Legislature(2023 - 2024)SENATE FINANCE 532

03/29/2023 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

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Audio Topic
09:01:46 AM Start
09:02:02 AM University of Alaska - Fy 24 Operating and Capital
09:45:39 AM Confirmation of Governor's Appointee: Anita Halterman, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
09:57:41 AM SB107
10:33:39 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
Consideration of Governor’s Appointee: Anita
Halterman, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
Overview: University of Alaska - FY24 Operating
and Capital - Subcommittee of the Whole
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled: TELECONFERENCED
+= SB 107 PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND; POMV SPLIT TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
                  SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                      
                       March 29, 2023                                                                                           
                          9:01 a.m.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:01:46 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman called the Senate Finance Committee                                                                            
meeting to order at 9:01 a.m.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair                                                                                                 
Senator Donny Olson, Co-Chair                                                                                                   
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Click Bishop                                                                                                            
Senator Jesse Kiehl                                                                                                             
Senator Kelly Merrick                                                                                                           
Senator David Wilson                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Tim Grussendorf, Staff, Senator Lyman Hoffman.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Pat Pitney, President, University of Alaska; Anita                                                                              
Halterman, Appointee, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority                                                                      
(AMHTA).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB 107    PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND; POMV SPLIT                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
          SB 107 was HEARD and HELD in committee for                                                                            
          further consideration.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CONFIRMATION OF GOVERNOR'S APPOINTEE:  ANITA HALTERMAN,                                                                         
ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AUTHORITY                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA - FY 24 OPERATING and CAPITAL                                                                              
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:02:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA - FY 24 OPERATING and CAPITAL                                                                           
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:02:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PAT   PITNEY,   PRESIDENT,   UNIVERSITY   OF   ALASKA   (via                                                                    
teleconference),    discussed   a    presentation   entitled                                                                    
"University of Alaska - Empower Alaska," (copy on file).                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney looked at slide  2, "University of Alaska -                                                                    
Alaska's System of Higher Education,"  which showed a map of                                                                    
the  state   with  the  three  universities   and  community                                                                    
campuses in the  state. She noted that the  system offered a                                                                    
breadth   of  programs   from  workforce   credentialing  to                                                                    
doctoral degrees.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:04:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney spoke to slide 3, " Overview":                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     •Context                                                                                                                   
     •FY24 Budget Summary                                                                                                       
     •FY24 Operating & Capital Budgets                                                                                          
     •Appendix                                                                                                                  
          oLegislative Priorities                                                                                               
          oFY23 Initiatives Update                                                                                              
          oFY23 Supplemental                                                                                                    
          oFiscal Context                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:04:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney  referenced  slide  4,  "Budget  Context,"                                                                    
which  showed pictorial  representations  of the  challenges                                                                    
faced  by  the  system:  Job Openings  Near  All-time  High,                                                                    
Population Declines, Inflation,  Oil Prices, Transition from                                                                    
federal COVID to Infrastructure  Funding, Nationwide Drop in                                                                    
High  School  Graduates,  Value of  Going  to  College,  and                                                                    
College  Enrollment.  She  stressed  that  UA  was  uniquely                                                                    
positioned  and was  the largest  workforce provider  in the                                                                    
state.  She  mentioned  the challenges  of  inflation,  down                                                                    
trending oil  prices, and  transitioning from  federal COVID                                                                    
funding  to infrastructure  funding.  She  was pleased  that                                                                    
current college enrollment was trending up.                                                                                     
9:06:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President   Pitney   turned    to   slide   5,   "Enrollment                                                                    
Highlights,":                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Spring 2023 Enrollment:                                                                                                    
      Headcount up 3 percent over  Spring 2022.  First year-                                                                    
     to-year increase in 10 years.                                                                                              
      Significant  enrollment  increases at  most  Community                                                                    
     Campuses,  the  UAA  and UAF  Community  and  Technical                                                                    
     Colleges and the UAS School of Career Education                                                                            
      More students  in classes  and return  to face-to-face                                                                    
     instruction,  but there  are  more  online options  for                                                                    
     students across the UA system than pre-COVID                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Dual enrollment:                                                                                                           
