02/13/2023 06:00 PM House WAYS & MEANS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB45 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 45 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS
February 13, 2023
6:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ben Carpenter, Chair
Representative Jamie Allard
Representative Cathy Tilton
Representative Andrew Gray
Representative Cliff Groh
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Tom McKay
Representative Kevin McCabe
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 45
"An Act relating to contributions from permanent fund dividends
to the general and permanent funds."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 45
SHORT TITLE: PFD CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL FUND AND PF
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) PRAX
01/25/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/25/23 (H) W&M, FIN
02/08/23 (H) W&M AT 6:00 PM DAVIS 106
02/08/23 (H) Heard & Held
02/08/23 (H) MINUTE(W&M)
02/13/23 (H) W&M AT 6:00 PM DAVIS 106
WITNESS REGISTER
RANDY GRIFFIN, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 45.
BERT HOUGHTALING, representing self
Big Lake, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 45.
JOEL SIGMAN, representing self
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to HB 45.
MICHAEL GARHART, representing self
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 45.
KRISTIN MCBRIDE, representing self
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 45.
JANEL DOCKENDORF, representing self
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 45.
BARBARA TYNDALL, representing self
North Pole, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 45.
DONALD THOMPSON, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 45.
ED MARTIN, representing self
Kenai, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 45.
KATHLEEN SHOOP, representing self
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 45.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE PRAX
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, answered questions during
the hearing on HB 45.
GENEVIEVE WOJUSIK, Director
Permanent Fund Dividend Division
Department of Revenue
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to a question during the hearing
on HB 45.
ACTION NARRATIVE
6:00:25 PM
CHAIR BEN CARPENTER called the House Special Committee on Ways
and Means meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Representatives Tilton,
Allard, Gray, and Carpenter were present at the call to order.
Representative Groh arrived as the meeting was in progress.
HB 45-PFD CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL FUND AND PF
6:01:25 PM
CHAIR CARPENTER announced that the only order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 45, "An Act relating to contributions from
permanent fund dividends to the general and permanent funds."
CHAIR CARPENTER noted that no amendments were received, and he
would entertain questions from the committee and hear public
testimony. In response to a question from Representative Gray,
he said answers posed to previous questions are on the
legislature's Bill Action & Status Inquiry System (BASIS).
6:02:40 PM
CHAIR CARPENTER opened public testimony on HB 45.
6:03:09 PM
RANDY GRIFFIN, representing self, testified in support of HB 45.
He shared that he has been "sending back" his permanent fund
dividend (PFD) check to the state since 2015, and his reason has
been the state's deficit resulting from the crash in the price
of oil. He said he thinks the $25 increments proposed under HB
45 are a good idea; each recipient can choose how much of the
PFD he/she/they would like to keep.
6:06:07 PM
BERT HOUGHTALING, representing self, stated that he is "kind of
for HB 45" but thinks the proposed legislation "does not go far
enough." He recommended the repeal of Senate Bill 21 [passed
during the Thirtieth Alaska State Legislature] and remarked on
the number of Alaskans living without enough money.
6:09:24 PM
JOEL SIGMAN, representing self, talked about lacking money, the
different perspective of rich people, and a lack of trust of
legislators. Regarding HB 45, he opined that the committee
should "drop it."
6:12:42 PM
MICHAEL GARHART, representing self, testified he opposes the
government taking any PFD money from Alaskans. He explained the
reason is that his brother has tracked money related to the
permanent fund and has related to him that it is not all getting
deposited. He opined the state needs to return to the original
50/50 PFD plan as in statute.
6:15:06 PM
KRISTIN MCBRIDE, representing self, emphasized her support of "a
full PFD" and remarked on the adverse effects of inflation.
6:16:58 PM
JANEL DOCKENDORF, representing self, stated her support of "the
full PFD" and echoed the concerns of previous testifiers about
inflation and money stolen by legislators.
6:18:30 PM
BARBARA TYNDALL, representing self, testified in support of HB
45, because it would satisfy the concerns of those who think the
government needs the people's money and, thus, could choose to
make the donation of their PFD. She added her understanding
that about 10 people did that last year; the rest, she surmised,
want their PFD. She asked the legislature to have compassion
for the people in Alaska who are struggling.
6:19:47 PM
DONALD THOMPSON, representing self, testified in support of HB
45, because although he wants to keep his PFD, he thinks it
should be an option for people to check off how much, if any, in
various increments, they would like to return.
6:21:24 PM
ED MARTIN, representing self, commented that currently anyone
who wishes can give back his/her/their PFD can do so. He
pointed to the fiscal note and observed that it would cost the
state well over $100,000 to administer the provisions of HB 45.
Further, he called it insanity to charge people to give the
money back. He emphasized the state needs to pay the full
dividend amount.
6:24:56 PM
KATHLEEN SHOOP, representing self, testified that she needs her
PFD, and asked the legislature to give the people their money to
keep the economy going, because it is currently failing.
6:26:17 PM
CHAIR CARPENTER, after ascertaining that there was no one else
who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 45.
6:26:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TILTON asked about an opportunity for Alaskans to
choose to return their PFD checks to the state's general fund
(GF) or to the earnings reserve account (ERA).
6:27:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE PRAX, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor of HB 45, responded that that option wouldn't be his
choice for HB 45, but would be something for the committee to
decide.
REPRESENTATIVE TILTON noted the fiscal note seems high for this
program, and she questioned whether "those additional buttons
add more cost." She further questioned whether this work could
be done at the same time as other maintenance is done on the
fund, in order to save on cost.
6:29:42 PM
GENEVIEVE WOJUSIK, Director, Permanent Fund Dividend Division,
Department of Revenue, responded to Representative Tilton's
query by stating that she does not think the directives under HB
45 could be included under general maintenance. She said this
would be a programming and coding change, as well as requiring
security verification.
6:30:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX, regarding future cost, said the [the
legislature] would have to determine the success of the program
and revisit it in a year or two.
6:32:09 PM
CHAIR CARPENTER extended deadline for amendments to 2/17/23.
[HB 45 was held over.]
6:32:47 PM
CHAIR CARPENTER talked about upcoming topics for discussion by
the House Special Committee on Ways and Means.
6:34:15 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Ways and Means meeting was adjourned at
6:34 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 45 from HB 158 32nd Additional Info - Leg Legal Memo on Taxes and PFD Donations.pdf |
HW&M 2/8/2023 6:00:00 PM HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |
| HB 45 Reference Materials Pick.Click.Give chart.pdf |
HW&M 2/8/2023 6:00:00 PM HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |
| HB 45 PFD Deduction Priorities.pdf |
HW&M 2/8/2023 6:00:00 PM HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |
| HB 45 Sectional Analysis Version A.pdf.pdf |
HW&M 2/8/2023 6:00:00 PM HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |
| HB 45 Sponsor Statement Version A.pdf.pdf |
HW&M 2/8/2023 6:00:00 PM HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |
| HB 45 Fiscal Note HB045-DOR-PFD-2-3-23.pdf |
HW&M 2/8/2023 6:00:00 PM HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |
| HB 45 Letter of Support.pdf |
HW&M 2/8/2023 6:00:00 PM HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |
| HB 45 Version A.pdf.PDF |
HW&M 2/8/2023 6:00:00 PM HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |
| Letters of Support Februry 12th-13th.pdf |
HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |
| PFDD Response to HB 45 in HWM.Final.pdf |
HW&M 2/13/2023 6:00:00 PM |
HB 45 |