Legislature(1995 - 1996)
04/11/1996 02:07 PM House HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
CSSB 259(HES) - COMMISSION ON AGING Number 1558 ALISON ELGEE, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Administration, said as a part of her job duties, she sits as the department designee on the Alaska Commission on Aging. She said the Alaska Commission on Aging went through a sunset review last summer and autumn under the normal course of business, and the legislative audit group recommended that the commission be eliminated from the sunset review process or alternatively have the commission extended to the year 2003. The Senate considered this bill and was uncomfortable with the extension of the commission and adopted a termination date of the year 2000. She offered to answer questions brought forward by the committee. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG asked if this was the one commission in the state that looked after the elderly senior issues? MS. ELGEE responded yes. She explained the commission which began in 1981 was called the Older Alaskans Commission. The name was changed in 1994 and it is a separate review board from the Pioneers' Home Advisory Board. There is however, a reciprocal relationship in that the Chair of the Commission on Aging sits on the Pioneers' Home Advisory Board and likewise, the Pioneers' Home Advisory Board Chair sits on the Commission on Aging. The Commission on Aging, by statute, has no direct oversight or responsibility for either the Pioneers' homes or the longevity bonus program. The commission administers the federal programs that come in under the Older Americans Act. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG asked if there was a federal mandate that Alaska have a commission like this? MS. ELGEE said there is a federal mandate that Alaska have a designated unit on aging. The commission acts underneath that state unit on aging because the entire Division of Senior Services is, in fact, the designated unit. The commission does the grants administration for the Older Americans Act funds. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG inquired if the commission were to sunset, would that affect federal funds. MS. ELGEE pointed out that if the commission were to be eliminated, Alaska would continue to receive federal funds under the Division of Senior Services, but the department would have to develop a different process than the one currently being used for grant review and the other programs administered by the commission. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG wondered if the Executive Director, at a range 23, was necessary because there was a flow of business activity that needed formal action. MS. ELGEE said the commission employs a number of staff; the Executive Director oversees those staff. They do the nutrition transportation support services grants, review and monitor the home and community based care grants, which include adult daycare centers, respite care, care coordination, etc. She added this is the unit that is, in essence, developing the home and community based long-term care services for the state. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG asked if they were grant writers, not implementers? MS. ELGEE explained this unit does not write units; they review grant applications coming in from senior centers. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG said he now understood and affirmed they are the repository for the requests for grants from throughout the state. MS. ELGEE confirmed that. Number 1800 CO-CHAIR BUNDE asked if there was any further testimony. Hearing none, he closed public testimony on CSSB 259(HES). Number 1807 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG moved to pass CSSB 259(HES) out of committee with accompanying fiscal note and individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.
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