04/25/2002 08:08 AM House STA

SB 340 - HOLD HARMLESS PROVISIONS OF PFD PROGRAM                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 02-47, SIDE A                                                                                                              
Number 0001                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COGHILL   briefly  took   up  CS   FOR  SENATE   BILL  NO.                                                               
340(FIN)(efd  fld),   "An  Act  relating  to   public  notice  of                                                               
information  relating   to  permanent  fund  dividends,   and  to                                                               
treatment   of  permanent   fund   dividends   for  purposes   of                                                               
determining eligibility for certain benefits."                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0113                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ELLEN NORTHUP came  forward to testify.  She  urged the committee                                                               
not to  pass SB 340.   She explained that  so many of  the people                                                               
who are  very poor  and who  get some  type of  public assistance                                                               
already  have their  permanent fund  dividend [PFD]  garnished by                                                               
either the  government or  for unpaid  bills.   She told  about a                                                               
woman who hasn't  gotten a PFD for four years  because she had to                                                               
have  some  emergency surgery.    She  didn't ask  for  emergency                                                               
medical aid,  and the  doctors are  still taking  her PFDs.   She                                                               
gets about $200 for her PFD.   She makes about $8.50 per hour and                                                               
only gets a  housing subsidy.  This bill would  mean she wouldn't                                                               
get  the housing  subsidy, but  she  still wouldn't  get the  PFD                                                               
because of the  medical bills.  Some  of the old folks  who get a                                                               
housing subsidy  would have to  use the PFD for  housing instead,                                                               
and  that  also  creates  a  lot of  paperwork  for  those  doing                                                               
subsidized housing.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 0408                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  NORTHUP stated  that this  bill affects  the poorest  of the                                                               
poor.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COGHILL announced that SB 340 will be held.