HOUSE BILL NO. 283 "An Act making appropriations, including capital appropriations, reappropriations, and other appropriations; making supplemental appropriations; and providing for an effective date." 4:06:09 PM Co-Chair Merrick relayed that public testimony would be taken from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. She provided the email address and call-in numbers. ^PUBLIC TESTIMONY 4:06:13 PM BRYAN HAWKINS, CITY OF HOMER AND ALASKA ASSOCIATION OF HARBOR MASTERS & PORT ADMINISTRATOR, HOMER (via teleconference), supported the $750,000 in the capital budget to complete the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers general investigation for Homer's large vessel port expansion project. He highlighted the funding was important match funding of $750,000 set aside by the City of Homer and it would leverage $1.5 million in federal funds. He shared that the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly and Alaska federal delegation were aligned in their support for the project. The project was the district's top capital priority. Additionally, he urged full funding of $20,160,000 for the Municipal Harbor Grant Program. He stated that the program was an equitable and effective mechanism for completing deferred maintenance projects. 4:08:49 PM BRUCE FRIEND, SELF, HOMER (via teleconference), testified in support of the bill. He shared that he was an active member of the Homer Marine Trades Association. He provided information about the organization. The organization was intimately involved in the expansion of the harbor; it was an extremely important addition to the current port. He emphasized the need for the harbor expansion. He noted it would bring commerce to the area and would provide alternate port capability in the event of a disruption in traffic in Cook Inlet. 4:11:23 PM JON ERICKSON, CITY MANAGER, YAKUTAT (via teleconference), thanked the committee for its work in the current year. He had seen significant progress. He highlighted the community's PFAS problem. He shared that he had spoken with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Congressional delegation to get PFAS funded to take care of the airport. He spoke to the importance of funding sewer and water projects. He spoke in support of the Municipal Harbor Grant Program. 4:13:12 PM BAL DREYFUS, MATSON, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), thanked the committee for the opportunity to testify. He detailed that Matson was a leading ocean carrier cargo providing lifeline services to three Alaskan ports. He requested the committee's support for Port of Alaska funding. He stated that the port received 50 percent of the state's incoming goods that 90 percent of Alaskans relied on. He spoke to various communities that relied on the shipments. He stressed that the port was the only Southcentral Alaska facility with waterfront infrastructure and workforce to support the cargo needs. He shared that port users, the Municipality of Anchorage, and the Anchorage Assembly were aligned in support for the project. He highlighted various support for the project. He stressed the need to fund the state's most critical infrastructure projects. He supported a $200 million appropriation and $200 million in matching funds as currently outlined in the bill. Representative Rasmussen stated there was another version of a budget bill that included $25 million for the port. She asked if it would be a sufficient contribution from the state. Mr. Dreyfus replied in the negative. 4:16:24 PM BOB SCANLON, CEO, BLOOD BANK OF ALASKA, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), thanked the committee for the Blood Bank's inclusion in the budget. He requested a $3 million increment in the capital budget. He stated that funding would allow the blood bank to end a serious vulnerability to Alaska's blood supply by making the blood bank wholly self-sufficient. He detailed that the funds would be used to create instate donor testing and laboratory services. He shared that donor testing currently done out of state was a substantial bottleneck and ongoing dangerous vulnerability for the state, impacting blood supply operations, routine operations, medical trauma, and/or states of emergency. He spoke to other benefits of instate donor testing and self- sufficiency. Self-sufficiency would assure predictability, consistency, versatility, and shorter response times in the event of disaster. Vice-Chair Ortiz asked if the blood bank had received funds in the capital budget in the past. Mr. Scanlon replied that the blood bank had received appropriations in the past for the construction of the Blood Center in Anchorage. 4:19:44 PM MIKE BROWN, SELF, PALMER (via teleconference), appreciated state support for the Arctic Winter Games. He stated that a $1 million appropriation would assist with hosting the games. He supported a request for transportation system funding. He shared that the assembly had put several transportation projects before voters, which were approved by a nearly two to one margin. The city was requesting state support as the borough had already appropriated several million dollars to the projects. He detailed it was a way for the state to partner with a local government match. He shared that a 50 percent match would total $30 million. The city would appreciate consideration of an increment of at least $20 million. The borough appreciated the inclusion of funds for a first responder training facility. The assembly had already appropriated matching funding. He asked the committee to continue to support the request. He thanked the committee for its service. 4:21:59 PM DOUGLAS OLERUD, MAYOR, HAINES (via teleconference), testified in support of the Haines Borough Lutak dock rehabilitation project. He shared that the community had received a $20 million federal grant that was dependent on a 20 percent match. The borough had put $2.4 million towards a long awaited overhaul of the dock that was crumbling and had holes in the concrete decking. All of the fuel and freight for the community arrived at the dock. He provided detail on the request for $3.2 million to complete the match for the shovel ready project. He thanked the committee. Representative Rasmussen reviewed the numbers provided by Mr. Olerud. Mr. Olerud replied affirmatively. 