Legislature(2019 - 2020)SENATE FINANCE 532

03/25/2020 02:30 PM House CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON HB205

Note: the audio and video recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.

Download Mp3. <- Right click and save file as

Audio Topic
02:31:13 PM Start
06:58:50 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Recessed to 6:45 pm --
+ HB 205 APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET/LOANS/FUNDS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
Organizational Meeting
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 205(FIN)(Corrected) am(brf sup maj                                                                      
fld)                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     loan  program  expenses  of state  government  and  for                                                                    
     certain    programs;    capitalizing   funds;    making                                                                    
     supplemental  appropriations;  and   providing  for  an                                                                    
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 205(FIN) am S                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     loan  program  expenses  of state  government  and  for                                                                    
     certain  programs; capitalizing  funds; making  capital                                                                    
     appropriations,   supplemental    appropriations,   and                                                                    
     reappropriations;   making   appropriations   for   the                                                                    
     operating   and  capital   expenses   of  the   state's                                                                    
     integrated comprehensive mental  health program; making                                                                    
     appropriations under art.  IX, sec. 17(c), Constitution                                                                    
     of the State of  Alaska, from the constitutional budget                                                                    
    reserve fund; and providing for an effective date."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:32:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster  MOVED that  Senator Stedman  serve as                                                                    
the presiding chair of the  FY 21 Conference Committee on HB
205. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Chair  Stedman MOVED  that  Representative  Foster serve  as                                                                    
Vice-Chair  of the  FY 21  Conference Committee  on HB  205.                                                                    
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Chair   Stedman  reviewed   procedures  pertaining   to  the                                                                    
conference  committee.  He noted  that  both  the House  and                                                                    
Senate  budget process  allowed for  public testimony.  That                                                                    
portion  of  the  process   was  concluded;  the  conference                                                                    
committee would not accept  further public testimony. Unless                                                                    
invited  by  the  Chair,  only  members  of  the  conference                                                                    
committee  would take  part  in discussions  or  sit at  the                                                                    
table.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Chair   Stedman  observed   that  the   Legislative  Finance                                                                    
Division had  been directed to  prepare the  "motion sheets"                                                                    
for  use  by the  conference  committee.  The motion  sheets                                                                    
summarized the  differences between the two  versions of the                                                                    
bills before  the conference committee, were  located on the                                                                    
Legislative  Finance   Division's  website,  and   would  be                                                                    
updated after each meeting.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Chair  Stedman  noted that  he  wanted  as few  meetings  as                                                                    
possible due to the COVID-19 virus issue.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman explained that  the conference committee would                                                                    
operate  under  Uniform  Rule  42.  All  action  required  a                                                                    
majority  vote  from  each  body for  adoption.  A  copy  of                                                                    
Uniform Rule 42 and related  legal opinions were provided in                                                                    
each member's packet.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:34:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair   Foster  MOVED   that  all   appropriations  and                                                                    
language in the  FY 21 operating budget  that were identical                                                                    
in House  and Senate  versions of HB  205 be  adopted. There                                                                    
being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Chair  Stedman  observed  that   the  committee  would  need                                                                    
limited powers  to reach agreements.  He requested  a motion                                                                    
to  request  "limited powers"  for  budget  items for  which                                                                    
differences exist.  He relayed  he had distributed  a letter                                                                    
for dated  March 25,  2020 addressed to  the Speaker  of the                                                                    
House and  the Senate  President. Under limited  powers, the                                                                    
Conference  Committee could  adopt any  amount between  zero                                                                    
and the higher  of the House or Senate version  of each item                                                                    
subject to conference.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to   ADOPT  a  letter  requesting                                                                    
limited  powers of  free conference  for  budget items  that                                                                    
were  not identical.  There being  NO OBJECTION,  it was  so                                                                    
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:35:47 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:37:19 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Chair  Stedman stated  that the  committee would  be meeting                                                                    
and  taking action  on the  operating  budget after  limited                                                                    
powers had been received.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman  relayed that the committee  meetings would be                                                                    
posted on BASIS under the 24-hour rule.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman  stated that when  the proper  appointment was                                                                    
received from  both bodies, the  Chair and  Vice-Chair would                                                                    
do preliminary work and then  meeting as soon as possible to                                                                    
further the  work of  the committee.  He wanted  to conclude                                                                    
the workday by 6:30 p.m.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Chair Foster MOVED to RECESS the  meeting to the call of the                                                                    
chair. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:38:50 PM                                                                                                                    
RECESSED                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:46:13 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Chair  Stedman  called  the  conference  committee  back  to                                                                    
order.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman  noted that Limited Powers  of Free Conference                                                                    
had  been granted  by  both  the House  and  the Senate.  He                                                                    
invited  Pat Pitney,  Director  of  the Legislative  Finance                                                                    
Division to the committee table.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman explained how objections  would be handled. He                                                                    
detailed that if  there was an objection, the  item would be                                                                    
noted  and set  aside. The  committee would  continue to  go                                                                    
through the other  items in the department,  adopt them, and                                                                    
would come back to any item that has an objection.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman relayed that the  committee would address open                                                                    
items in  HB 205 based  on the motion sheets  distributed to                                                                    
members and dated March 25th on the Departments of:                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
          Administration                                                                                                        
       Commerce, Community, and Economic Development                                                                            
          Education and Early Development                                                                                       
          Environmental Conservation                                                                                            
          Fish and Game                                                                                                         
          Office of the Governor                                                                                                
          Labor and Workforce Development                                                                                       
          Military and Veterans' Affairs                                                                                        
          Revenue                                                                                                               
          Transportation and Public Facilities                                                                                  
          Legislature                                                                                                           
          Debt Service                                                                                                          
          Fund Capitalizations                                                                                                  
          Fund Transfers                                                                                                        
          Fiscal Year 2020 Operating Supplementals                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
6:48:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Department of Administration's budget:                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    House                                                                                                            
     Item 2    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 3    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED  the  conferenceable  items   in  the  Department  of                                                                    
Administration's budget.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:48:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT   OF    COMMERCE,   COMMUNITY,    AND   ECONOMIC                                                                  