      In  FY22, more  than 2,300  high school  students were                                                                    
     enrolled  in a  University  course an  increase of  10%                                                                    
     over FY21.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     UA Scholars:                                                                                                               
      As of February  1, 48 percent of  eligible UA Scholars                                                                    
     secured their award  by applying to UAA, UAF  or UAS an                                                                    
     increase of 11% percent over 2022.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Teacher Preparation                                                                                                        
      Re-established BA in Early Childhood Education at UAA                                                                     
      Pilot  program   to  provide  financial   support  for                                                                    
     students in teaching internships                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Healthcare                                                                                                                 
      Expansion of the Nursing program                                                                                          
      Pilot  program   to  provide  financial   support  for                                                                    
     students in clinical programs                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska in the national context                                                                                             
      Fall   2022   enrollments   were  down   1.9   percent                                                                    
     nationwide, and Fall enrollment across UA was similar                                                                      
      The  average debt  of University  of Alaska  graduates                                                                    
     and the percentage of graduates with debt is below the                                                                     
     national average.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney noted  that the current year  was the first                                                                    
year in  the previous nine  years that  UA was not  facing a                                                                    
significant budget  reduction. She  emphasized the  need for                                                                    
stability. She  shared that UA  had the goal of  raising the                                                                    
number of  dual enrollment students to  3,600. She explained                                                                    
that dual enrolment meant that  high school kids were taking                                                                    
college classes for both high school and college credit.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:09:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney considered  slide 6,  " UA  Priority Focus                                                                    
Areas," which listed UA priority focus areas.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:09:49 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney  displayed  slide   7,  "  Empower  Alaska                                                                    
Campaign."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney highlighted slide  8, " FY24 Budget Summary                                                                    
Status Quo (maintain stability),"                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     •FY24 Status Quo Operating Budget                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
    o Maintain Stability -$24.5 million (8.5% increase)                                                                         
          o $6.5 million -FY23 supplemental compensation                                                                        
          (also need in the FY24 base budget)                                                                                   
          o $13.2 million ($15.8 million total) FY24                                                                            
          compensation increase                                                                                                 
          o $4.8 million unavoidable fixed cost increases                                                                       
               o Cyber Security                                                                                                 
               o Insurance Premiums                                                                                             
               o Emergency Response & Disability/Health                                                                         
               Services                                                                                                         
             o Student library digital access                                                                                   
               o Shared Services HR & Procurement                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     •FY24 Capital Budget                                                                                                       
          o#1 Facilities Modernization -$2 million space                                                                        
          renovation for WWAMI expansion                                                                                        
          o#1 Deferred Maintenance/Renewal & Repurposing -                                                                      
          $17.5 million UAA facility systems                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney  said that  the $13.2  million compensation                                                                    
increase covered  the 2.75 percent negotiated  agreement for                                                                    
faculty and  a 2.5 percent request  for staff as well  as an                                                                    
increase in  the pension wage  base from $42,000  to $52,000                                                                    
per  year. She  said that  the increased  pension wage  base                                                                    
equated to a $700 per  year, per person, increase in pension                                                                    
contribution. She relayed  that the UA paid  6.8 percent for                                                                    
a wage  base up to  $42,000 and  an increase up  to $52,000,                                                                    
which was  still one-third of that  state employees enjoyed.                                                                    
She said  that the negotiated increases  were  very modest.                                                                     
She said that  all the compensation requests  could be found                                                                    
in  the  governors  amended  budget.  She  discussed the  $2                                                                    
million  capital request  in the  governors  budget  for the                                                                    
expansion of  the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska,  Montana, and                                                                    
Idaho (WWAMI) Program.  She noted it would  raise the cohort                                                                    
from 20 to 30 students.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:15:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson  asked about insurance premiums  and wondered                                                                    
whether  there had  been a  cost analysis  for switching  UA                                                                    
employees to the state insurance program.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney  clarified that the insurance  premiums and                                                                    
