HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE March 17, 2005 4:43 p.m. CALL TO ORDER Co-Chair Chenault called the House Finance Committee meeting to order at 4:43:25 PM. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Mike Chenault, Co-Chair Representative Kevin Meyer, Co-Chair Representative Bill Stoltze, Vice-Chair Representative Eric Croft Representative Richard Foster Representative Mike Hawker Representative Jim Holm Representative Mike Kelly Representative Carl Moses Representative Bruce Weyhrauch (via teleconference) Representative Reggie Joule MEMBERS ABSENT None PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE SPEAKER  Michelle Williams, Anchorage; Melveen N. Byrd, Clithroe Prevention/FAS; Thuong L. Nguyen, Anchorage; Meera Kohler, Alaska Village Elders; Ben Angel, Anchorage; Jamie E. Lang, Anchorage; Ronni Sullivan, Southern Region EMS Council, Anchorage; Brooke Taylor, Anchorage; Sarah Hoffman, Anchorage; Teery Schoeuthal, Anchorage; Pat Lubby, Alaska Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Anchorage; Dora Moore, Anchorage; Tamara L. Russell, Anchorage; Kara Nyquist, Alaska Association of Homes for Children; Anna Atta, GCSD, Anchorage; Jamie Waste, Executive Director, Alaska Public Broadcasting APBI, Anchorage; Patricia Griffin, AARP; Mary Katzke, Anchorage; Emily Nenon, American Cancer Society, Anchorage; Kathy Allely, Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, Anchorage; Lisa Pierce, Anchorage; Pat Cochran, Anchorage; Shelley Coolidge, ABZAP, Anchorage; Brian Connors, RuralCAP, Anchorage; Vera Paschke, Anchorage; David O'Brien, Anchorage; Cheryl Scott, Anchorage; Justin Scott, Anchorage; Heather Amy Scott, Anchorage; Jim Torgenson, Anchorage. GENERAL SUBJECT(S): Public Testimony Operating Budget: HB 66 "An Act making appropriations for the operating and capital expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program; and providing for an effective date." HB 66 was heard and HELD in Committee for further consideration. HB 67 "An Act making appropriations for the operating and loan program expenses of state government, for certain programs, and to capitalize funds; making appropriations under art. IX, sec. 17(c), Constitution of the State of Alaska, from the constitutional budget reserve fund; and providing for an effective date." HB 66 was heard and HELD in Committee for further consideration. The following overview was taken in log note format. Tapes and handouts will be on file with the House Finance Committee through the 24th Legislative Session, contact 465- 6814. After the 24th Legislative Session they will be available through the Legislative Library at 465-3808. TIME SPEAKER DISCUSSION  MICHELLE Testified in support of the Governor's WILLIAMS, request to replace federal funding for ANCHORAGE diagnostic services for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).  4:43:47 PM MELVEEN N. Stressed the importance of continued BYRD, CLITHROE funding for FASD diagnostic services.  PREVENTION/FAS 4:45:00 PM THUONG L. Testified in support of FASD prevention NGUYEN, programs. Noted the importance of ANCHORAGE addiction programs.  4:46:19 PM MEERA KOHLER, Spoke in support of additional support ALASKA VILLAGE for Power Cost Equalization.  ELDERS 4:49:52 PM BEN ANGEL, Testified in support of university ANCHORAGE funding and noted the importance of engineering programs.  4:51:31 PM JAMIE E. LANG, Spoke in support of full funding for ANCHORAGE breast and cervical treatment screening program. She stressed that early protection saves lives.  4:53:06 PM RONNI Requested full funding for community SULLIVAN, health and EMS, which coordinates SOUTHERN readiness efforts. She encouraged an REGION EMS increase in regional EMS funding and COUNCIL, noted that the funding level has been  ANCHORAGE flat since 1989.  4:56:05 PM BROOKE TAYLOR, Testified in support of the Governor's ANCHORAGE $1.8 million dollar request for continuation and expansion for cervical and breast cancer screening.  4:57:48 PM SARAH HOFFMAN, Stressed the importance of cervical and ANCHORAGE breast cancer early detection screening.  4:58:43 PM TEERY Spoke in support of public broadcasting SCHOEUTHAL, in Alaska. He stressed that it is the ANCHORAGE only source of local and state news in many parts of Alaska.  5:00:07 PM PAT LUBBY, Testified in support of the $1.8 ALASKA million dollar request for cervical and ASSOCIATION OF breast cancer early detection RETIRED screening, assisted living, and Adult PERSONS Public Assistance. (AARP),  ANCHORAGE 5:02:12 PM DORA MOORE, Spoke in support of prevention and ANCHORAGE intervention programs for youths and FAS programs.  5:03:59 PM TAMARA L. Testified about increase in requests RUSSELL for evaluation, lack of prevention services, drains on health care systems. Encourage retaining funding for diagnosis services.  5:05:45 PM KARA NYQUIST, Testified in support of the $1.8 ALASKA million dollar request for cervical and ASSOCIATION OF breast cancer early detection HOMES FOR screening. She spoke in support of FAS CHILDREN dollars.  5:09:19 PM AT EASE  5:11:53 PM RECONVENE  5:12:00 PM ANNA ATTA, Spoke in support for further funding GCSD, for FAS grants.  ANCHORAGE 5:13:24 PM JAMIE WASTE, Spoke in support of stable funding for EXECUTIVE public radio and broadcasting.  DIRECTOR, ALASKA PUBLIC BROADCASTING APBI, ANCHORAGE 5:16:17 PM PATRICIA Testified in support of the $1.8 GRIFFIN, AARP million dollar request for cervical and breast cancer early detection screening and substance abuse programs.  5:17:40 PM MARY KATZKE, Testified in support of the $1.8 ANCHORAGE million dollar request for cervical and breast cancer early detection screening. She pointed out that early  screening saves money.  5:19:28 PM EMILY NENON, Spoke in support of tobacco control AMERICAN programs and the $1.8 million dollar CANCER request for cervical and breast cancer SOCIETY, early detection screening. ANCHORAGE  5:21:50 PM KATHY ALLELY, Spoke in support of transition funds GOVERNOR'S for disabilities, which allow COUNCIL ON individuals to transfer out of nursing DISABILITIES homes. She observed that the program AND SPECIAL saves money for the state and allows EDUCATION, individuals to return to their ANCHORAGE communities.  5:24:19 PM LISA PIERCE, Testified in support of substance abuse ANCHORAGE prevention, FASD and cervical and breast cancer early detection screening. She noted that prevention programs would help reduce costs.  5:26:42 PM PAT COCHRAN, Spoke in support of substance ANCHORAGE prevention, FADS and cervical and breast cancer prevention programs.  5:28:58 PM SHELLEY Testified in support of the $1.8 COOLIDGE, million dollar request for cervical and ABZAP, breast cancer early detection ANCHORAGE screening.  5:31:25 PM BRIAN CONNORS, Testified in support of the $1.8 RURALCAP, million dollar request for cervical and ANCHORAGE breast cancer early detection screening. Spoke in support of FASD funding.  5:34:16 PM VERA PASCHKE, Testified in support of the $1.8 ANCHORAGE million dollar request for cervical and breast cancer early detection screening. She also spoke in support of funding for and substance abuse and FASD.  5:39:43 PM DAVID O'BRIEN, Testified in support of the $1.8 ANCHORAGE million dollar request for cervical and breast cancer early detection screening.  5:40:33 PM CHERYL SCOTT, Testified in support of funding for the ANCHORAGE FASD program.  5:44:19 PM JUSTIN SCOTT, Testified in support of funding for the ANCHORAGE FASD program.  5:45:25 PM HEATHER AMY Testified in support of funding for the SCOTT, FASD program.  ANCHORAGE 5:46:57 PM JIM TORGENSON, Spoke in support of continued funding ANCHORAGE for public broadcasting and communications.  5:50:30 PM ADJOURNMENT   The meeting was adjourned at 5:50 PM