04/11/2000 03:11 PM House HES

HB 409 - GRANDPARENTS' RIGHTS REGARDING CINA                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0923                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN DYSON  announced the  next order  of business  as Sponsor                                                              
Substitute for House Bill No. 409,  "An Act prescribing the rights                                                              
of grandparents related  to hearings on petitions  to adjudicate a                                                              
minor  as  a  child  in  need of  aid  and  to  the  testimony  of                                                              
grandparents at those  hearings; and amending Rules 3,  7, 10, 15,                                                              
17(e), and 19, Alaska Child in Need of Aid Rules."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN DYSON noted  that the last time the committee  heard this                                                              
bill, the Department  of Health & Social Services  objected to the                                                              
difficulty  of   finding  and  informing  all   the  grandparents.                                                              
Therefore, Peter Torkelson will offer some amendments.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Number 0882                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
PETER TORKELSON, Staff to Representative  Fred Dyson, Alaska State                                                              
Legislature, came  forward to present two amendments  to SSHB 409.                                                              
The first  amendment is a technical  title change to make  it more                                                              
accurate.   The  second  amendment addresses  the  issue that  the                                                              
department  had with the  bill while  still granting  grandparents                                                              
the rights the sponsor believes they should have.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0819                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BRICE made a  motion to  adopt Amendment  1, which                                                              
read:                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 1, following "to":                                                                                            
          Insert "child-in-need-of-aid"                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, lines 1-2:                                                                                                         
          Delete "on petitions to adjudicate a minor as a                                                                       
     child in need of aid"                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  DYSON asked  whether  there was  any  objection.   There                                                              
being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 0795                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BRICE  made a  motion  to  adopt Amendment  2  [1-                                                              
LS1458\G.1, Lauterbach, 4/5/00], which read:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, lines 9-18:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
          Delete all material and insert:                                                                                       
          "(d)  the department shall give advance written                                                                       
     notice  of all  court hearings  in a child's  case to  a                                                                   
     grandparent  of   the  child  if  the   grandparent  has                                                                   
     contacted  the department,  requested  notice about  the                                                                   
     hearings   in  the  child's   case,  and  provided   the                                                                   
     department with a current mailing address."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  DYSON asked  whether  there was  any  objection.   There                                                              
being no objection, Amendment 2 was adopted.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  TORKELSON  noted  that  the  Division  of  Family  and  Youth                                                              
Services (DFYS)  said this  change would  negate the rather  large                                                              
fiscal  note.     There  may  be  a  few  costs   related  to  the                                                              
notification  but not  the large  amount that  would have  applied                                                              
under the old version of HB 409.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BRICE stated his understanding  that the bill could                                                              
be passed out without the fiscal note, then.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GREEN asked  Mr.  Torkelson whether  the DFYS  had                                                              
indicated how much the fiscal note would be reduced.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. TORKELSON answered  no, it would just take care  of the fiscal                                                              
concerns with the bill.  There would  be postage costs involved in                                                              
notifying the grandparents but not a huge addition.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 0686                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BRICE made a motion  to move CSSSHB 409, version 1-                                                              
LS1458\G, Lauterbach,  3/16/00, as amended, out  of committee with                                                              
individual  recommendations.   There  being  no objection,  CSSSHB
(HES)  moved  from  the  House  Health,  Education  and  Social                                                              
Services Standing Committee.