Legislature(2003 - 2004)

04/25/2003 09:06 AM Senate FIN

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
                                                                                                                                
     SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 35                                                                                  
     "An  Act  making appropriations   for the  operating  and  loan                                                            
     program  expenses of  state government,  for certain  programs,                                                            
     and to capitalize  funds; making appropriations  under art. IX,                                                            
     sec.  17(c), Constitution  of  the State  of  Alaska, from  the                                                            
     constitutional   budget reserve  fund;  and  providing  for  an                                                            
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     CS FOR SS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 75(FIN) am(brf sup maj fld)                                                                   
     "An  Act  making appropriations   for the  operating  and  loan                                                            
     program  expenses of  state government,  for certain  programs,                                                            
     and to capitalize  funds; and providing for an effective date."                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 36                                                                                  
     "An  Act making appropriations  for the  operating and  capital                                                            
     expenses of the state's  integrated comprehensive mental health                                                            
     program; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     CS FOR SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 76(FIN)                                                                       
     "An  Act making appropriations  for the  operating and  capital                                                            
     expenses of the state's  integrated comprehensive mental health                                                            
     program; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was the eighth hearing for these bills in the Senate Finance                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Green informed the Committee that previously adopted                                                                   
amendments are incorporated into the committee substitutes for                                                                  
these bills.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Taylor moved  to adopt SCS  CS SS HB75  (FIN), Version  23-                                                            
GH1002\Z as the working draft.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
There being  no objection,  Version "Z" was  adopted as the  working                                                            
document.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Taylor  moved to adopt  SCS CS SS  HB 76 (FIN), Version  23-                                                            
GH1004\U as the working document.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
There  being no  objection, Version  "U"  was adopted  as a  working                                                            
document.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman inquired  to the Constitutional Budget Reserve (CBR)                                                            
funds that would be required  to support this legislation, excluding                                                            
any revenue sources.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Green  replied that that information is not  yet available.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman  asked  regarding  the funding  level  required  to                                                            
support the amendments  that were adopted during the seventh hearing                                                            
on this legislation.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-chair Green  responded that the amount is slightly  less than one                                                            
billion dollars.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman complimented  the Committee and staff on the caliber                                                            
of  work that  was  provided  in support  of  developing  the FY  04                                                            
operating budget.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Taylor  moved to report the  committee substitute  for HB 75                                                            
from Committee with individual recommendations.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There being  no objection, SCS CS  SS HB 75 (FIN) was REPORTED  from                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Amendment MH  #1 for HB 76, Version  "U": This conceptual  amendment                                                            
deletes one million dollars  of funding designated for the Fairbanks                                                            
Mental  Health  Detoxification  Unit  Expansion  and  Renovation  as                                                            
specified on page 11, lines 13, 14, and 15.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Wilken  moved to adopt the  amendment. He shared  that this                                                            
amendment is offered "out  of concern" regarding "the wisdom" of the                                                            
planning and  measurement about this  project. He stated  that while                                                            
the project might "be well-intentioned…it  is not well thought out."                                                            
He stated  "that until  good answers" are  forthcoming to  questions                                                            
regarding how to address  the problem of intoxicated individuals; he                                                            
could not support the project.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator Taylor  objected to  the amendment.  He voiced concern  that                                                            
"when the state transitioned  public drunkenness" from a crime to an                                                            
illness and  "removed it  from the criminal  statutes and placed  it                                                            
under Title  47 Statutes,  the only way that  police officers  could                                                            
remove someone off the  streets" was a situation wherein they were a                                                            
danger to themselves  or to others. He furthered that  the State has                                                            
never adequately  addressed the problem "with either  funding or the                                                            
staffing  necessary,"   and  as a  consequence,   he  declared  that                                                            
communities  have  had to  assume the  responsibility.  However,  he                                                            
opined, efforts  do not adequately address the root  of problem, and                                                            
he asserted  that the State should  fund the provisions in  Title 47                                                            
to address the problem.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Taylor withdrew his objection.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-chair  Wilken echoed Senator  Taylor's  concern, and stated  that                                                            
were adequate  answers to questions  such as how the funds  would be                                                            
utilized; how  the outcomes would  be measured; and how individuals                                                             
would benefit  and improve their quality  of life, he would  be able                                                            
to support the detoxification center funding.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no further objection, Amendment MH #1 was ADOPTED.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator Taylor  moved to  report HB 76, as  amended, from  Committee                                                            
with individual recommendations.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
There being  no objection,  SCS CS SS HB 76  (FIN), as amended,  was                                                            
REPORTED from Committee.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE 1:35 PM / 1:35 PM                                                                                                       

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