unavoidable  fixed cost  was associated  with UA's  property                                                                    
insurance. She recounted that when  she took her position in                                                                    
2020, one  of her first  actions was to  investigate whether                                                                    
it made sense  for UA to go into AlaskaCare.  She cited that                                                                    
the 5  percent increase in  the FY  24 budget was  the first                                                                    
increase in 6  years. She said that research  had shown that                                                                    
it would  cost the  UA system more  to switch  to AlaskaCare                                                                    
than to stay with their current insurance plan.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:17:40 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney looked  at slide  9, "FY24  Budget Summary                                                                    
Moving Forward (advance key priorities):                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     •FY24 Operating Budget -$7.2 million                                                                                       
          o$2.0 million unavoidable fixed costs (facilities                                                                     
          maintenance, commodities and contractual                                                                              
          services)                                                                                                             
          o$5.2 million programs to build capacity for                                                                          
          Alaska's workforce                                                                                                    
     •FY24 Capital Budget                                                                                                       
          o$54.8 million DM/R&R                                                                                                 
          o$19.2 million Facility Modernization                                                                                 
               o UAA College of Health and Library Learning                                                                     
               Commons                                                                                                          
               o UAF Student Engagement Center                                                                                  
               o UAS Lab Consolidation                                                                                          
     •Economic Development: Research/Workforce Training                                                                         
     Programs (continuation)                                                                                                    
     o UA Drone Program Year 2 -$20 million ($10 million in                                                                     
     Governor's Proposed Budget)                                                                                                
     •Revenue Assumptions                                                                                                       
          o $900 million total budget authority, $523                                                                           
        million (58%) is from unrestricted sources                                                                              
               .notdef$320 million in state general funds and                                                                 
               $203 million unrestricted earned revenue                                                                         
          o FY24 UA expects a net $3 million increase in                                                                        
          unrestricted earned revenue                                                                                           
               .notdefAssumes additional state support   for                                                                  
               programs                                                                                                         
               .notdef$1 million in tuition and fee revenue as                                                                
               enrollment stabilizes                                                                                            
               .notdef$2 million in other unrestricted earned                                                                 
               revenue,    such    as    interest    income,                                                                    
               university   receipts,   and  indirect   cost                                                                    
               recovery (from  competitive externally funded                                                                    
               research projects)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney  cited  the   main  goal  of  keeping  the                                                                    
financial stability that was shown on slide 8.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:22:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney showed slide 10, "FY24 Operating Request."                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney advanced to slide  11 and addressed a table                                                                    
showing the  UA FY 24  operating budget. She noted  that the                                                                    
first subset of information after  the FY 23 management plan                                                                    
was  the UA  Board  of Regents  budget  request. The  second                                                                    
subset of  information was  the governors   amended request.                                                                    
She noted  that the  status quo subtotal  of $24  million, a                                                                    
total  increase of  $28 million,  and  the additional  items                                                                    
moving forward added another $7 million in general funds.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:23:43 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney  looked at slide  12, "UA  Operating Budget                                                                    
State Reports,"  which showed a  table depicting a  table of                                                                    
expenditure and  revenue trends through  FY24. She  said she                                                                    
would follow up on questions offline.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:24:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney  showed  slide  13,  "FY24  Compensation,"                                                                    
which detailed the compensation request.                                                                                        
Co-Chair  Hoffman asked  about the  vacancy rate  at UA  the                                                                    
previous year.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney recalled  that  UA had  been  in a  budget                                                                    
reduction mode  for 8  years, The attrition  was one  of the                                                                    
significant  keys  for  UA  to  meet  its  budget  reduction                                                                    
requirements.  She  continued  that  prior  to  this  years                                                                     
budget stability, vacancy rates  had not been monitored. She                                                                    
cited  issues with  hiring like  other organizations  in the                                                                    
state. She did not have an exact number.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney   relayed  that   the  remainder   of  the                                                                    
presentation  was  details  about  the  summaries  she  just                                                                    
provided.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:26:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Bishop mentioned  Maritime  Program Coordinator  in                                                                    
Ketchikan, which was  working with AMHS to fill  gaps in the                                                                    
fleet.  He  wanted  to   discuss  the  Construction  Manager                                                                    
Program  in  Fairbanks,  which  he  knew  was  an  important                                                                    
program for contractors in the  Fairbanks area. He asked for                                                                    
a status update on the two programs.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:27:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  inquired about the lack  of capital budget                                                                    
for  deferred  maintenance. He  asked  about  what might  be                                                                    
added to the budget to prevent erosion of UA's assets.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney turned to slide  21, "Capital Budget DM/R&R                                                                    
Funding  History -  Unrestricted General  Funds &  Backlog,"                                                                    
and mentioned  that for the  previous 20 years a  target had                                                                    
been set  of $50 million  in an annual  deferred maintenance                                                                    
request. She  recounted that  the $72  million total  in the                                                                    
FY24  budget  includes  last years   the  remainder  of  $50                                                                    
million, plus  this years  $50  million.  She noted  that if                                                                    
UA had $50  million per year in a  planned fashion, deferred                                                                    
maintenance could be kept under control and reduced.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  wanted to  hear more  about WWAMI  and the                                                                    
10-student increase.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney  went to  slide  15,  WWAMI Program,"  and                                                                    
mentioned  the applications  for incoming  class for  FY 24,                                                                    
which  had already  been accepted.  She said  that the  $1.6                                                                    
million  request through  APCE  would  cover the  difference                                                                    
between  instate  graduate   tuition  and  the  out-of-state                                                                    
tuition. She  said that the  24 students in the  program had                                                                    
already been approved and that the funding was critical.                                                                        
9:31:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman thought  there  was great  support in  the                                                                    
legislature for  the WWAMI Program.  He asked  for President                                                                    
Pitney to  provide a  ten-year history  of where  student in                                                                    
the program went  on to practice. He thought  there was some                                                                    
concern that there was no  linkage or requirement that WWAMI                                                                    
graduates go on to practice  in Alaska. He lamented that the                                                                    
state  needed  medical  professionals.  He  asked  President                                                                    
Pitney  for  recommendations  on  how  to  get  student  who                                                                    
graduate  from  medical school  under  the  program to  then                                                                    
practice in Alaska.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney  thought that  70  to  80 percent  of  the                                                                    
students returned to work in the state.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  understood  that  was over  the  last  10                                                                    
years.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
President  Pitney answered  affirmatively. She  thought that                                                                    
there was  a built-in insurance  policy for the state,  as a                                                                    
student  too  advantage of  the  program  who chose  not  to                                                                    
return to  Alaska to practice,  had to pay back  the tuition                                                                    
difference.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman asked  if President  Pitney could  provide                                                                    
more detailed information.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney agreed to provide further information.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:33:59 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson  referenced the jump  from 20 to  30 students                                                                    
in the  WWAMI Program and  asked about the  progression from                                                                    
20 to 30 students.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney  shared that UA  planned to go  directly to                                                                    
30 students,  and the clinicals  were being  considered with                                                                    
30 students in mind and starting in FY25.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson asked  about the  make-up of  the admissions                                                                    
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney replied that she  would need to get back to                                                                    
the committee with the information.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson  wondered  how many  Alaskans  were  on  the                                                                    
admissions committee.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  relayed  that  his  office  had  received                                                                    
interest in  the Family Practice Residency  Program. He said                                                                    
that there was  interest in having those  programs closer to                                                                    
home. He pondered how to  come up with competitive grants to                                                                    
bring the program to different parts of the state.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:36:40 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator   Wilson  wondered   about  the   teacher  practicum                                                                    
teaching  program.  He  understood that  the  program  would                                                                    
allow  students to  attend a  teaching program  tuition free                                                                    
for two  years, receive  a $2000  stipend, and  have student                                                                    
loans forgiven if  they taught in a rural area  of the state                                                                    
for  3  years. He  wondered  whether  the program  was  cost                                                                    
effective. He spoke  about a $7 million  for the mariculture                                                                    
program. He  wondered whether the programs  were financially                                                                    