4:23:46 PM EDNA DEVRIES, MAYOR, MAT-SU BOROUGH, PALMER (via teleconference), thanked the legislature for including $1 million for the Arctic Winter Games. She thanked the legislature for funding for the first responder training facility. She spoke to the importance of proper training. She requested additional funds for transportation project package that the voters approved two to one in a recent election. The borough had already contributed 27 percent of the total amount. She spoke to the importance of road improvements to handle increased traffic resulting from population growth. 4:26:03 PM CARA DURR, FOOD BANK OF ALASKA, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of items for food security in Alaska. She highlighted that between years of lean budgets and a pandemic the Food Bank saw record numbers of Alaskans in need of its services. She reported that the state's food bank and food pantry system was strained. She stressed that a dramatic spike in costs drove increased need and operational challenges. The budget request would go far in addressing the problems. The funds would address critical capital needs such as refrigeration, vehicles, space modifications, and other. The investments would increase the organization's ability to distribute food. She provided additional program information and benefits. She appreciated the committee's consideration. Representative Rasmussen asked if Ms. Durr saw the Port of Alaska as an area that could jeopardize food security if it was not addressed. Ms. Durr replied affirmatively. She shared that the Food Bank received much of its food through the port. The organization was in support of funding for the Port of Alaska. 4:28:31 PM JOHN HANDELAND, MAYOR, CITY OF NOME, NOME (via teleconference), spoke in favor of the Port of Nome state matching funds. He stressed that matching funding was needed immediately, and any delay risked losing the opportunity to build the port. He detailed that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released $250 million in federal dollars. He provided detail about the project and work done to bring it to fruition. He shared that Nome's economy was struggling. He stated that the port would have long-term economic benefits to the region. He spoke to other sectors that would benefit. 4:31:18 PM SARAH KATHRYN BRYAN, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of the AWAIC shelter and transitional living renovation projects for a 67-bed emergency shelter and 10-bed transitional housing program. The project would impact the lives of hundreds of victims escaping from abusive situations. She spoke about the organization's mission to provide shelter for female and male victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The shelter would save lives. The increment was for $347,000. She thanked the committee for its consideration. 4:32:48 PM DIANNE HOLMES, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of funding for the Port of Alaska. She stated that the port served most of Alaska. She emphasized that other projects would cost more for materials and equipment if the port project did not occur. She stated that the port deserved to be funded at a higher level than the level she had heard was in the budget. She asked the committee to support the port's replacement. Representative Rasmussen stated that the House version of the bill included $200 million with $200 million in matching funds. She believed the other body had $25 million for the project in its version of the budget. She asked if Ms. Holmes believed $25 million was insufficient or the $200 million was insufficient. Ms. Holmes stated that $200 million was not adequate for a $1 billion project. Co-Chair Merrick replied that the budget included $200 million in addition to up to $200 million in matching funds. If the federal funds were secured, the amount would be up to $600 million. She noted the $600 million was the original request. 4:35:25 PM JASON LESSARD, NAMI ANCHORAGE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), provided details about his affiliation and work with various entities. He supported $1.5 million for Careline Alaska to rebuild its facility. He spoke to the effectiveness of the Careline component. He stated that 90 percent of the calls could be handled at the call center level and did not require any additional response. He asked the committee to consider adding behavioral health treatment capacity funding. He stated it had been a number of years since the continuum of care had received an influx of cash for capital improvements. He spoke in support of funding for the Port of Alaska. He stressed that the port was in dire need and the state depended on the port for food security. Co-Chair Merrick clarified that the House version included $1.5 million for the Careline. Representative LeBon stated that approximately $275,000 would likely be sufficient as Careline was not looking to purchase a building currently. 4:38:41 PM MARGARET HENSON, NORTHWEST ARCTIC BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, KOTZEBUE (via teleconference), spoke in favor of money for the Alaska Technical Center student/family housing. She provided detail about the district. The center provided training in construction, health occupations, culinary arts, and technology. The Red Dog Mine and the Ambler mining belt was located in the region. She shared that employment opportunities in the region frequently went to non-local individuals. She elaborated that while many residents desired to obtain certification to pursue career opportunities, the individuals were having difficulty securing necessary housing while attending training. She requested $1.2 million for the project. They were confident other funding partners would be available. 4:42:00 PM PAUL OSTRANDER, CITY MANAGER, KENAI (via teleconference), thanked the committee for the inclusion of $6.5 million for the Kenai River bluff stabilization project. He thanked Representative Carpenter and Co-Chair Merrick for including the increment. He detailed that the funding would be combined with $5.25 million from the City of Kenai. The funds would be leveraged with $22 million to $23 million of federal funding. It had been a top priority capital need for at least 30 years and was a critical step in the revitalization of oldtown Kenai, which was an area of cultural and historical significance. There had been no capital investing in the area for at least three decades and the bluff continued to erode at three feet annually. The project would stabilize the bluff. He thanked the committee for the opportunity to testify. 