Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106

05/01/2023 06:00 PM House WAYS & MEANS

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Audio Topic
06:02:45 PM Start
06:03:30 PM HB45
06:18:56 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 45 PFD CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL FUND AND PF TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSHB 45(W&M) Out of Committee
        HB  45-PFD CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL FUND AND PF                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
6:03:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARPENTER announced  that the only order  of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO. 45,  "An Act  relating to  contributions from                                                               
permanent fund dividends to the general and permanent funds."                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
6:04:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCABE  moved to  adopt  Amendment  2 to  HB  45,                                                               
labeled, 33-LS0309\A.4, Nauman, 2/17/23, which read as follows:                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 10:                                                                                                           
     Delete "$25 or more, in increments of $25"                                                                                 
      Insert "10 percent of the amount of the dividend or                                                                       
     more, in increments of 10 percent"                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARPENTER objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:05:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MIKE PRAX,  Alaska  State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor,  explained Amendment  2.    He said  the  amount of  the                                                               
permanent fund  dividend (PFD)  is currently  unknown; therefore,                                                               
using  $3,700 as  an example  amount, Amendment  2 would  provide                                                               
that  a  person could  give  $3,000  of  his/her PFD  to  various                                                               
agencies or return it  to the state.  He explained  if the PFD is                                                               
less than  $3,000, the PFD would  not be enough to  transfer.  He                                                               
said  that, if  a PFD  is  given in  percentages, each  recipient                                                               
would  receive the  same percentage.   He  expressed the  opinion                                                               
that this  system would  be practical, given  that the  amount of                                                               
the PFD is unknown when applications are completed.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
6:06:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TILTON  asked  if   the  PFD  donation  would  be                                                               
administered  through  the   "Point.Click.Give."  program.    She                                                               
questioned  whether the  program is  set up  for donations  using                                                               
percentages rather than dollar amounts.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX  responded  that  the  fund  is  set  up  so                                                               
individuals  can make  discrete donations  when applying  for the                                                               
PFD.  He said that in  the current version of the legislation the                                                               
program  would be  administered through  "Point.Click.Give."   He                                                               
expressed the opinion that no  matter the changes to the program,                                                               
it  would  still  make sense  to  have  percentage  contributions                                                               
rather than discreet amounts.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
6:07:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  CARPENTER removed  his objection.   There  being no  other                                                               
objection, Amendment 2 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
6:08:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRAY moved  Amendment 3,  to HB  45, as  amended,                                                               
labeled, 33-LS0309\A.5, Nauman, 2/17/23, which read as follows:                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, lines 1-5:                                                                                                         
     Delete "The electronic  application must include notice                                                                    
     that  seven percent  of the  money  contributed to  the                                                                    
     state general  fund or the  principal of  the permanent                                                                    
     fund will be used  for administrative costs incurred in                                                                    
     implementing this  subsection and  that money  from the                                                                    
     dividend fund will not be used for that purpose."                                                                          
     Insert   "Money   from   a  contribution   under   this                                                                    
     subsection or  from the dividend  fund may not  be used                                                                    
     for administrative costs  incurred in implementing this                                                                    
     subsection."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARPENTER objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY  explained that  Amendment 3 would  take away                                                               
the  7  percent   administrative  charge  on  "Point.Click.Give."                                                               
items.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
6:09:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCKAY  questioned   whether  Representative  Prax                                                               
supports Amendment 3.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
6:09:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX  responded in the affirmative.   He explained                                                               
that the  "Pick.Click.Give." program  is administered by  a third                                                               
party,  hence, the  7  percent  fee.   He  stated  that, per  the                                                               
proposed  legislation, the  donation  would go  into the  general                                                               
fund automatically, and this  would entail minimal administrative                                                               
fees.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
6:10:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARPENTER  removed his objection.   There being  no further                                                               
