HOUSE BILL NO. 156                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the membership of the Alaska                                                                           
     Commission on Aging; and providing for an effective                                                                        
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Holm spoke in support  of HB 156.  He provided                                                                   
the history of the bill and urged the committee's support.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Chenault  asked if the commission would  change from                                                                   
7 to 8 members.  Representative Holm said yes.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1:                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 6                                                                                                             
     Delete Section 2                                                                                                           
     Renumber the remaining sections accordingly.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representatives Stoltze and Holm OBJECTED.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:05:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SUZANNE  CUNNINGHAM, STAFF,  CO-CHAIR  MEYER, explained  that                                                                   
the  way  the  statutes  are   written  the  Commissioner  of                                                                   
Administration does  not have the ability to  vote on matters                                                                   
before the commission.  HB 156  would remove the Commissioner                                                                   
of Administration, and a person  who provides senior services                                                                   
and is a recipient of a grant  awarded under the senior grant                                                                   
program is added  to the commission.  This  person would have                                                                   
the ability to vote on matters  before the commission.  Under                                                                   
AS47.45.240,   power,   duties,   and  limitations   of   the                                                                   
Commission on  Aging, there is  some confusion about  the way                                                                   
the statute is written, and Amendment 2 would correct this.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Holm referred to  a letter from the Commission                                                                   
on  Aging dated  March  3 regarding  voting  on  grants.   He                                                                   
agreed that there  might be problems with policies  and grant                                                                   
recipients.  He requested comments from Linda Gohl.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:08:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LINDA GOHL,  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA COMMISSION  ON AGING,                                                                   
agreed  that  the  statute  is   misleading  because  of  who                                                                   
approves grants.   She noted that commission  members are not                                                                   
involved in  the award  process.  If  there were  a potential                                                                   
conflict of  interest, the  chair would  ask that the  member                                                                   
abstain.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Holm asked Ms.  Gohl if there is a conflict of                                                                   
interest.  She opined that there  is no conflict of interest.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Cunningham  noted  a concern  about  a  senior  services                                                                   
provider  and departmental  conflicts.   Representative  Holm                                                                   
responded  that  all commissions  and  boards  have the  same                                                                   
potential  conflict of  interest.   It  is  desirous to  have                                                                   
knowledgeable people on the board.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer asked  if Ms. Gohl agreed with  the removal of                                                                   
Amendment 1.  She said yes.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer WITHDREW Amendment 1.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:13:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Stoltze MOVED  to report  CSHB 156  (HES) out  of                                                                   
Committee with the accompanying  fiscal note.  There being NO                                                                   
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CSHB  (HES) 156  was REPORTED  out  of Committee  with a  "do                                                                   
pass" recommendation  and with fiscal  impact note #1  by the                                                                   
Department of Health and Social Services.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:14:44 PM