   overseas  marketing                 
            program.                                                           
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 29   ASMI -  $60.0  thousand  dollars  FY  92                 
                      extension                                                
                                                                               
            This request would extend the lapse date of the FY                 
            92 balance to  be used as general  fund (GF) match                 
            for the  federal grant contained in section 28.                    
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS                                  
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 30   Veterans Death Gratuity - $90.0 thousand                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
            This request would respond to increased claims.                    
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES                                              
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 31   Fire Suppression - $6.0 million dollars                  
                                                                               
            Three million dollars would provide funding in the                 
            case of  a fire prior to  fiscal year FY  94.  The                 
            Department incurs  $3.6 million  dollars in  fixed                 
            costs.  Unused funds would  lapse into the General                 
            Fund.                                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                8                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Representative Grussendorf referred to a letter submitted by                 
  the Governor to  the Legislative Budget and  Audit Committee                 
  requesting emergency funding for fire suppression.  He noted                 
  that no emergency existed.  He recalled that the Legislative                 
  Budget  and  Audit  Committee  decided  not  to  appropriate                 
  emergency  funding  for  possible  future  fire  suppression                 
  needs.                                                                       
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 32   Land Selection Program - $641.0 thousand                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
            This request is  the result  of the expedition  of                 
            land selection in order to meet federal deadlines.                 
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 33   Challenge Alaska Grants -                                
                                                                               
            This  request  would change  the  scope of  a 1989                 
            capital project grant.                                             
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME                                                  
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 34   Division  of  Boards  - $492.0  thousand                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
            This request is the result of legislation  enacted                 
            during the  Special  Session  of  the  Seventeenth                 
            Alaska  Legislature.   (The  original fiscal  note                 
            associated with legislation passed  was for $365.0                 
            thousand  dollars.    There  was  no  vehicle  for                 
            passage   of   fiscal   notes    associated   with                 
            legislation.)  The  Division of Boards has  had an                 
            increase in board meetings.                                        
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 35   Division of Subsistence -  $8.0 thousand                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
            This request is the result of  legislation enacted                 
            during the  Special  Session  of  the  Seventeenth                 
            Alaska Legislature.   The original  request by the                 
            Division   of   Subsistence  was   $55.0  thousand                 
            dollars.                                                           
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 36   King  Salmon  Tags   -  $84.3   thousand                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
            This request  would make vendor  payments for King                 
            Salmon tags.   The  request is  the result  of new                 
            legislation.  The associated fiscal note failed to                 
            be  included  in  the  FY   93  Operating  Budget.                 
            Funding will be from the General Fund.                             
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 37   Ratify and Amend Prior Year Expenditures                 
                                                                               
                                9                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
                      -                                                        
                                                                               
            Old appropriations that have not been corrected in                 
            the accounting system will be cleared.                             
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 38   Fund Shift -                                             
                                                                               
            This will replace unrealized federal receipts from                 
            a  1987  CIP  appropriation for  Sport  Fisheries,                 
            Public  Access  Acquisition.   Unrealized  federal                 
            receipts will be replaced by an appropriation from                 
            the Fish and Game Fund of $134.7 thousand dollars.                 
            The  Department  of  Fish   and  Game  incorrectly                 
            identified state matching contributions.                           
                                                                               
  MARY LOU BURTON, FISCAL OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME                 
  explained that state  CIP funds  were insufficient to  match                 
  federal  funds.   She added  that  the Department  failed to                 
  properly  account  for the  state  match.   Section  38 will                 
  replace monies that were spent out  of the General Fund with                 
  Fish and Game funds.                                                         
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY                                                  
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 39   Contract Jails - $690.4 thousand dollars                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
            This request would meet increased operating costs.                 
            The FY 94  Operating Budget  has been adjusted  to                 
            include FY 93 supplemental costs.                                  
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Larson asked for information concerning state  jail                 
  contracts.                                                                   
                                                                               
  C. E. SWACKHAMMER, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC                 
  SAFETY explained that  contract jails  are negotiated on  an                 
  annual  basis.   He  noted that  there  is a  state mandated                 
  responsibility  for  prisoners.    Disputes  have   occurred                 
  between the State and municipality's concerning fair cost.                   
                                                                               
  Representative Parnell asked if costs  are based on prisoner                 
  days.  Mr. Swackhammer stated that there are fixed costs for                 
  each municipalities that provides the service.  In addition,                 
  variables exist.                                                             
                                                                               
  KEN BISCHOFF, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,                 
  DEPARTMENT OF  PUBLIC SAFETY  noted that  contracts are  not                 
  negotiated   for  prior  to  appropriation  requests.    Mr.                 
  Swackhammer  stressed  that prisoner  location  and prisoner                 
  days are included in cost assessments.                                       
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 40   Criminal   Records   and  Id.   -  $90.6                 
                                                                               
                               10                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
                      thousand dollars                                         
                                                                               