4:44:24 PM ROBIN MINARD, MAT-SU HEALTH FOUNDATION, WASILLA (via teleconference), asked for additional funding to support behavioral health treatment capacity. She spoke to the importance in access to healthcare. The funding would be needed even in normal times; however, life post-COVID-19 was anything but normal. She highlighted examples. There was more need now more than ever for behavioral health support. She thanked the committee. 4:45:57 PM KELLY LESSENS, ANCHORAGE SCHOOL BOARD, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), highlighted the district's backlog in deferred maintenance, which exceeded more than $800 million. She supported the $100 million for major maintenance in the capital budget. She stated the funding would allow the district to move forward on updates to enable children to attend school in safe conditions. Representative Rasmussen asked if the board had a position on the Port of Alaska. Ms. Lessens answered that it was not something the board had engaged with. She noted that the district's supplies came in and out of the port. She referenced food security and supplies for capital projects that came through the port. She personally supported action on securing a functional port. Representative Rasmussen asked how many students received meals through the district. Ms. Lessens answered that more than half of the district's students were economically disadvantaged. She believed all children were eligible for meals nationwide. She did not have the exact figures, but she could follow up with the information. 4:49:06 PM HEIDI HILL, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of $347,000 for AWAIC's shelter and transitional living renovation project. She highlighted the terrible rates of domestic violence in Alaska. She provided detail about the existing shelter. She stated that the shelter provided housing for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. She saw the impact of the programs on the lives of individuals on a daily basis. She relayed that the repairs would be significant in terms of support for victims. She appreciated the committee's support. 4:50:39 PM BRENDA MOORE, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), asked for support of $11 million for behavioral health treatment capacity. Needs had risen and the pandemic had substantially impacted behavioral health, yet the capacity to treat behavioral health in Alaska had not seen significant investment. She thanked the committee for its commitment to Alaskans. 4:52:27 PM DAVID KARP, SALTCHUK, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of funding for the Port of Alaska. He represented multiple port users. He believed there was a significant role for the state, federal government, and users to cover funding for the infrastructure project. He had witnessed multiple starts and stops on the project during his three years on the project. He stated that each iteration of the project over the years resulted in lost time and additional expense. They reached a moment in time where there was an agreed upon scope of work, timeline, and price. He implored parties to understand that each day wasted created additional exposure for the majority of the state's population as it pertained to the potential for a catastrophic failure of the existing facility. It was critical infrastructure that was currently at risk. He urged support of funding in HB 283. 4:54:38 PM ERIC WYATT, PRESIDENT, ALASKA MARICULTURE ALLIANCE (via teleconference), testified in support of a one-time funding request for a mariculture matching grant program with a goal to double private investment. He shared that the program was supported by existing farmers and new entrants. Product demand had increased substantially in recent years. He spoke to the demand for shellfish. The program would allow the disbursement of funds to opportunities maximizing industry growth in the future. Vice-Chair Ortiz asked about the amount of the funding request. Mr. Wyatt replied that the original ask was $25 million in the governor's budget request. 4:56:42 PM GALE VANDOR, SELF, JUNEAU (via teleconference), thanked the committee for including funding for the United Human Services Teal Street center. She strongly supported service coordination in one building ensure comprehensive planning to provide assistance to people with disabilities that would enable them to remain in their homes and communities. Services would also be made available to patrons of the Glory Hall. She highlighted the resource room in the center that would enhance services for disabled persons in Southeast. She provided details about the center and clinic. The project had been in the works for more than a decade. She appreciated the committee's time and attention. 4:59:05 PM KURT BUCHHOLZ, SELF, SOLDOTNA (via teleconference), supported the Blood Bank of Alaska funds to build a testing lab. He was a practicing physician and had been a Blood Bank medical director for several facilities. He shared information about his work with the Blood Bank. The Blood Bank provided sufficient blood to handle trauma and it had been a great partner responding to facilities' medical needs. The two elements that were incomplete included performing testing on all of the blood units and testing blood in the current environment was the safest it had ever been. He spoke to the importance of reference labs in rural communities. Moving the work to Anchorage would provide a quicker response in critical situations in order to give the proper, compatible blood. 