responsible.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney  stated that  the plan  of building  a $100                                                                    
million  mariculture  industry for  the  state  had been  in                                                                    
discussion  for  a  long  time. She  noted  that  there  was                                                                    
information further  in the presentation about  the progress                                                                    
of the funding.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:39:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson  relayed that he  could get in  touch offline                                                                    
with additional questions.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:39:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
President Pitney  thanked the committee for  focusing on UA,                                                                    
which  she  considered the  best  investment  for the  state                                                                    
workforce.  She  cited that  80  percent  of graduates  made                                                                    
their lives in the state.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman handed the gavel to Co-Chair Olson.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:41:23 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:45:35 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
^CONFIRMATION  OF GOVERNOR'S  APPOINTEE:   ANITA  HALTERMAN,                                                                  
ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AUTHORITY                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:45:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson relayed  that the  committee would  consider                                                                    
Anita Halterman as an appointee  to the Alaska Mental Health                                                                    
Trust Authority Board.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:45:59 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANITA  HALTERMAN,  APPOINTEE,  ALASKA  MENTAL  HEALTH  TRUST                                                                    
AUTHORITY  (AMHTA)   (via  teleconference),   discussed  her                                                                    
background.  She  had initially  sought  a  position on  the                                                                    
board  at the  request of  her employer.  This would  be her                                                                    
first  full  term   as  an  appointee.  She   spoke  of  her                                                                    
application process  for the role. She  detailed her various                                                                    
positions on the  board. He said that  she eventually became                                                                    
chair of the  board and has learned a great  deal during her                                                                    
time with the  board. She mentioned that she  had spent some                                                                    
time working in the legislature.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:49:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Halterman  discussed her  personal history  and exposure                                                                    
to mental illness  and living in the foster  system. She had                                                                    
lived in  Eagle River for over  28 years. She had  spent the                                                                    
previous  seven years  working in  the Department  of Health                                                                    
and  Social  Services. She  cited  her  time as  a  Medicaid                                                                    
analyst  where  she drafted  fiscal  notes.  She shared  her                                                                    
personal connection  to mental health and  addiction issues.                                                                    
She stressed her  desire to provide services  and support to                                                                    
trust beneficiaries. She cited  that her exposure to budgets                                                                    
and  program funding  had increased  her effectiveness  as a                                                                    
board member.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Halterman  noted that  she had  prioritized her  work on                                                                    
the  board  over other  employment.  She  looked forward  to                                                                    
continuing  to serve  trust beneficiaries.  She thanked  the                                                                    
committee  for its  consideration and  hoped to  continue to                                                                    
work to improve the lives of trust beneficiaries.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:53:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Olson  queried   Ms.  Haltermans    postsecondary                                                                    
education.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Halterman relayed  that she  had received  an associate                                                                    
degree  from   the  University  of  Alaska   Anchorage;  her                                                                    
Batchelors  Degree form Wayland  Baptist University; and her                                                                    
master's degree from Wayland Baptist University.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson asked about her area of study at university.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Halterman stated that she  had received business degrees                                                                    
with an emphasis in healthcare administration.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:54:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Merrick  thanked  Ms.  Halterman  for  sharing  her                                                                    
personal story,  and thought Eagle  River was lucky  to have                                                                    
Ms. Halterman in the community.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson agreed.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:54:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  MOVED to forward  the nomination  of Anita                                                                    
Halterman  as a  member of  the Alaska  Mental Health  Trust                                                                    
Authority Board to  a joint session of  the legislature. The                                                                    
action  did not  reflect  an  intent by  any  member of  the                                                                    
Senate  Finance  Committee  to   vote  for  or  against  the                                                                    
confirmation during any other sessions.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:55:18 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:57:36 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 107                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act   relating  to  the  Alaska   permanent  fund;                                                                    
     relating  to  income  of  the  Alaska  permanent  fund;                                                                    
     relating to the amount  available for appropriation and                                                                    
     appropriations  from  the   earnings  reserve  account;                                                                    
     relating to the permanent  fund dividend; and providing                                                                    
     for an effective date."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:57:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson  relayed that the committee  would consider a                                                                    
Committee Substitute (cs).                                                                                                      