DEVELOPMENT:                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Department    of   Commerce,    Community,   and    Economic                                                                    
Development's budget:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 2    House                                                                                                            
     Item 3    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 4    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED  the  conferenceable  items   in  the  Department  of                                                                    
Commerce, Community, and Economic Development's budget.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:49:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT:                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Department of Education and Early Development's budget:                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 2    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 3    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 4    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative Tilton OBJECTED to Item 1.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman  asked to  set aside  Item 1  to address  at a                                                                    
later time.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
There being  NO further  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The                                                                    
action  CLOSED  items 2,  3,  and  4  in the  Department  of                                                                    
Education  and Early  Development's budget,  leaving Item  1                                                                    
OPEN.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Chair  Stedman  asked  if Representative  Tilton  wanted  to                                                                    
address her objection to Item 1.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Tilton  stated that  Item  1  would add  $30                                                                    
million  outside  of  the formula  foundation  funding.  She                                                                    
referenced a  reading program. She thought  that the reading                                                                    
program  needed  to  be addressed;  and  since  the  reading                                                                    
program was  not before the  committee, she did  not support                                                                    
the  additional  $30 million  in  funding  outside the  Base                                                                    
Student Allocation (BSA).                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman  set the Item 1  aside to take up  at a future                                                                    
meeting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:51:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Department of Environmental Conservation's budget:                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    House                                                                                                            
     Item 2    House                                                                                                            
     Item 3    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 4    House                                                                                                            
     Item 5    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 6    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED  the  conferenceable  items   in  the  Department  of                                                                    
Environmental Conservation's budget.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
6:51:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME:                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Department of Fish and Game's budget:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 2    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 3    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 4    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 5    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 6    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED the  conferenceable items  in the Department  of Fish                                                                    
and Game's budget.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
6:52:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR:                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Governor's budget:                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    House                                                                                                            
     Item 2    House                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED  the conferenceable  items in  the Governor's  Office                                                                    
budget.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:52:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT:                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Department of Labor and Workforce Development's budget:                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 2    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 3    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED the  conferenceable items in the  Department of Labor                                                                    
and Workforce Development's budget.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
6:52:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs' budget:                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    House                                                                                                            
     Item 2    House                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED  the  conferenceable  items   in  the  Department  of                                                                    
Military and Veterans' Affairs' budget.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:53:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE:                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Department of Revenue's budget:                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    House                                                                                                            
     Item 2    House                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED  the  conferenceable  items   in  the  Department  of                                                                    
Revenue's budget.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
6:53:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES:                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities' budget:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 2    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED  the  conferenceable  items   in  the  Department  of                                                                    
Transportation and Public Facilities' budget.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
6:54:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^LEGISLATURE:                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to ADOPT  the  following  in  the                                                                    
Legislatures budget:                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    House,  modified, move  wordage to  Office of                                                                    
     the  Governor,  change to  "It  is  the intent  of  the                                                                    
     legislature that  the Office  of Management  and Budget                                                                    
     exclude  the   legislature  from  billing   for  budget                                                                    
     analyst time."                                                                                                             
     Item 2    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 3    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED  the   conferenceable  items  in   the  Legislature's                                                                    
budget.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:54:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^DEBT SERVICE:                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED to  ADOPT  the  following in  Debt                                                                    
Service:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 2    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 3    Open                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED items 1 and 2 in Debt Service, leaving item 3 OPEN.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
6:55:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^FUND CAPITALIZATIONS:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED to  ADOPT  the  following in  Fund                                                                    
Capitalizations:                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED the conferenceable items in Fund Capitalizations.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:55:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^FUND TRANSFERS:                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster  MOVED to  ADOPT  the  following in  Fund                                                                    
Transfers:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED the conferenceable items in Fund Transfers.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
6:56:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^FY20 OPERATING SUPPLEMENTALS:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Foster MOVED  to ADOPT  the following  in Fiscal                                                                    
Year 2020 Operating Supplemental items:                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Item 1    Open                                                                                                             
     Item 2    Senate, modified to an immediate effective                                                                       
               date                                                                                                             
     Item 3    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 4    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 5    Open                                                                                                             
     Item 6    Senate, modified to an immediate effective                                                                       
               date                                                                                                             
     Item 7    Open                                                                                                             
     Item 8    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 9    Senate                                                                                                           
     Item 10   Senate                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  OBJECTION, it  was so  ordered. The  action                                                                    
CLOSED items 2, 3,  4, 6, 8, 9 and 10  and leaves open items                                                                    
1, 5, and 7.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
6:57:05 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:57:30 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Chair  Stedman relayed  that  Conference  Committees on  the                                                                    
budget were  exempt from  the 24-hour  notice rule  and fell                                                                    
under  the 'reasonable  notice'  rule.  The committee  would                                                                    
attempt to  give as much  notice as possible given  the time                                                                    
constraints.  He  relayed  there  would  be  a  meeting  the                                                                    
following day  and the time  would be announced  when agreed                                                                    
upon.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Chair Stedman expressed the desire  to finish the conference                                                                    
committee the following day.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HB  205  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Foster MOVED to ADJOURN the meeting.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects