Legislature(2023 - 2024)SENATE FINANCE 532

04/17/2023 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

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Audio Topic
09:05:26 AM Start
09:06:23 AM Subcommittee of the Whole: University of Alaska Fy24 Budget Closeout
09:19:05 AM SB98
09:28:52 AM SB107
09:52:06 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
Subcommittee of the Whole - University of
Alaska FY24 Budget Closeout
+= SB 98 POWER COST EQUALIZATION ENDOWMENT FUND TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSSB 98(FIN) Out of Committee
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled: TELECONFERENCED
+= SB 107 PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND; POMV SPLIT TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
                 SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                      April 17, 2023                                                                                            
                         9:05 a.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:05:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman called the Senate Finance Committee                                                                            
meeting to order at 9:05 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 (via teleconference)                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Tim  Grussendorf,   Staff,  Senator  Lyman   Hoffman;  Deven                                                                    
Mitchell,   Executive   Director,  Alaska   Permanent   Fund                                                                    
Corporation; Pete Ecklund, Staff,  Senator Bert Stedman; Ken                                                                    
Alper,   Staff,  Senator   Donny   Olson;  Alexei   Painter,                                                                    
Director, Legislative Finance Division;                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB 98     POWER COST EQUALIZATION ENDOWMENT FUND                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
          CSSB 98  was REPORTED  out of committee  with four                                                                    
          "do     pass"     recommendations,     two     "no                                                                    
          recommendation"  recommendations,  and  three  new                                                                    
          fiscal  notes:  FN  1(REV),   FN  2(REV),  and  FN                                                                    
          3(REV).                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SB 107    PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND; POMV SPLIT                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
          SB 107 was HEARD and HELD in committee for                                                                            
          further consideration.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE: UNIVERSITY  OF ALASKA FY24 BUDGET                                                                    
CLOSEOUT                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
^SUBCOMMITTEE  OF  THE  WHOLE:  UNIVERSITY  OF  ALASKA  FY24                                                                  
BUDGET CLOSEOUT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:06:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIM  GRUSSENDORF, STAFF,  SENATOR  LYMAN HOFFMAN,  explained                                                                    
the budget for the University  of Alaska. He stated that the                                                                    
subcommittee was  recommending a  total of  $614.672 million                                                                    
in  general  funds;  $75.510 million  in  other  funds;  and                                                                    
$188.3255  million  in federal  funds.  He  stated that  the                                                                    
full-time  position  count  was   3759,  and  185  part-time                                                                    
positions. He remarked that the  subcommittee adopted all of                                                                    
the governors  actions,  and noted that the  majority of the                                                                    
governors   requests  were  transferring  language  for  the                                                                    
technical training.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman asked for  explanation regarding whether it                                                                    
was  a  single appropriation  and  whether  the process  was                                                                    
different than the historic process.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Grussendorf responded that the  Senate had agreed to the                                                                    
single structure of the University  budget. He remarked that                                                                    
before that agreement, there  had been different allocations                                                                    
for  the different  locations of  the  University to  ensure                                                                    
that the money was only  allotted to the central university.                                                                    
He stated  that the request  came from the president  of the                                                                    
university in  order to have  a single appropriation  to get                                                                    
the university back in order.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman agreed  with  the budget  process and  had                                                                    
confidence in the president of the University of Alaska.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman MOVED  to ADOPT the FY  24 OPERATING BUDGET                                                                    
for  University   of  Alaska  from  subcommittee   with  the                                                                    
attached  Legislative Finance  Division  (LFD) reports,  and                                                                    
directed LFD  to make any  technical or  conforming changes.                                                                    
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:09:24 AM                                                                                                                    
RECESS                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:10:49 AM                                                                                                                    
RECESS to THE CALL OF THE CHAIR                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:18:15 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 98                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the power cost equalization                                                                            
     endowment fund; and relating to the Alaska Permanent                                                                       
     Fund Corporation."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:19:05 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman MOVED  to ADOPT  the committee  substitute                                                                    
for SB 98, Work Draft 33-LS0493\D (Marx, 4/11/23).                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
TIM GRUSSENDORF, STAFF, SENATOR  LYMAN HOFFMAN explained the                                                                    
CS. He  stated that the  majority of the changes  within the                                                                    
CS  were   clarification  issues,  and  were   all  done  in                                                                    
cooperation with  the Alaska Permanent Fund  Corporation and                                                                    
Legislative Legal.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson  wondered how  much  resistance  was in  the                                                                    
Permanent Fund Corporation.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Grussendorf   stated  that   he  had   not  encountered                                                                    
resistance   from  the   Permanent  Fund   Corporation,  but                                                                    
deferred to Mr. Mitchell.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:22:11 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DEVEN  MITCHELL, EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR, ALASKA  PERMANENT FUND                                                                    
CORPORATION,  stated that  there was  not concern  about the                                                                    
additional assets in the Permanent Fund.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson surmised that there was optimism.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Mitchell  replied  that there  was  a  different  asset                                                                    
allocation, and there  were pros and cons to  that. He noted                                                                    
that  the FY  22 performance  showed that  there would  have                                                                    
been a different outcome had  the money resided in the asset                                                                    
allocation of the Alaska Permanent Fund.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson  WITHDREW  the  OBJECTION.  There  being  NO                                                                    
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  MOVED  to  REPORT  CSSB  98(FIN)  out  of                                                                    
committee  with  individual   recommendations  and  attached                                                                    
fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 98  was REPORTED out  of committee with four  "do pass"                                                                    
recommendations,  two   no recommendation   recommendations,                                                                    
and three  new fiscal  notes: FN 1(REV),  FN 2(REV),  and FN                                                                    
3(REV).                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:24:21 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:27:53 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."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:29:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson OPENED and CLOSED public testimony.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:28:52 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:29:27 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:29:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman MOVED  to ADOPT  the committee  substitute                                                                    
for SB 107, Work Draft 33-LS0349\P (Nauman, 4/12/23).                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:30:05 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PETE  ECKLUND, STAFF,  SENATOR BERT  STEDMAN, explained  the                                                                    
CS. He  remarked that there  was a trigger  mechanism within                                                                    
the bill  for a  50/50 dividend to  come into  effect which,                                                                    
prior to  the CS, the  new revenue to  be raised was  set at                                                                    
$900 million. He stated that  after examining some modeling,                                                                    
and considering  the governors   capital budget  was roughly                                                                    
$303  million, with  $250 for  federal and  other funds.  He                                                                    
stated that the  modeling in the $900 million  had a capital                                                                    
budget of  $400 million  going forward.  He stated  that the                                                                    
deferred, education,  and capital needs of  the state showed                                                                    
that the modeling  was based on $700  million for additional                                                                    
capital and  K-12 needs.  He remarked  that the  trigger was                                                                    
moved from $900  million to $1.3 billion of  new revenue. He                                                                    
stated that SB 107 was a  framework for a fiscal plan, which                                                                    
required  savings to  withstand the  variability of  the oil                                                                    
revenue.  He remarked  that the  recent  forecasts from  the                                                                    
Department of  Revenue (DOR) varied  revenue by  $2 billion,                                                                    
so there was a trigger proposed  of $3.5 billion for the CBR                                                                    
before a percent of market value (POMV) would take effect.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman asked  about  the requirement  of the  CBR                                                                    
draw.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ecklund replied that the  requirement in the CS was $3.5                                                                    
billion adjusted  with inflation after 2026.  He stated that                                                                    
the $3.5 billion was recommended by the director of LFD.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson   queried  the  process  to   determine  the                                                                    
inflation adjustment for the $3.5 billion.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ecklund replied that the  same inflation calculation was                                                                    
used as was in statute for the Permanent Fund.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson asked for the specific number.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ecklund replied  that it was a change  of consumer price                                                                    