objection, Amendment 3 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
6:11:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE  moved to  adopt Amendment 4  to HB  45, as                                                               
amended, labeled,  33-LS0309\A.6, Nauman, 2/20/23, which  read as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, lines 1 - 2:                                                                                                       
     Delete "from  permanent fund  dividends to  the general                                                                    
     and permanent funds"                                                                                                       
     Insert "and donations from permanent fund dividends"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, following line 3:                                                                                                  
     Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                         
        "* Section 1. AS 43.23.055 is amended to read:                                                                          
     Sec.   43.23.055.  Duties   of   the  department.   The                                                                    
     department shall                                                                                                           
     (1)   annually  pay permanent  fund dividends  from the                                                                    
     dividend fund;                                                                                                             
     (2)  subject  to AS 43.23.011 and (8)  of this section,                                                                    
     adopt  regulations   under  AS   44.62  (Administrative                                                                    
     Procedure  Act)  that  establish  procedures  and  time                                                                    
     limits  for claiming  a  permanent  fund dividend;  the                                                                    
     department  shall  determine  the  number  of  eligible                                                                    
     applicants  by October  1  of the  year  for which  the                                                                    
     dividend is declared and pay  the dividends by December                                                                    
     31 of that year;                                                                                                           
     (3)   adopt regulations under AS  44.62 (Administrative                                                                    
     Procedure  Act)  that  establish  procedures  and  time                                                                    
     limits  for an  individual  upon  emancipation or  upon                                                                    
     reaching   majority  to   apply   for  permanent   fund                                                                    
     dividends  not  received  during minority  because  the                                                                    
     parent,  guardian, or  other authorized  representative                                                                    
     did not apply on behalf of the individual;                                                                                 
     (4)   assist  residents of  the state,  particularly in                                                                    
     rural areas,  who, because of language,  disability, or                                                                    
     inaccessibility   to    public   transportation,   need                                                                    
     assistance to  establish eligibility  and to  apply for                                                                    
     permanent fund dividends;                                                                                                  
     (5)    use  a  list of  individuals  ineligible  for  a                                                                    
     dividend  under AS  43.23.005(d)  provided annually  by                                                                    
     the  Department of  Corrections and  the Department  of                                                                    
     Public Safety  to determine the number  and identity of                                                                    
     those individuals;                                                                                                         
     (6)  adopt regulations  that are necessary to implement                                                                    
     AS 43.23.005(d) and 43.23.048;                                                                                             
     (7)   adopt regulations  that establish  procedures for                                                                    
     the    parent,    guardian,   or    other    authorized                                                                    
     representative of  a disabled  individual to  apply for                                                                    
     prior  year permanent  fund dividends  not received  by                                                                    
     the  disabled  individual  because no  application  was                                                                    
     submitted on behalf of the individual;                                                                                     
     (8)   adopt regulations  that establish  procedures for                                                                    
     an individual to apply to  have a dividend disbursement                                                                    
     under  AS   37.25.050(a)(2)  reissued  if  it   is  not                                                                    
     collected  within  two  years  after the  date  of  its                                                                    
     issuance; however,  the department may not  establish a                                                                    
     time  limit  within  which an  application  to  have  a                                                                    
     disbursement reissued must be filed;                                                                                       
     (9)   provide any information, upon  request, contained                                                                    
     in  permanent  fund  dividend   records  to  the  child                                                                    
     support  services agency  created in  AS 25.27.010,  or                                                                    
     the child support enforcement  agency of another state,                                                                    
     for  child support  purposes authorized  under law;  if                                                                    
     the  information is  contained  in  an electronic  data                                                                    
     base,  the  department  shall  provide  the  requesting                                                                    
     agency with either                                                                                                         
     (A)  access to the data base; or                                                                                           
