Legislature(2013 - 2014)SENATE FINANCE 532
02/24/2014 08:00 AM Senate FINANCE
Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
SB119 | |
Fy 15 Governor's Budget Overview: Department of Public Safety | |
Fy 15 Governor's Budget Overview: Department of Environmental Conservation | |
SB124 | |
SB132 | |
SB109 | |
SB104 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= | SB 119 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SB 124 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SB 132 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SB 109 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SB 104 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE BILL NO. 124 "An Act extending the termination date of the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault; and providing for an effective date." 8:32:44 AM EDRA MORLEDGE, STAFF, SENATOR KEVIN MEYER, explained that SB 124 would extend the sunset date for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. 8:34:30 AM KRIS CURTIS, AUDITOR, DIVISION OF LEGISLATIVE AUDIT, explained that the division had conducted an audit report on the council and had determined that the council was serving the public interest and should have the termination date extended. She added that the report provided a summary of the council's organization and function as well as their funding sources. The division found that the council served as a central coordinator for related services throughout the state. She cited Page 16 of the audit provided a schedule of operating expenditures and funding sources, which had increased from FY09 through FY12. The increases were the result of an FY12 addition of a prevention coordinator, a reduction in staff vacancies, increased funding through the governor's "Choose Respect" initiative and additional focus on domestic violence and sexual assault prevention. She explained that council funding sources were comprised of federal funds, state general funds, permanent fund dividends (PFD) for incarcerated individuals, and inner agency receipts from the Departments of Corrections, Health and Social Services and the Office of the Governor. She relayed that there was a change in the council's funding from FY11 to FY12 when PFD's for incarcerated individuals were consolidated as a funding source for the Department of Corrections and supplanted with general funds. The audit identified 3 recommendations for operation improvements and could be found on Page 11 of the audit. The first recommendation was a continuation of a prior finding from the 2005 sunset review of the council; the recommendation was to improve coordination between itself and the Department of Education and Early Development Education (DEED) and the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). During the current audit period the division found that the council had significantly improved coordination with DEED, to implement its fourth "R" initiative, which is a school-based curricula designed to include students, teachers, parents, and the community in reducing violence and risky behaviors. However, the council did not coordinate with DHSS to develop standards and procedures. Because general standards and procedures for healthcare providers and facilities delivering services to domestic violence victims were developed over ten years ago, and the council and the department did not coordinate regarding continued delivery and ongoing availability of the standards to healthcare providers, improved coordination had been recommended. She stated that the other two recommendations could be found on Page 13 of the audit and were administrative in nature. First, it was recommended that the council's executive director improve procedures to post public notices; secondly, the council director should improve grant award in monitoring policies and procedures. 8:38:31 AM Senator Olson wondered if there had been any significant programs that had not been funded due to budgetary constraints. Ms. Curtis replied that the division had not identified through the audit procedure any unfunded programs. She noted that it had not been a focus of the review. 8:39:15 AM Vice-Chair Fairclough noted that a response to the recommendations from the executive director of the council could be found on Pages 31 through 33 of the audit. LAUREE MORTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, spoke to the audit recommendations. She shared that the two administrative recommendations had been addressed by the council. She relayed that during the first meeting of 2014 the council would develop a schedule of meetings which would be posted on the state public notice system. She said that the council had established a routine where program coordinators met on a quarterly basis to discuss program quality control. She relayed that the council would be meeting with DHSS in summer 2014. She pointed out that although it was the responsibility of the council to consult with the department, the burden was on the department to get the work done. 8:41:45 AM Senator Dunleavy wondered about stated program goals. Ms. Morton replied that program goals could be found both in the annual report and on their website. 