Legislature(2011 - 2012)BUTROVICH 205
02/02/2011 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
SB12 | |
SB21 | |
HB16 | |
Presentation: Denali Family Services | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ | SB 12 | TELECONFERENCED | |
*+ | SB 21 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | HB 16 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 16-EXTEND SENIOR BENEFITS PAYMENT PROGRAM SENATOR EGAN, acting as Chair, announced the consideration of HB 16. [The committee was taking up HB 16 rather than the companion bill, SB 21, because HB 16 was farther in the process.] 1:51:24 PM REPRESENTATIVE MIKE HAWKER, sponsor of HB 16, stated that the senior benefits payment program is extremely important. HB 16 extends the program to June 30, 2015. As of December 2010 there were 10,093 Alaskans benefitting from the program; their average age was 75, and the oldest was 105. He explained that the Senior Benefit Program provides monthly cash assistance to state residents 65 or over whose monthly household income does not exceed poverty level by federal guidelines. He said the payments can either be $125, $175, or $250 each month, depending upon the individual's income. REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER emphasized that HB 16 does not change the program parameters; the program is self-adjusting, in that the federal poverty guidelines are annually revised by the United States government. The bill simply extends the program by four years. He further noted that the program costs about $20 million per year, but the Department of Health and Social Services has the ability to reduce or eliminate benefits in any year that funds are not available. Because of this, he said, the program does not become viewed as an entitlement. 1:56:02 PM MARIE DARLIN, representing the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Capital City Task Force, spoke in support of HB 16. She said we want our retirees to be able to remain in Alaska, and the senior benefit helps many of them do that. 1:57:29 PM DENISE DANIELLO, Executive Director, Alaska Commission on Aging, Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), noted the benefits of the program both to seniors and to communities throughout the state. There are not a large number of seniors who need the program, but it does provide assistance to about 1 in 5 seniors in Alaska. As a person ages and spends down their assets, their resources become more limited, so the program becomes more important as they age. 1:58:59 PM DIXIE HOOD, representing herself, said she has lived in Alaska for 35 years, she is 77 years old, single, and is asking for a change to HB 16. She feels that the bill should base eligibility on net income, not gross. Ms. Hood stated she struggles each month to cover living expenses, and that her main source of income is her social security benefit; she also rents a room in her home, and her net income is approximately $9,000 per year. But, she explained, the benefit is based on gross income. She emphasized that it would make a big change for her if the benefit was based on net income, rather than gross. 2:05:03 PM SENATOR DYSON stated he would appreciate hearing why gross income is used instead of net income. REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said the program was looking to establish low-income criteria that was objective and determinable, and that would be annually adjusted. For this reason, he explained, they use the federal poverty guideline regulations, which do use annual gross income. This avoids having to make judgmental determinations about qualification or discretionary expenditures. He further stated that it would be very difficult to throw the open the entire program to a net income basis. Representative Hawker also noted that here are a myriad of public service programs available to help people in Ms. Hood's situation. SENATOR DYSON stated, if we changed to gross income, and maintained the three income levels, that would not require annual adjustments. It could be based on income tax returns. REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER responded that they use the federal poverty guidelines in order to prevent the legislature from having to make these determinations; the federal poverty guideline is used for all public assistance programs across Alaska as the measure of poverty. SENATOR DYSON again asked what would be the problem of changing it from gross to net. REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER replied that if the Senator wished to propose an amendment, he would consider it. SENATOR DYSON said that he would not propose an amendment over the Representative's objections. 2:10:31 PM RON KREHER, Acting Director, Division of Public Assistance, Department of Health and Social Services, noted that generally speaking, all public assistance programs have a gross income test; the gross income test is an equitable way of making a determination of eligibility. 2:12:22 PM SENATOR MEYER moved to forward HB 16 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, HB 16 moved from the Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committee. [Companion bill, SB 21, was held in committee.]
Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
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Bill.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
SB 12 SB12 Extending Terminatino Date of Board of Nursing |
Sponsor Statement Rev 1-27-2011.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
SB 12 |
Sponsor Statement.docx |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
SB 21 |
Clip- Alaska Worst Retire.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
SB 21 |
SB 21 Letters of Support - Senior Benefit.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
SB 21 |
Fiscal Note.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
SB 12 |
Fiscal Note.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
SB 21 |
SB 21 Fiscal Note Back-Up.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
SB 21 |
Alaska Commission on Aging Support.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Alaska Food Coalition Support.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Denali Family Svcs & Little Steps PreSchool.docx |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
|
Little Steps - PowerPoint - Final.ppt |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
|
AARP Support Ltrs..pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Background-Related Statutes.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Bill.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Fact Sheet-DHSS.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Fiscal Note backup chart DPA (2).pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Fiscal Note-1-2-012611-DHS-Y.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Fiscal Note-2-2-013111-DHS-Y.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Public letters Support.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |
Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SHSS 2/2/2011 1:30:00 PM |
HB 16 |