01/25/1994 09:03 AM Senate CRA

 SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS introduced  SB 255  (STATE POLICY ON HUMAN             
 RESOURCE DEVELOPMT) as the next order of business.                            
                                                                               
 TAPE 94-6, SIDE B                                                             
 Number 001                                                                    
                                                                               
 DEBRA CALL, Chairman of the Alaska Job Training Council, stated               
 their support for SB 255.  She pointed out that there is a                    
 nationwide movement to establish comprehensive policies of human              
 resources elements, and the Council believes this particular policy           
 needs to start with the State of Alaska as it begins to address               
 the budget concerns within the state.                                         
                                                                               
 Number 012                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS directed attention to some suggested changes           
 to language in the bill that have been submitted by the Alaska Job            
 Training Council.                                                             
                                                                               
 Number 015                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR ADAMS commented that the Governor promised a thousand jobs            
 in rural Alaska and that he has not kept up with that particular              
 promise.  He expressed his hope that through this bill the                    
 Legislature will try to find ways in making people in rural Alaska            
 a productive work force.  He then asked why the Department of Fish            
 and Game is not included in the list of departments that will plan            
 and implement programs to better achieve the state's primary goal.            
 MS. CALL replied that they weren't aware that Fish and Game had any           
 training or employment programs.                                              
                                                                               
 Number 030                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR TAYLOR asked what the bill does other than renders a report           
 every two years to the Legislature.  MS. CALL answered that they              
 are trying to develop a human resource policy for the state, and              
 one of things SB 255 does is to see where certain programs can be             
 combined, or to know exactly which programs may be duplicative of             
 another program, and to develop a comprehensive policy for the                
 state.  She said she would like to see the state programs working             
 together more to supply qualified skilled workers for major                   
 employers in the State of Alaska.                                             
                                                                               
 Number 075                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR TAYLOR asked if anyone can show him how by passing this               
 legislation the educational community, especially those involved in           
 vocational education, will somehow be better prepared by this bill.           
 MS. CALL answered that there are many programs within the state,              
 but part of the problem is that there are different goals for                 
 different educational programs, especially between urban and rural            
 areas. In rural areas the programs need a simple focus which is to            
 get people ready and skilled for economic opportunities that could            
 happen in their village like mining, petroleum, retail business,              
 etc.                                                                          
                                                                               
 Number 125                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN said the language in subsection(e) on page 2, lines             
 17 - 18 could be strengthened to do more than "provide the avenue",           
 by "requiring" the transition from welfare to employment.                     
                                                                               
 MS. CALL supported his statement.                                             
                                                                               
 Number 160                                                                    
                                                                               
 BRUCE GERAGHTY, Department of Community and Regional Affairs, said            
 he supports this bill.                                                        
                                                                               
 SENATOR TAYLOR asked how much money was being spent on these                  
 programs.  MR. GERAGHTY said they do a good job of coordinating.              
 Job Training Council does a two-year plan which affects a number of           
 departments.  Specifics on the federal legislation side of things             
 make it so complex to have one entity, at this point, directing               
 federal dollars into the state programs.  Meeting all of their                
 requirements becomes rather cumbersome and almost frightening.                
                                                                               
 MR. GERAGHTY informed the Committee that they tried to draft                  
 legislation last year that would consolidate everything.  There are           
 about 8 pieces of federal legislation, one of which is 400 - 500              
 pages long.                                                                   
                                                                               
 He said this bill establishes a policy that will basically be the             
 umbrella so they can eliminate some of the problems of                        
 interpretation between the various coordination departments.  It's            
 premature at this point to bring them all together under one roof.            
                                                                               
 Number 180                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR PHILLIPS reiterated the question of why was ADF&G omitted             
 from the list of state agencies.  MR. GERAGHTY answered that                  
 perhaps the reason was that the departments listed have on-going              
 training in transition programs that prepare people for the work              
 force. ADF&G might have training programs for their employees which           
 is different.                                                                 
                                                                               
 SENATOR PHILLIPS thanked everyone for their participation and                 
 adjourned the meeting at 10:07 a.m.