Co-Chair   Hoffman  MOVED   to   ADOPT  proposed   committee                                                                    
substitute  for  SB  107, Work  Draft  33-LS0349\Y  (Nauman,                                                                    
3/27/23).                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:58:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIM  GRUSSENDORF, STAFF,  SENATOR  LYMAN HOFFMAN,  announced                                                                    
that the  initial legislation  contained a  solid foundation                                                                    
for  the committee  to build  upon,  maintaining the  belief                                                                    
that the 75/25 POMV split was  a split that would pencil out                                                                    
and  hold up  over  time with  the  current assumptions.  He                                                                    
explained  that the  new CS  offered a  50/50 POMV  split if                                                                    
certain  revenue  conditions were  met.  He  noted that  the                                                                    
first change  in the bill was  found on Page 2,  new Section                                                                    
3, which allowed for the  50/50 split. The second change was                                                                    
located  on  Page  4,  new Section  9(a),  which  offered  a                                                                    
conditional  effect;  If $900  million  in  new revenue  was                                                                    
achieved,  Section 3  would take  effect. He  furthered that                                                                    
new Section  9(b) set the  date for Section 9(a)  trigger of                                                                    
December 1,  2026. He  said that  Section 10  clarified that                                                                    
the  new  revenue  had  to  be   in  the  bank  and  not  an                                                                    
estimation. Section 11  set the effective date  for FY25. He                                                                    
said that  the bill did  not set  the dividend for  FY24. He                                                                    
stated that  75/25 would be  in effect for  FY 25 and  FY 26                                                                    
and  a 50/50  could be  possible in  FY 27if  the conditions                                                                    
were  met.  He relayed  that  there  was an  update  revenue                                                                    
forecast to  draw assumptions  from. He  noted the  issue of                                                                    
increased funding for the base  student allocation (BSA) and                                                                    
the future effects of inflation on the POMV draw.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:02:25 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Grussendorf spoke  to a  document  entitled "Review  of                                                                    
Committee Modeling  Assumptions," (copy on file).  He turned                                                                    
to page  3, which showed  the model Senate  Finance baseline                                                                    
budget with 25  percent POMV to the  permanent fund dividend                                                                    
(PFD).                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Grussendorf  advanced to slide  4, which showed  a model                                                                    
with the assumption  of the $900 million  being achieved for                                                                    
FY27, with no  other new revenue coming in  between FY24 and                                                                    
FY26.  He  noted  that in  FY27  the  Constitutional  Budget                                                                    
Reserve (CBR)  draw was  reined in, but  earlier on  the CBR                                                                    
would grow at  a modest rate. He shared that  there would be                                                                    
some surplus in the first three years.                                                                                          
10:03:55 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Grussendorf showed  slide 5, which portrayed  a slow new                                                                    
revenue build up to the $900 million mark by FY27.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:05:11 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Merrick  asked if the CS  essentially raised revenue                                                                    
to pay a larger PFD.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Grussendorf replied in the negative.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:05:43 AM                                                                                                                   
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:06:01 AM                                                                                                                   
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman WITHDREW  his  OBJECTION.  There being  NO                                                                    
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  commented that  the  intent  was for  the                                                                    
committee  to   review  the  legislation  and   take  public                                                                    
comment. He  thought the bill  would set in place  the 75/25                                                                    
split  for  the  foreseeable  future   and  if  adopted  the                                                                    
conversation would  continue about  how the state  could get                                                                    
to  a 50/50  split.    He believed  that  oil tax  structure                                                                    
legislation  currently in  play  could bring  in revenue  as                                                                    
well  as  some legislation  related  to  carbon capture.  He                                                                    
added that there was legislation  in the building that would                                                                    
raise between $50  and $80 million through  an internet fee.                                                                    
He thought all the bills could bring in additional revenue.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:09:51 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson had  questions about the bills  at play meant                                                                    
to  increase revenue  and whether  the new  fields or  wells                                                                    
would count  as new revenue  and if the modification  of the                                                                    
slider in statue would be considered new revenue.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman thought  the bill proposed a  change in law                                                                    
that  allowed for  an increase  in revenue,  which he  would                                                                    
consider new revenue.                                                                                                           
Senator  Wilson reiterated  his question  about whether  new                                                                    
fields being brought online would  be considered new revenue                                                                    
to the state.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Hoffman  thought   the   matter   needed  to   be                                                                    
researched.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:11:07 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman thought  the committee  needed to  discuss                                                                    
the CBR  balance and the  current minimum balance.  He noted                                                                    
that  the CBR  was at  $2 billion  and that  the Legislative                                                                    
Finance  Division  (LFD)  recommended   a  balance  of  $3.5                                                                    
billion. He  considered some fiscal projections  and thought                                                                    
it looked as though putting  the 50/50 in place, and meeting                                                                    
the  minimum threshold  of $900  million, by  FY30 the  POMV                                                                    
draw could  limit the  growth of the  CBR. He  believed that                                                                    
the  minimum  balance of  $3.5  billion  should be  strongly                                                                    
considered. He did not think that  the state was in a strong                                                                    
financial  position with  only  $2 billion  in  the CBR.  He                                                                    
believed  that  the $900  million  figure  looked  a  little                                                                    
light   and could  be reconsidered.  He considered  the long                                                                    
duration  of the  projected timeline  and stressed  the need                                                                    
for further discussion.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:14:12 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson asked  whether  Co-Chair  Hoffman wanted  to                                                                    
comment   on   Co-Chair    Stedman's   remarks.   He   asked                                                                    
specifically  about the  recently  approved Willow  Project,                                                                    
which was  projected to  generate revenue  for the  state in                                                                    
the next decade.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman referenced  Senator Wilson's question about                                                                    
what  should   be  considered   new  revenue.   To  Co-Chair                                                                    
Stedman's point,  he thought the CBR  balance was important,                                                                    
but  not  as   important  as  coming  up   with  a  solution                                                                    
surrounding  the PFD.  He thought  there would  be a  lot of                                                                    
debate  about what  the dividend  should be  in the  current                                                                    
fiscal  year.  He cited  that  the  other body  had  already                                                                    
proposed a 50/50  split in the operating  budget. He thought                                                                    
the 50/50  split would cripple the  state financially within                                                                    
3 years  and jeopardize other  programs. He feared  that not                                                                    
having the  necessary revenue to meet  whatever number split                                                                    
was decided  upon would lead  future legislatures  to ignore                                                                    
the  law,  as was  the  current  practice with  the  current                                                                    
statute  governing the  5 percent  POMV draw.  He considered                                                                    
that it  had not  been the intention  of the  legislature to                                                                    
ignore the statute  but that that was what  had happened. He                                                                    
strongly believed  that the PFD  should be  addressed within                                                                    
the  fiscal year  and noted  that  all spending  discussions                                                                    
within the legislature eventually  came down to the question                                                                    
of what the payout of the  dividend should be. He argued for                                                                    
a long-term solution to the  issue of the dividend split and                                                                    
an end to the reoccurring arguments on the matter.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:18:53 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  referenced the  concern about  the minimum                                                                    
CBR balance. He  argued that a fiscal  package that included                                                                    
the 50/50 split  would gain nothing for the  state and would                                                                    
leave the  state on precarious  fiscal footing.  He stressed                                                                    
that it was only a matter  of time before oil prices dropped                                                                    
and the state was unable to meet its financial obligations.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:19:48 AM                                                                                                                   
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:20:16 AM                                                                                                                   
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop wanted to discuss the capital budget.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
10:20:50 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Bishop  referenced  a  document  entitled  "Capital                                                                    
Budget Estimate," (copy  on file). He spoke of  the shock he                                                                    
felt when  he first began  work in the  Palin Administration                                                                    
and  was  told  of   a  $1.2  billion  deferred  maintenance                                                                    
schedule.   He  referenced   United   States  Senator   Lisa                                                                    
Murkowskis   most recent  state-of-the-state  as  well as  a                                                                    
speech  by the  late Senator  Stevens that  warned that  the                                                                    
days of earmarked funds on  the federal level were numbered.                                                                    
He  mentioned the  IIJA but  noted  that those  funds had  a                                                                    
limited lifetime.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Bishop considered  figures  on  the capital  budget                                                                    
estimate document.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:24:08 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop read from the prepared document:                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Capital Budget estimate                                                                                                
     200$ State Match for federal funds                                                                                         
          Most likely will increase as more IIJA grants are                                                                     
          put forth.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     125$     Department-wide    Capital     Rebuild/replace                                                                    
     dilapidated buildings/equipment.                                                                                           
          Based  on GOV  current budget  of $303m  minus the                                                                    
          match, rounded up                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     75$ Department-wide Initiatives, New Builds, New                                                                           
     Equipment                                                                                                                  
          For NEW  GOV initiatives, i.e.  Statehood defense,                                                                    
          DPS initiatives, F&G research.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     155$ 2% Deferred Maintenance                                                                                               
          2-4%   rule  to   avoid   accruing  new   Deferred                                                                    
          Maintenance, the 2% figure  would halt the backlog                                                                    
          from growing,  but not  address the  $2.2B Backlog                                                                    
          (4% would be $310m)                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     50$ AEA Bulk Fuel Deferred Maintenance backlog of                                                                          
     $800m per AEA in 2021 Annual Report                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     100$ University DM                                                                                                         
          Priority  list   typically  is   $50-75m.  Current                                                                    
          Backlog is over $1.5B.                                                                                                
          Following the  2-4% rule would  be $98-196m    per                                                                    
          year.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     50$ School Major Maintenance                                                                                               
          Current FY24  list is  $413.5m. List  is recurring                                                                    
          yearly.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     50$ School Construction                                                                                                    
          Current FY24  list is  $195.6m. List  is recurring                                                                    
          yearly.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     20$ Legislative Adds                                                                                                       
          Estimated  based  on   $1m  per  Senate  District.                                                                    
          Potentially a low estimate,  for example last year                                                                    
          the  State put  match  forward for  Port of  Nome,                                                                    
          Army Corps projects.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     825$ million - total                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
    *Gov proposed Cap budget of $303m does not include:                                                                         
     University DM                                                                                                              
     School Major Maintenance                                                                                                   
     School Construction                                                                                                        
     Harbor Matching Grants                                                                                                     
     State supported match for Muni's who received federal                                                                      
     BUILD grants, or the like                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop  thought the Capital Budget  items should be                                                                    
part of the conversation.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:26:25 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  asked whether  the request  for discussion                                                                    
was  about  increasing  the $400  million  for  the  Capital                                                                    
Budget in the LFD modeling in the presentation.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Bishop   responded  that   his  intention   was  to                                                                    
highlight that the $400 million  was not going to cover many                                                                    
of the estimated Capital Budget projects.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:27:27 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Kiehl   appreciated  Senator   Bishop's  additional                                                                    
information regarding  capital needs. He  thought additional                                                                    
modelling including  a BSA  increase would  be helpful.   He                                                                    
thought  it   was  reasonable   to  model   with  additional                                                                    
education spending  in the Operating Budget.  He agreed with                                                                    
Co-Chair Hoffman  that SB 107 stabilized  both state revenue                                                                    
and state spending.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
10:29:36 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman noted that there  was $400 million included                                                                    
in  the  modelling  and wondered  whether  that  number  was                                                                    
adequate. He suggested that the  committee needed to discuss                                                                    
various ways of looking at the problem.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:30:53 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman commented  that  the  legislation did  not                                                                    
limit the  committee from exploring other  revenue measures.                                                                    
He commended Senator Bishop for  coming up with an alternate                                                                    
revenue  measuring with  the Education  Raffle and  the Fuel                                                                    
Tax Measure. He  stressed that not all  new revenue measures                                                                    
had  to  be in  the  form  of taxes.  He  felt  that it  was                                                                    
important  that  the  other   body  have  adequate  time  to                                                                    
consider the  legislation before the end  of the legislative                                                                    
session.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:33:07 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SB 107 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                              
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson discussed housekeeping.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
10:33:39 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 10:33 a.m.                                                                                         

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
032923 FY24 SFin UA Financial Overview 3 29 2023 FINAL.pdf SFIN 3/29/2023 9:00:00 AM
032923 Anita Halterman AMHTA resume_redacted.pdf SFIN 3/29/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 107 work draft version Y.pdf HW&M 5/8/2023 6:00:00 PM
SFIN 3/29/2023 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 4/12/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 107
SB 107 Capital Budget assumption Backup Packet.pdf HW&M 5/8/2023 6:00:00 PM
SFIN 3/29/2023 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 4/12/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 107
SB 107 Modeling Slides_20230328.pdf HW&M 5/8/2023 6:00:00 PM
SFIN 3/29/2023 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 4/12/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 107