HB 255-SENIOR CITIZEN GRANTS DIVIDEND RAFFLE                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:03:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE  BILL NO.  255,  "An  Act  relating to  permanent  fund                                                               
dividend raffles;  creating the  senior citizen  grants endowment                                                               
fund  and  the  senior  citizen   grants  dividend  raffle  fund;                                                               
authorizing donations  from permanent  fund dividends  for grants                                                               
to  organizations that  provide support  for senior  citizens and                                                               
for  entry  into  the  senior  citizen  grants  dividend  raffle;                                                               
relating to  transfers from the  senior citizen  grants endowment                                                               
fund  and  the  senior  citizen   grants  dividend  raffle  fund;                                                               
relating  to  the  duties  of  the  Department  of  Revenue;  and                                                               
relating to the definition of 'gambling.'"                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:04:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   WILL   STAPP,   Representative,   Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature, as prime  sponsor, offered a recap of  HB 255, which                                                               
is designed to  create a voluntary non general  fund mechanism to                                                               
set  up  a  raffle,  similar   to  the  Permanent  Fund  Dividend                                                               
Education  Raffle.   It would  supplement, not  replace, existing                                                               
services  for  senior  citizens  in  Alaska.    The  contribution                                                               
allocations  are   as  follows:  50  percent   to  senior  grants                                                               
administered by  the Department  of Health  (DOH), 25  percent to                                                               
the Senior Citizen  Grants Endowment Fund, and 25  percent to the                                                               
Senior  Citizen Grants  Dividend Raffle  prize pool  to encourage                                                               
participation.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:06:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS opened public testimony on HB 255.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:07:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VIVIAN  STIVER, representing  self,  testified in  support of  HB                                                               
255.   She  answered  questions posed  during  the previous  bill                                                               
hearing,  explaining that  supportive housing  includes services,                                                               
like  housekeeping,  snow   removal,  grocery  shopping  pharmacy                                                               
pickup,   and  appointment   reminders.      She  reported   that                                                               
transportation services  would help supplement  existing services                                                               
that  lack  flexibility.   She  reported  that despite  receiving                                                               
$7,000 from  Pick.Click.Give, the  Fairbanks Senior  Center still                                                               
has a  waitlist for Meals  On Wheels and requires  fundraising to                                                               
support   the   program.      She   explained   that   nutrition,                                                               
transportation,  and supportive  housing are  among the  top five                                                               
concerns for Alaskan  seniors, which is why  the bill prioritizes                                                               
these services.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS closed public testimony  and announced that HB 255                                                               
would be held over.