            This request represents an increase in system use.                 
            New  legislation  has   been  approved   requiring                 
            applicants  for  teacher  certification and  other                 
            activities   to   supply   fingerprint  background                 
            checks.                                                            
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 41   Bloodborne Pathogens  - $126.7  thousand                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
            This request would allow  the Department to comply                 
            with requirements regarding  bloodborne pathogens.                 
            The Department  will purchase disposable  gear and                 
            vaccines.                                                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 42   Prisoner    Transportation   -    $125.0                 
            thousand dollars                                                   
                                                                               
            This request would  pay for the cost  of increased                 
            prisoner transportation.  Costs  are primarily for                 
            air transportation.                                                
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 43   Arbitration Settlement - $101.4 thousand                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
            This  request  would  pay   settlement  costs  for                 
            arbitration involving an employee and a controlled                 
            substance.                                                         
                                                                               
  (Tape Change, HFC 93-29, Side 2)                                             
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 44   Civil  Air  Patrol  -   $125.0  thousand                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
            This  request  is  for  aircraft  maintenance  and                 
            operation costs.                                                   
                                                                               
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES                           
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 45   Arbitrator's  Award  -  $539.6  thousand                 
                      dollars other funds.                                     
                                                                               
            This  request would  pay  for overtime  of on-site                 
            construction engineers.   The overtime  dates back                 
            to 1991 and is the result of arbitration.                          
                                                                               
  BOB  BARTHOLOMEW,  DIRECTOR,   DIVISION  OF   ADMINISTRATIVE                 
  SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES                 
  clarified that engineers are not eligible for overtime under                 
                                                                               
                               11                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  federal law.  During  summer construction seasons  engineers                 
  work  from  60 -  80 hours  a  week.   Administrative policy                 
  provided for straight time overtime  for hours in excess  of                 
  37.5.  In  1981, the Department implemented  overtime policy                 
  which provided that employees receive:                                       
                                                                               
       *    37.5 - 50.0 hours - no compensation,                               
       *    50.0 - 72.0 hours - compensation.                                  
                                                                               
  Arbitrators  ruled on behalf of  the union that the overtime                 
  policy could not be changed  without union negotiation.  Mr.                 
  Bartholomew explained that  the settlement has been  paid to                 
  employees.   The FY 93 CIP  projects will be short funded if                 
  section 45 is  not appropriated.  Employees  are classified,                 
  range 16 and 18, field engineers.                                            
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 46   Dalton   Highway   -   $1,222.9  million                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
            This request  would  pay  for  snow  removal,  ice                 
            control and maintenance related activities.                        
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 47   Ratification  of  Prior Year  Supply and                 
            Inventory Asset Account Expenditures                               
                                                                               
            Spoilage and  breakage were  not accounted  for in                 
            assessing supply and inventory assets.                             
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 48   Extend FY 93 Operating Lapse Date -                      
                                                                               
            This  request would  extend  the  FY 93  Operating                 
            Budget lapse date for maintenance and operations.                  
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION                                     
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 49   Seafood  and  Sanitation   Activities  -                 
                      $351.2 thousand dollars                                  
                                                                               
            This  request  would  replace  unrealized  program                 
            receipts.  The Department did not receive approval                 
            to  implement  regulations  assessing  fees  until                 
            February 19, 1993.                                                 
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 50   Paralytic Shellfish Poison Inspections -                 
                       $109.9 thousand dollars                                 
                                                                               
            This request is the result of PSP infected crabs.                  
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 51   Water Quality Standards Advisory Group -                 
                       $41.4 thousand dollars                                  
                                                                               
            This request would pay for meeting costs.                          
                                                                               
                               12                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS                                 
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 52   Organizational Grant  - $300.0  thousand                 
            dollars                                                            
                                                                               
            This   request   would   pay   the   first    year                 
            organizational grant for the Yakutat Borough.                      
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 53   Revenue Sharing - $25.6 thousand dollars                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
            The Department  of Community and  Regional Affairs                 
            used  incorrect  population  figures to  calculate                 
            revenue sharing for the Central Mat-Su and Greater                 
            Palmer fire service areas.                                         
                                                                               
  DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS                                                    
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 54   Operations - $6,879.4 million dollars                    
                                                                               
  UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA                                                         
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 55   UAF  Snow  Removal  -   $375.0  thousand                 
                      dollars                                                  
                                                                               
  ALASKA COURT SYSTEM                                                          
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 56   Mental  Health Trust  Case  Law Clerk  -                 
                      $19.9  thousand  dollars  Mental  Health                 
                      Trust                                                    
                                                                               
            This request would add a law clerk to assist Judge                 
            Green  with  the backlog  involved  in  the Mental                 
            Health Trust Case.                                                 
                                                                               
  MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS                                                         
                                                                               
       *    Sec. 57   Miscellaneous  Claims  and   Stale-Dated                 
                      Warrants - $159.6 thousand dollars                       
                                                                               
            This request would settle claims and billings that                 
            are more than two years old for the  Department of                 
            Administration,  Department  of Health  and Social                 
            Services,  Department  of  Labor,   Department  of                 
            Public  Safety,  Department of  Transportation and                 
            Public Facilities, Department  of Corrections  and                 
            Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.                       
                                                                               
  HB 135 was HELD in Committee.                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects