02/14/2005 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

                                                                                                                                
     SENATE BILL NO. 60                                                                                                         
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Statewide                                                                    
     Suicide Prevention Council; and providing for an effective                                                                 
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This  was the first  hearing  for this  bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Green  informed that the  intent is to move this  bill from                                                            
Committee  today. Therefore,  she urged  supporters  of the bill  to                                                            
submit   their  comments   in  writing   or  via   other  forms   of                                                            
communication  as  substantial  testimony  might impede  the  bill's                                                            
forward momentum.  She noted  that Fiscal  Note #1, which  specified                                                            
zero funding  requirements  for FY  2006 through  FY 2011, has  been                                                            
replaced  by a  revised Department  of  Health and  Social  Services                                                            
fiscal note, dated February  11, 2005, which "properly" depicts zero                                                            
funding  for FY 06  and $119,000  per year  for FY  2007 through  FY                                                            
2011. The  Council would  be funded in the  Governor's budget  in FY                                                            
06.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SHANNON STRAUBE,  Staff to Senator  Ben Stevens, the sponsor  of the                                                            
bill, explained  that this legislative would extend  the termination                                                            
date of  the Suicide Prevention  Council,  which was established  in                                                            
2001, to June  30, 2009. The Division  of Legislative Audit's  audit                                                            
regarding  the  Council,  Audit  Control  Number  06-20037-05  dated                                                            
November 15,  2004 [copy on file],  recommended that the  Council be                                                            
extended.  During a  Senate Health,  Education  and Social  Services                                                            
(Senate H&SS)  committee hearing  on this  bill, the development  of                                                            
"measurable    performance   indicators"    was   discussed.    That                                                            
recommendation  was  forwarded to  the Council.  A  letter [copy  on                                                            
file] to  Senator Fred Dyson,  Chair of the  Senate H&SS  committee,                                                            
from Council  Chair, Jeanine  Sparks, dated  Feb. 3, 2005  indicates                                                            
that the Council  would be addressing the recommendation  during the                                                            
quarterly meeting scheduled for February 22 and 23, 2005.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Green  understood  that  the  Audit  had  been  thoroughly                                                            
discussed  by  the   Senate  H&SS  Committee.  The  development   of                                                            
performance measures is important and should be furthered.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
PAT  DAVIDSON,  Legislative  Auditor,  Legislative  Audit  Division,                                                            
Legislative  Affairs Agency  stated that she  would be available  to                                                            
answer questions  pertaining to the findings and recommendations  of                                                            
the Audit.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Green asked whether  Ms. Davidson  agreed that the  Senate                                                            
H&SS Audit discussion was thorough.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Davidson affirmed.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Wilken  moved  to  report the  bill  from  Committee  with                                                            
individual recommendations and new fiscal note.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There being no  objection, SB 60 was REPORTED from  Committee with a                                                            
revised  zero  fiscal  note,  dated   February  11,  2005  from  the                                                            
Department of Health and Social Services.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE 9:10:43 AM / 9:13:04 AM                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Wilken chaired the remainder of the meeting.