5:01:58 PM VIRGIE THOMPSON, MAYOR, CITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON (via teleconference), requested the inclusion of the city of Houston's installation of a natural gasline, which also included the extension of power to areas that were currently off-grid. The project would provide safe and cost-effective heating fuel for residents and would improve the cost of living for all impacted residents. The request was for $993,410. She asked for support for the construction of a commercial building to house fire department and public works supplies, which would provide fire protection to surrounding areas. She supported $1.2 million for the Houston school's campus paved walking bicycle pathway. She provided detail on the benefits of the pathway. She spoke in support of $723,000 for Bear Paw activities park recreational area. Representative Rasmussen asked how much Houston had contributed towards the requests. Ms. Thompson answered that the community currently had no contributions to the natural gas project. She added it would be shovel ready because there was only institution installing natural gas. The city owned the property for the fire station. The community did not have any contributions for the pathway, and it owned the property and had the design phase completed for the activities park. Representative Josephson referenced the natural gas infrastructure with a cost of $993,000. Ms. Thompson agreed that it would cost $993,410 to put natural gas in three sections of the city, which would affect approximately 600 people. Representative Josephson asked how much the fire station cost was. Ms. Thompson answered, "$2.5 million." Representative Johnson thanked Ms. Thompson for calling in. Ms. Thompson added her support for behavioral health funding. She shared it took her granddaughter 17 hours for intake when she had extreme need. 5:06:41 PM BRYAN HAUGSEAD, AWAIC, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), supported funding for AWAIC, which gave critical aid to victims of domestic violence. He asked the committee to support the request the renovation of the AWAIC facilities. He encouraged funding for the Blood Bank of Alaska. He had personally had to leave the state for medical care and the funding would be significant for everyone in Alaska. 5:07:21 PM CLAY BEZENEK, SELF, KETCHIKAN (via teleconference), shared a food safety and biological issue had been identified in the fall. He had been working with Vice-Chair Ortiz on the issue. He requested support for a remote operated vehicle (ROV) that went to a depth of 200 meters that would be used to survey rockfish stocks in Southeast Alaska. Rockfish was an important food staple for the community. He relayed that the ROV would be used to survey from Sitka to the inside waters of Ketchikan. There was currently one ROV located in Homer that was only available for Southeast for three days per year. He noted the community was not attached to the road system and if there was a calamitous event, the community would need to harvest out of the ocean. Vice-Chair Ortiz asked about the current status of local residents' ability to harvest rockfish. He stated his understanding it was limited. Mr. Bezenek answered that they could not harvest any yellow eye rockfish in Ketchikan. He detailed that the Board of Fish had recently discussed the issue extensively. He shared that it had been a crushing blow to the economy and food safety. Vice-Chair Ortiz asked what the ROV would cost. Mr. Bezenek replied it was a $250,000 purchase for a machine that would last about 10 years. He detailed that the Department of Fish and Game would come up with surveying costs for the first year. He remarked that if the issue would have been identified sooner it would have been included in the budget in a different way. He appreciated the support. 5:11:12 PM PATRICK MAYER, SUPERINTENDENT, ALEUTIAN EAST BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, SAND POINT (via teleconference), thanked the committee for its continued support of education in Alaska. He supported school bond debt reimbursement and school major maintenance. He shared that the funding would enable districts to improve aging school buildings and ensure students had a safe school environment. He highlighted the increase in cost. The district had a structural roof and foundation repairs to bring it up to ADA compliance. He thanked the committee for making children a priority. Vice-Chair Ortiz thanked Mr. Mayer. 5:12:46 PM CHUCK HOMAN, SELF, EAGLE RIVER (via teleconference), testified in support of $1.5 million for the Starner Bridge replacement. The funding for maintaining and repairing the roads was through local property taxes. He explained that the taxes were split between road maintenance and capital projects. He relayed the Starner Bridge was in poor condition with a rating of three tons. There were concerns the bridge would be closed by the bridge inspector and the homes served by the bridge would be completely cut off. He elaborated that the bridge was currently unsafe for emergency vehicles. Funding the bridge replacement with entirely local funds would wipe out the city's capital projects budget for the year. He relayed that $1 million in local tax dollars had been approved. He urged the committee to include the $1.5 million. 5:14:39 PM JOAN O'KEEFE, UNITED HUMAN SERVICES OF SOUTHEAST ALASKA, JUNEAU (via teleconference), spoke in support of funding for the Teal Street center social services hub in Juneau. She detailed that the center would collocate nine organizations in a hub to serve seniors, low income individuals, and people with disabilities. She listed various tenants. The center would also host providers in a in a resource room to provide tools including employment services, mental health education, legal resources, youth mentoring, housing navigation, and disability access. She provided additional details about the center. The investment came at a critical point in the fundraising effort. She highlighted escalated costs. The total project had increased to over $10 million. She supported a $3.7 million increment. 5:16:50 PM BRANDON CALCATERRA, SELF, EAGLE RIVER (via teleconference), testified in support of $100 million for school major maintenance and previous funding for school bond debt reimbursement. He stressed the funding was critical to ensure students had functional facilities. He thanked the committee. 5:17:59 PM JOY BAKER, CITY OF NOME, NOME (via teleconference), spoke in support of $175 million for the Port of Nome. The funding was needed to match the $250 million Army Corps funding that would construct the only Arctic deep draft port in the country. She spoke to the importance of the Arctic port. She highlighted the benefits of the port including food security, environmental safety, scientific research, national security, and other. The current ability to meet the needs in the Arctic were currently marginal at best. She stated there were currently serious limitations for providing response capacity for spill response and life safety. She listed additional benefits of the port. She spoke to developing resilient and stable infrastructure necessary to support the national security fleet. The increment was required by the corps. She thanked the committee. 5:21:10 PM JULIE DECKER, ALASKA FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WRANGELL (via teleconference), spoke in strong support for a $25 million mariculture matching grant program included in the governor's capital budget. She discussed that mariculture would benefit Alaska's communities, environment, and economy. She highlighted it was an opportunity to grow a new industry. Investing $25 million in state funds was a wise investment that would be returned to the state through increased economic activity for years to come. The funds would increase the trajectory of the industry growth. She reviewed various growth scenarios that depended on government investment. 5:23:45 PM SUSANNE MARCHUK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA CARELINE, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), shared that she had been a part of Careline for 16 years. She shared that Careline had been a frontline of defense for Alaska's crisis care system for nearly 20 years offering a statewide resource for Alaska's most vulnerable. She highlighted the benefits of the program. The entity was the only designated suicide lifeline contact center in Alaska. She shared that the center would begin receiving 988 contacts in July 2022. Projections predicted nearly 45,000 contracts in FY 23, which was a substantial increase. She shared that Careline reduced the burden on law enforcement, EMS, and the judicial system. She highlighted a lease agreement secured. She believed it was in the best interest to purchase a building. She thanked the committee. 5:26:25 PM LAURA LANN, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of $347,000 for the AWAIC transitional living renovation project. The project was important to the community because it provided critical renovation to the 67-bed emergency shelter and 10-bed transitional housing facilities. She shared that AWAIC was the only provider of emergency shelter and transitional housing for domestic violence victims in Anchorage. The funds would address multiple issues throughout the shelter and transitional living facilities. She thanked the committee. 5:27:30 PM JAN CAROLYN HARDY, STATE PRESIDENT, AFSCME, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), supported the proposal for a spending cap, protection of the Permanent Fund, and energy relief payments concurrent with the payment of the PFD. She stated that the budget reversed cuts to human services. She discussed that public health services had become more significant and necessary over the past couple of years. She discussed the need for long-term care for dementia and Alzheimer's patients. She listed other health related needs for individuals with developmental disabilities, behavioral health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and other. She supported the inclusion of funds for education and school bond debt reimbursement. She spoke in support of Pre-K and WWAMI. She spoke in support of funding for the Port of Alaska. She stated the port was critical to Arctic commerce. She supported funding for the Port of Nome. Representative Rasmussen thanked Ms. Hardy's comments in support of the items. 5:30:49 PM HEATHER MCCARTY, CENTRAL BEARING SEA FISHERMAN ASSOCIATION, JUNEAU (via teleconference), spoke in support of $5 million for the mariculture matching grant program. She highlighted the original request for the program was $25 million and she believed it could successfully support continued mariculture growth and development in Alaska. She requested an increased amount allocated to the program. She stated that fully funding the program would provide stability and potentially for shellfish enhancement. She stated that crab had suffered over the past several years and was in a disastrous situation. She provided detail about legislation that was working to help. 5:33:22 PM DAVE BRONSON, MAYOR, MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), testified in support of the Port of Alaska and deep water Port of Nome. He stressed that the projects were critical to the prosperity and security of Alaskans. He stated that the ability to raise federal funds for the port was directly related to the state funding secured. He supported the HB 283 increments for the ports. He stated failing to finance the Port of Alaska, the state would face a humanitarian crisis if there was a seismic event. He supported the $200 million appropriation with the $200 million match for the Port of Anchorage. Vice-Chair Ortiz asked if a spending plan had already been submitted in regard to how $200 million would be used. ROSS RISVOLD, FINANCE OFFICER, CITY OF ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), replied that the $200 million would be committed funds for the cargo dock 1 and 2 replacements. The funds would be committed to the $1.1 billion replacement. The funds would not go to a particular item. Representative Rasmussen stated the committee had heard from several other local governments. She believed Anchorage had contributed funding toward the project. She asked for the figure. Mr. Risvold replied that the municipality currently had $222 million pf funds on hand. The municipality had requested state funding in the amount of $600 million. The port was seeking $281 million in federal funds. Anything short of the State of Alaska request would be made up with Port of Alaska revenue bonds. Vice-Chair Ortiz asked if the city had submitted an application for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds for the project. Mr. Risvold answered that the plan finance included a variety of fund sources including Port Infrastructure Development Grants and RAISE grants in the $25 million range. The port would also apply for IIJA funds as long as it qualified. Vice-Chair Ortiz asked if the port planned to apply for the IIJA funds but had not yet done so. Mr. Risvold answered affirmatively. He did not believe applications were available yet. Representative Josephson asked for verification that the $281 million in federal funds was spread over many years. Mr. Risvold answered that the port had a reasonable expectation that the $281 million could be spread out over more than one year. Representative Josephson wondered how many years. Mr. Risvold answered that the port needed to have committed funds in place by 2025 totaling $1.1 billion. The port would continue to pursue federal funding until that timeframe and the municipal assembly would have to authorize revenue bonds if the $1.1 billion had not been achieved. 5:41:26 PM SUZI PEARSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ABUSED WOMENS AID IN CRISIS, requested $347,000 for the AWAIC shelter and transitional living renovations project. She provided detail on the project that would allow AWAIC to address multiple issues in all of the facilities. She relayed there were additional fund sources being used to support the project. She thanked the committee. STEVE WILLIAMS, ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AUTHORITY, JUNEAU, spoke in support of $8 million to stand up crisis stabilization services in Anchorage. The increment would enable Alaska to stand up the first 23-hour crisis stabilization facility in the state. He elaborated on the benefits of the project. He testified in support of funding for the Careline, which was the first response to someone in a behavioral health crisis. Representative Josephson thought he had seen the number $9 million for the center. Mr. Williams believed the increment was $8 million but he was not positive. Representative Josephson asked where the facility site was located. Mr. Williams believed it was the old Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API) facility off of Piper. 5:45:15 PM TOM CHARD, ALASKA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), requested an addition of $11 million for behavioral health treatment capacity. He spoke to the dramatic increase in need during COVID. He reviewed the benefits of the treatment services. He spoke about legislation that had authorized the use of 1115 Medicaid waivers for behavioral health and substance abuse. Capital funding would help recruit and retain counselors, upgrade electronic health systems, and other. He thanked the committee. 5:47:08 PM MARIYA LOVISHCHUK, THE GLORY HALL, JUNEAU (via teleconference), testified in support for funding for the United Human Services on Teal Street Center. She provided detail on the center. She stated that collocating the services would move the needle on homelessness. She stated that homelessness was a problem and difficulty getting to appropriate resources was a problem. The project would improve service delivery and was in the right place at the right time. She thanked the committee. 5:48:34 PM BRUCE BUSTAMANTE, ANCHORAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke to the mission to support growth and success for members and economic strength and resiliency for Anchorage. He spoke in support of funding for the Port of Alaska. The current port was beyond disrepair. The port was the highest priority of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. He spoke to the assets of the port. He cited a study by the McDowell Group highlighting the port's critical nature. He supported a $200 million appropriation and $200 million match. 5:51:20 PM JERRY JENKINS, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), asked for additional funding for behavioral health treatment capacity. He thanked the committee for taking his testimony. 5:52:03 PM MORIA SMITH, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), thanked the committee for including $100 million for school major maintenance. She thanked the committee for funding school bond debt reimbursement in the operating budget. She stated that her son's elementary school was in sore need of improvements. She thanked the committee. 5:53:21 PM JULIA LUEY, VOA ALASKA, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), provided information about VOA Alaska that provided therapeutic services to youths and their families. She listed attributes of the program. She thanked the legislature for including $960,000 for VOA's school-based mental health program. She requested support for behavioral health treatment capacity. She stated that with the Medicaid 1115 transformation, providers could not stand up new service lines without funds. She highlighted the youth mental health crisis impacting youth in Alaska. She discussed the large increase in calls and in suicidal inclination. She provided further detail. She urged the committee to prioritize youth mental health. Co-Chair Merrick remarked that she had visited the VOA facility and had been very impressed. 5:56:29 PM JESSICA LEONARD, SELF, HOUSTON (via teleconference), requested the addition of City of Houston capital projects to the capital budget. She spoke in support of funds of the local fire station and public works facility. She supported pathways for the local school, which had been needed for a long time. She noted dangerous traffic in the area. She spoke in support of funding for the Bear Paw Park. She provided detail. She thanked the committee. Co-Chair Merrick asked who the senator and representatives were for Houston. Ms. Leonard did not know. 5:59:10 PM HALEY JOHNSON, ALASKA TRAILS, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), testified in support of Alaska trails. She thanked the legislature for support for the Alaska long trail in the past. She supported funding for land and water conservation fund, recreational trails program, fee stations for state parks, and sanitation and deferred maintenance funds for state parks. She stressed that state managed public lands were in dire need of funding for recreational purposes. She encouraged additional funding for public use cabins. 6:01:08 PM DR. GENE QUINN, ALASKA HEART INSTITUTE, ALASKA HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), shared information about his work with the Alaska Health Information Exchange. He took care of individuals who had heart attacks. He did not always have patient's records. The Health Information Exchange provided a way to transfer records. He noted there had been a mistake in the budget. The $6 million had been removed in the Senate because they thought there was federal COVID relief funding available. There was not. He was asking for the item to be included in the budget to fund the Health Information Exchange for the next two years. He stated the federal government and the state had put tens of millions of dollars into creating the infrastructure. He appreciated the committee's consideration of reinserting the item in the budget, which was critical infrastructure for Alaska's healthcare system. Representative Josephson had heard about the funding source problem. He hoped the issue could be fixed. Co-Chair Merrick asked if Dr. Quinn was working with someone in the Senate to offer an amendment on the Senate floor. Dr. Quinn referenced lobbyists for the Health Information Exchange. He relayed there were multiple individuals working on the issue including the commissioner and Dr. Anne Zink. He was happy to reach out to someone if he needed to. Representative Rasmussen suggested the issue should be brought to Senator Mia Costello's attention as well. 6:05:57 PM DONNA ADERHOLD, HOMER CITY COUNCIL, HOMER (via teleconference), appreciated the $750,000 for a general investigation study for the harbor's large vessel expansion project. The funds would match funds the city had already set aside in addition to federal funds. The city had outgrown its current harbor. She thanked the legislature for including full funding for the municipal harbor grant program. She spoke to the benefits of the program. 6:07:25 PM ED HENDRICKSON, ANCHORAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), testified in support of the growth and support of business. He supported the Port of Alaska. He detailed that the current port had reached the end of its life and had experienced severe corrosion. He stressed the need for urgency. He supported the $200 million included in HB 283. He stated that the port supported military operations in Alaska, the Arctic, and the Pacific Rim. He stressed the importance could not be over emphasized. He stated failure to act was not an option. He thanked the committee for its support. 6:09:52 PM POLLYBETH ODOM, SELF, MAT-SU VALLEY (via teleconference), asked for support for additional funding for behavioral health treatment capacity. She had seen an increased need for services and less money for services needed. She requested support for AWAIC and the Port of Alaska. Representative Rasmussen thanked Ms. Odom for calling in support of the port. 6:11:17 PM CARL WEISNER, NORTHWEST ARCTIC BOROUGH, KOTZEBUE (via teleconference), testified in support of a $1.5 million request for a public safety facilities for the villages of the Northwest Arctic Borough to store firefighting and search and rescue equipment in order for communities to have access to the equipment when needed. He stressed that outdoor temperatures made things difficult. He shared four members of a family had lost their lives in a house fire the previous month. He elaborated that the equipment the community had been attempting to use had been frozen. He thanked the committee. 6:12:58 PM CHRIS MANCULICH, SELF, MAT-SU (via teleconference), testified in support of funding for the Port of Alaska. He stated that a catastrophic failure of the current port would cost the lives of longshoremen would be lost. Additionally, an even would impact food security. He supported any money they could get immediately. Representative Rasmussen asked if the $25 million proposed in the Senate would be sufficient to meet the needs. Mr. Manculich answered that he thought the increment was $200 million. Representative Rasmussen clarified that the House version included $200 million with a $200 million match whereas the Senate version included $25 million with a $25 million match. Mr. Manculich answered that $25 million was not sufficient when talking about a $1.2 billion project. He highlighted longshoremen had worked at the port during the pandemic with no plumbing because it had been frozen. He stated there had been a lot of deferment waiting for funds that were not there. Without complete funding, the project would still be in limbo. 6:15:36 PM CARTER COLE, CITY OF HOUSTON COUNCIL MEMBER, HOUSTON (via teleconference), thanked the committee for the opportunity to testify. He was in support of funding highlighted by the Houston mayor earlier in the meeting. He supported a project related to natural gas in the community. He shared that the project plan had originally been driven by residents, but there was no funding mechanism within the city to help them. He worked with the third-party gas supplier have gas costs as reasonable as possible. He remarked it was rare to find unanimous consent by the public. The projects were well-supported. 6:17:23 PM SUZANNE LAFRANCE, ANCHORAGE ASSEMBLY, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of funding for the Port of Alaska. She discussed that rebuilding the port had been an ongoing priority for the assembly and of the current and prior administrations. She supported a request to assist with repair, design, and modernization. She asked for continued support for the port. She listed stakeholders who were united around the plan. She shared that an investment would help in the pursuit of federal funds and would reduce the amount borne by most Alaskans through tariffs. She thanked the committee. 6:19:12 PM KATIE BETHARD, SEAWOLF HOCKEY ALLIANCE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in favor of $340,000 for upgrades to the UAA sports center. She shared information about the volunteer alliance. She stated that previously the organization had raised over $3 million through private donations during COVID to save the hockey team from elimination. The organization was asking for some state funding to make improvements to keep spectators and the fan base safe. The current bleacher situation was unsafe. The money would go toward the installation of new bleacher seating and a jumbotron. She thanked the committee for its time. 6:22:13 PM GEORGIANA PAGE, HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of funding for the Health Information Exchange. She provided details about the exchange and its benefits. She stated that a loss of the exchange would be a major setback and would place an undue burden on public health employees and lead to reporting delays. She stated that the exchange had played a vital role in COVID test results reporting. She provided further detail about the operations of the exchange. She asked the committee to consider the funding. 6:24:34 PM CARLIN EVANOFF, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), testified in support of the Health Information Exchange. The exchange provided point of care access. The exchange provided care coordination and other serving individual Alaskans and reducing the overall cost of healthcare in Alaska. The secure storage of health data would allow for analysis of healthcare gaps, needs for services, and allocation of healthcare resources to those needing it the most. She requested support for the exchange to support individuals, public health, and pandemic management. 