index from one calendar year to the next calendar year.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson  wondered  how   the  CS  would  affect  the                                                                    
Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD).                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:35:40 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEN ALPER,  STAFF, SENATOR DONNY  OLSON, explained  that the                                                                    
previous version  of the bill  set a  low PFD for  the near-                                                                    
term  with  the  possibility  of stepping  up  to  a  larger                                                                    
dividend in  the next couple  of years depending  on certain                                                                    
fiscal  conditions. He  stated  that the  new version  would                                                                    
make  the  hurdle to  the  larger  dividend. Therefore,  the                                                                    
75/25 split would remain.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  MAINTAINED  his OBJECTION.  He  explained                                                                    
that the bill  would set the dividend at  50/50. He stressed                                                                    
that there was  not revenue to pay a 50/50  dividend, so the                                                                    
interim dividend would  be set at 75/25 or  $1300. He wanted                                                                    
to discuss  the $3.5 billion  target. He felt that  the $3.5                                                                    
billion level  would potentially cripple the  options of the                                                                    
legislature to  fund government. He felt  that the provision                                                                    
would take away  the ability to address  the dividend split.                                                                    
He felt that  the $3.5 target should be in  a separate bill,                                                                    
and should not be in the version of this bill.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:42:04 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:43:20 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:43:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Stedman  spoke   in   favor   of  the   committee                                                                    
substitute.  He   stated  that   the  $1.3  billion   was  a                                                                    
reasonable range. He recalled that  the original bill had no                                                                    
protection  of  the  CBR,  and   would  trigger  a  dividend                                                                    
regardless of other positions.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson stated that he  did not support the committee                                                                    
substitute.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Merrick wondered how many  years were not drawn from                                                                    
the CBR.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:47:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALEXEI  PAINTER,  DIRECTOR,  LEGISLATIVE  FINANCE  DIVISION,                                                                    
replied that in  the last decade there was  a budget surplus                                                                    
in FY 22, and before that  there were deficits from FY 13 to                                                                    
FY 21.  Therefore only one  year in  the last ten  years did                                                                    
not have a draw from the CBR.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson  queried the original  amount in the  CBR and                                                                    
the current amount.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter replied  that the highest amount in  the CBR was                                                                    
approximately  $13  billion,  and  the  current  amount  was                                                                    
slightly higher than $2.2 billion.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson felt that it  was concerning that the CBR was                                                                    
at that low number.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter agreed, but stated that  it had been lower by $1                                                                    
billion previously.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop  wondered where the  cash was located  if the                                                                    
CBR  went to  zero,  and there  was no  balance  due to  oil                                                                    
revenue.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter  replied that  revenue anticipation  notes could                                                                    
be used within a year, but could not be used between years.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop wondered  if those notes had to  be paid back                                                                    
within the current year.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Painter replied in the affirmative.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
IN FAVOR: Kiehl, Merrick, Bishop, Stedman                                                                                       
OPPOSED: Wilson, Olson, Hoffman                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The MOTION  PASSED (4/3). The proposed  committee substitute                                                                    
was ADOPTED.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:50:56 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SB  107  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator Merrick wished Senator Kiehl a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
9:52:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 9:52 a.m.                                                                                          

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
SB 98 DOR APFC Ops 032823.pdf SFIN 4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 98
SB 98 work draft version D.pdf SFIN 4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 98
SB 107 work draft version P.pdf SFIN 4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 107
SB 107 POMV split bill Amendment 1 Y.3 back-up.pdf SFIN 4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 107
HB 39 UOA SFin Subcom BA Sheet - DRAFT.pdf SFIN 4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM
HB 39
HB 39 UOA-AgencyTotals.pdf SFIN 4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM
HB 39
HB 39 UOA-TransactionCompare1.pdf SFIN 4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM
HB 39
SB 98 DOR APFC IMF 031023.pdf SFIN 4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 98
SB 98 DOR TRS 031023.pdf SFIN 4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM
SB 98