     (B)  a  copy of the information in the  data base and a                                                                    
     statement certifying its contents;                                                                                         
     (10)   establish  a fraud  investigation  unit for  the                                                                    
     purpose of assisting the                                                                                                   
     (A)     Department  of  Law   in  the   prosecution  of                                                                    
     individuals who  apply for or  obtain a  permanent fund                                                                    
     dividend  in violation  of  a provision  in  AS 11,  by                                                                    
     detecting and investigating those crimes; and                                                                              
     (B)    commissioner  to   detect  and  investigate  the                                                                    
     claiming  or paying  of permanent  fund dividends  that                                                                    
     should  not  have  been  claimed   by  or  paid  to  an                                                                    
     individual and to impose  the penalties and enforcement                                                                    
     provisions under AS 43.23.270;                                                                                             
     (11)  adopt regulations  under AS 44.62 (Administrative                                                                    
     Procedure  Act)   so  that,  [CONTRIBUTIONS   UNDER  AS                                                                    
     43.23.130 ARE GIVEN A PRIORITY  OVER DONATIONS UNDER AS                                                                    
     43.23.230]  if the  total amount  of contributions  and                                                                    
     donations elected  by an  applicant exceeds  the amount                                                                    
     of the  permanent fund dividend  that the  applicant is                                                                    
     entitled  to receive,  contributions and  donations are                                                                    
     given the following priority order:                                                                                        
     (A)  contributions under AS 43.23.130;                                                                                     
     (B)  donations under AS 43.23.230;                                                                                         
     (C)  contributions under AS 43.23.135."                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 4:                                                                                                            
     Delete "Section 1"                                                                                                         
     Insert "Sec. 2"                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 13, following "AS 43.23.130":                                                                                 
     Insert "and donations under AS 43.23.230"                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 14, following "AS 43.23.130":                                                                                 
     Insert "and donations under AS 43.23.230"                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARPENTER objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:11:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX explained that  Amendment 4 would establish a                                                               
priority order.   He laid  out that  the first priority  would be                                                               
the  PFD education  raffle, followed  by "Pick.Click.Give.,"  and                                                               
then the general fund.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
6:12:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARPENTER  removed his objection.   There being  no further                                                               
objection, Amendment 4 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
6:12:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX   commented  that  an  amendment   is  being                                                               
considered  to  address  the  tax obligation  that  HB  45  would                                                               
generate.   In other words, if  the money goes to  the person and                                                               
then  goes to  the state,  there would  be a  tax liability.   He                                                               
expressed  the opinion  that fixing  this  is doable,  but it  is                                                               
complicated.  He  expressed the opinion that, in  the interest of                                                               
time,  it makes  sense to  move with  the general  idea and  give                                                               
people  the opportunity  to give  the money  back to  the general                                                               
fund, and the tax liability could be fixed later.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARPENTER  asked whether the  process would  still function                                                               
if  Alaskans  gave a  PFD  back  to  the  government with  a  tax                                                               
liability.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX responded in  the affirmative.  He reiterated                                                               
the belief that the tax liability aspect could be fixed.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARPENTER further asked whether  the process would still be                                                               
in  place if  individuals did  not want  the tax  liability.   He                                                               
commented that in this case fewer people would use it.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX said that this is correct.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  CARPENTER questioned  whether the  tax liability  could be                                                               
implemented at some point between  the proposed legislation being                                                               
adopted, or after.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX answered  yes and  said that  such a  change                                                               
would improve the idea going forward.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
6:15:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved  to report HB 45, as  amended, out of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal  notes.    There  being no  objection,  CSHB  45(W&M)  was                                                               
reported out of the House Special Committee on Ways and Means.                                                                  

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 45 Amendment 1.pdf HW&M 5/1/2023 6:00:00 PM
HB 45
HB 45 Amendment 2.pdf HW&M 5/1/2023 6:00:00 PM
HB 45
HB 45 Amendment 3.pdf HW&M 5/1/2023 6:00:00 PM
HB 45
HB 45 Amendment 4.pdf HW&M 5/1/2023 6:00:00 PM
HB 45