02/06/2018 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

         HB 236-EXTEND SENIOR BENEFITS PAYMENT PROGRAM                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:36:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ announced  that the only order  of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO.  236,  "An Act  extending  the Alaska  senior                                                               
benefits payment program."                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:36:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   SCOTT   KAWASAKI,  Alaska   State   Legislature,                                                               
reported  that, as  the bill  had  been introduced  in 2017,  the                                                               
interim had  been spent making the  bill better.  He  stated that                                                               
the proposed  bill was "about  keeping grandparents in  the state                                                               
and making sure that grandparents  have the opportunities to play                                                               
with  their grandchildren,  not have  to move  down to  the Lower                                                               
48."   He noted that, although  it was a small  benefit, it would                                                               
go  a long  way  toward  ensuring that  the  families could  stay                                                               
together.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:37:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SPOHNHOLZ  said that  "we're  all  a  big fan  of  keeping                                                               
grandparents in the state."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:38:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EDGMON  moved  to  report  HB  236,  labeled  30-                                                               
LS0754\A, out  of committee  with individual  recommendations and                                                               
the accompanying fiscal notes.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:38:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN  objected.     He  reflected  on  earlier                                                               
decisions made  by the  legislature which  impacted seniors.   He                                                               
said that this was a half  way measure that would not restore the                                                               
cut to the  permanent fund distribution.  He pointed  to the need                                                               
for the legislature to decide  whether that cut would be restored                                                               
and  offered  his belief  that  the  permanent fund  distribution                                                               
decision should come first.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:39:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN maintained his objection.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:39:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
A  roll   call  vote  was  taken.     Representatives  Spohnholz,                                                               
Sullivan-Leonard, Johnston, and Edgmon voted  in favor of HB 236.                                                               
Representative Eastman voted  against it.  Therefore,  HB 236 was                                                               
reported out  of the  House Health  and Social  Services Standing                                                               
Committee by a vote of 4 yeas - 1 nay.