03/15/2010 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

               SB 307-SHELTERS FOR RUNAWAY MINORS                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:32:48 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DAVIS announced consideration of SB 307.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DYSON joined the meeting.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:33:39 PM                                                                                                                    
CELESTE HODGE,  Staff to Senator  Davis, sponsor of SB  307, said                                                               
this bill  will allow shelters  like Covenant House  Alaska (CVA)                                                               
to continue to apply for federal  grants. In 2007 CVA was awarded                                                               
the federal  Basic Center Grant (BCG)  through the Administration                                                               
for Children and Families (ACF),  but they were recently notified                                                               
that they  are out of compliance  because they have more  than 20                                                               
beds, which  is what the  grant allows. However, ACF  did concede                                                               
that a state  law requiring more beds would  override the federal                                                               
requirement. SB  307 does  that and therefore  will allow  CVA to                                                               
continue to  compete for  federal grants  by operating  under the                                                               
terms of their license.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
This will not  increase the cost or workload of  the CVA staff so                                                               
there is a zero fiscal note, she concluded.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THOMAS joined the meeting.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:36:45 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DYSON said  this is absolutely common sense  and he can't                                                               
imagine  that there  is  any opposition.  He  suggested that  the                                                               
chair ask  if there is  any negative  testimony and, if  not, the                                                               
committee can move ahead with the bill.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
KIMBERLEE  COLBO, Attorney,  Covenant  House, Anchorage,  Alaska,                                                               
said she was available for questions.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:39:02 PM                                                                                                                    
WILDA  LAUGHLIN, Legislative  Liaison, Department  of Health  and                                                               
Social Services  (DHSS), thanked  the committee for  carrying the                                                               
bill and  Covenant House for  working with DHSS. She  stated that                                                               
the administration has no concerns with the bill.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
LAUREN  RICE,   Director  of  Public  Affairs,   Covenant  House,                                                               
Anchorage,  Alaska, thanked  Chair  Davis and  the committee  for                                                               
bringing the bill forward.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:40:29 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DAVIS  closed public  testimony and asked  the will  of the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  PASKVAN  moved to  report  SB  307 from  committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being  no objection,  SB 307  moved  from the  Senate Health  and                                                               
Social Services Standing Committee.