8:42:37 AM Senator Dunleavy asked whether the council had collected data in order to determine if the goals were being achieved. Ms. Morton responded that the within the past year the council had examined how the services had helped victims and not only the amount of emergency transportations provided. She said three areas were examined: interactions with the legal system, processing the experience and healing, and access and utilization of safety resources. She shared that 2013 results had indicated that 80 percent of the council's clients believed that their lives had improved in those three areas. She stated that data was collected for the Batter's Intervention programs by logging the people who were referred to, attended, and completed the program and whether they had gone back into the system within one year. In addition, a survey examining attitudes and longitudinal changes over time was administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the program. She said that prevention programs had evaluations that were specific to each program; in 2014 the council would look into ways to provide overarching goals that could weave prevention efforts together. Vice-Chair Fairclough pointed out to the committee that the council's functions were outlined on page 5 of the audit. 8:45:32 AM Senator Hoffman lamented that Alaska had the highest rate of domestic violence in the nation. He asked if there were areas of the state where statistics might be improving; additionally, he queried areas that were seeing an escalation in domestic violence. Ms. Morton responded that the council looked at regions of the state that through the 2010 statewide Alaska Victimization Survey, which confirmed that 59 percent of adult Alaska women had been victims of domestic violence or sexual violence, or both. The council intended to repeat the survey in 2015. Regional baseline surveys had been conducted. She believed that a decrease in violence would be noticed through prevention efforts, the changes in the behavior of young people and community member interactions would indicate whether change was occurring in the way people treated each other. She said that 9,300 victims had worked with the council in the past year, which had been the average for the past several years. She believed that instances would decrease as a result of prevention efforts by the council. 8:48:04 AM Senator Hoffman stressed that he was the most interested in two area of the state that recently changed their alcohol status: Kotzebue and Bethel. He remarked that there was concern over the impact of alcohol on domestic violence and sexual abuse. Vice-Chair Fairclough shared that there were two pilot programs for primary prevention. Vice-Chair Fairclough CLOSED public testimony. 8:50:23 AM Vice-Chair Fairclough discussed the fiscal note from the Department of Public Safety. She noted the total operating budget request of $17,762 for each year from FY 15 to FY 20. 8:51:07 AM Vice-Chair Fairclough looked at Page 16, exhibit 3 of the audit and noted that the travel for FY12 increased dramatically. She queried additional cost increases reflected on the fiscal note. Ms. Morton explained that the travel increase was the reflection of increased training activities. She said that the council provided scholarships for participation. She believed that the increase in commodity spending was due to an increase in publications and materials for training. She said that reimbursable service agreements were used for services line items to give funding to other state departments. 8:54:11 AM Vice-Chair Fairclough noted that the audit reflected an increase in personnel services of $150,000 between FY12 and FY15. Ms. Morton agreed to provide information on the increase at a later date. 8:54:38 AM AT EASE 8:55:06 AM RECONVENED 8:55:17 AM Senator Bishop MOVED to REPORT SB 124 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. SB 124 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with previously published fiscal impact note: FN1 (DPS). 8:55:38 AM AT EASE 8:58:03 AM RECONVENED
Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
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SB 124 DPS Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Audit 2013.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 124 |
SB 124 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 124 |
CS SB132 (STA).pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 132 |
CS SB132(STA) Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 132 |
SB 132 Fiscal Note VerA DOA.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 132 |
SB 132 Leg Research Report.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 132 |
SB 132 Public Opinion.msg |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 132 |
SB 132 Summary of Changes-CS(STA).pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 132 |
SB 109 Alaska_Lands_Update_11_2013.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 109 |
SB 109 Alaska_Lands_Update_12_2013.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 109 |
SB 109 CACFA 2013 Annual Report.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 109 |
SB 109 Fiscal Note.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 109 |
SB 109 Sectional Analysis.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 109 |
SB 109 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 109 |
SB 104 - Section Analysis.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 104 |
SB 104 - Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 104 |
SB 104 - Support Document - HB 245 1988.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 245 SB 104 |
SB 104 - Support Document LRS - Restitution.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 104 |
SB104-DOC-OC-01-21-14.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 104 |
SB104-DOR-CSSD-02-01-14.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 104 |
Summary of Changes to Senate Bill 104.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 104 |
SB 104 - Support Document - Letter VCCB.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 104 |
SB 104 - Support Document - Criminal Fund Appropriations - 2.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 104 |