6:26:54 PM STEVE NERLAND, MIRACLE LEGION BASEBALL, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of a $200,000 request for Miracle Legion Baseball. He shared information about the legion. There was seasonal maintenance and the legion paid umpires. There was no building for the organization, and it had low operational cost. The funds would go toward working with matching grants from private organizations for various fields statewide. He thanked the committee. 6:29:05 PM NORIA CLARK, SELF, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), testified in support of the Port of Alaska. She thanked Representative Rasmussen in regard to the Sand Lake Road study. She remarked on the lights on Sand Lake. She noted there were safety issues on the road. She thought the assembly needed to stop wasting the community's money. She appreciated the state stepping in. She thanked the committee for its hard work. 6:31:56 PM TOM ATKINSON, CITY MANAGER, CITY OF KOTZEBUE, KOTZEBUE (via teleconference), spoke in support of the Cape Blossom Port and road. He shared that the city had been working on the port for many years with other regional stakeholders. Kotzebue was the gateway to 11 villages in the region and represented about 10,000 residences. The project would help reduce the cost of goods in the region. He highlighted that many residents paid prices that were up to 61 percent higher than Anchorage. He relayed it would be an economic driver for the region. He provided detail about the current status of the project. He spoke about an 11.5 mile road out to the port site. Phase 2 of the road would cost was also a Department of Transportation and Public Facilities project. The community had received federal infrastructure funding in the amount of $27.7 million. The estimates for the road were between $40 million to $50 million, leaving a shortfall of $13 or so million. The community had applied for a federal RAISE grant in addition to another grant. The port would be the only one above the Arctic Circle. He hoped the committee would consider support for the project. 6:35:11 PM JUNE ROGERS, FAIRBANKS CITY COUNCIL, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), testified in support of funding for a law enforcement range and training facility. The current facility was located on the Fairbanks International Airport property and the rules made basic training difficult. In 2018 law enforcement agencies were notified the range would be shut down. There was no other firearm range training facility. A new facility would serve every local, state, and federal law enforcement agency in Interior Alaska. A professional training environment was essential. She thanked the committee. Co-Chair Merrick asked if the amount requested was $6 million. Ms. Rogers answered in the affirmative. The estimate for the range was $16 million and there was an additional $225 in a Department of Environmental Conservation grant to the Alaska Peace Officers Association for the design of the facility. Co-Chair Merrick asked if it would be helpful to receive half of the $6 million. Ms. Rogers answered that everything was helpful. She added that the City of North Pole was looking at the possibility of donating land. She stated that looking at working together to move forward was incredibly helpful. 6:38:28 PM VICTORIA KILDAL, KODIAK AREA NATIVE ASSOCIATION, KODIAK (via teleconference), asked for additional funding support for behavioral health treatment capacity. She thanked the committee. 6:39:04 PM JOANN RIESELBACH, JUNEAU YOUTH SERVICES (JYS), JUNEAU (via teleconference), requested $11 million for behavioral health treatment capacity within the state. She spoke about the services JYS provided to young people. The program provided outpatient services and facility services. Additional funds would enable the organization to increase its capacity. She elaborated that the funding would allow providers to better focus on youth crises. The absence of funding hampered the ability to respond to the crisis. She spoke to the need for funding for long-term strategic planning. She thanked the committee. 6:41:56 PM BRENT FISHER, SELF, JUNEAU (via teleconference), shared that he worked for JYS. He asked for support for behavioral health treatment capacity. He thanked the committee. 6:42:40 PM TIM POTTER, ANCHORAGE SKATES, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), underscored the need for behavioral health services and facilities to diagnose, treat, and make headway with the local population. He strongly supported funding for the Port of Alaska. He stressed that if the current port failed, the whole state would be in trouble. He highlighted a request of $650,000 for a year-round warming facility chalet for Anchorage Skates at the Cuddy Family Midtown Park in Anchorage. He elaborated that the park was used by residents and tourists. He had been in an office located directly next to the park. He stated the park was a huge benefit for mental health. The chalet would allow for increased user safety and would help families with small kids. He thanked the committee for its time. Representative Josephson thanked Mr. Potter for his testimony. 6:46:24 PM RICHARD TULUK, CITY OF CHEVAK, CHEVAK (via teleconference), testified in support of airport improvement funding for the Chevak airport. He stated the funding was critical for the city. Additionally, Chevak was designated as a postal hub serving six other communities. He spoke to the importance of addressing the needs of supplies and goods coming into the airport to meet the needs of economic success for communities. He discussed it would improve services for villages around Bethel. He stated that airline companies would benefit from increased service, and it would benefit the community. The airport would most importantly help the City of Chevak when it built a hotel to accommodate visitors from an ecotourism program. It would also enable residents to develop small business opportunities. He thanked the committee. Co-Chair Merrick CLOSED public testimony. 6:49:28 PM AT EASE 6:54:22 PM RECONVENED Co-Chair Merrick noted the meeting would adjourn. HB 283 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration.