SB 171-MULTIDISCIPLINARY CHILD PROTECTION TEAMS  1:28:47 PM CHAIR KELLER announced that the next order of business would be HCS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 171(JUD), "An Act relating to multidisciplinary child protection teams; and relating to investigation of child abuse or neglect." RYNNIEVA MOSS, Staff to Senator John Coghill, Alaska State Legislature, said that at Senator Coghill's request, SB 171 was returned to the House Judiciary Standing Committee because the wording created a large fiscal note. She said, "We want to make it clear that multi-disciplinary child protection teams (MDT) can be formed but that the Department of Health and Social Services (HSS) will still be the clearinghouse." She continued: On page 1, line 8, we have added the words that these different entities within subsection (a) with expertise in child abuse or neglect, in participation with the department, may facilitate the initial establishment of a multi-disciplinary child protection team. MS. MOSS added that on Page 2, line 11, "may to the extent feasible" is replaced with "shall", in order to make it clear that, although it is now possible for multi-disciplinary teams to be formed without participation of OCS [Office of Children Services], that office will still be the clearinghouse. 1:30:16 PM CHAIR KELLER noted that the committee is working off of the CS that the committee had already passed. The committee took an at-ease from 1:30 p.m. to 1:31 p.m. The committee took an at-ease from 1:32 p.m. to 1:32 p.m. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he has a grammatical question regarding lines 5-8: Does the language mean that the state, municipal agencies, and tribes must be in partnership with the department "or is it just the tribe?" 1:33:43 PM MS. MOSS said the language means that any one of those entities and the department may facilitate a MDT. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG recommended that the amendment be made a conceptual amendment because the editors may have a better way to phrase it with less confusion. 1:34:17 PM CHAIR KELLER said he believes that is a friendly suggestion. MS. MOSS said that Legislative Legal Services drafted it. CHAIR KELLER suggested that Ms. Moss provide legal services with Representative Gruenberg's concern. 1:34:42 PM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG moved Conceptual Amendment 1, labeled 28-LS1416\Y.1, Mischel, 4/7/14, as follows: Page 1, line 8, following "neglect": Insert ", in partnership with the department," Page 2, line ll: Delete "may, to the extent feasible," Insert "shall" CHAIR KELLER noted no objections, so Amendment 1 was adopted. REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX stated that she does not see how Amendment 1 gets rid of the fiscal note, if that is the intention. 1:36:16 PM MS. MOSS explained that without the amendment, HCS SB 171(JUD) reads that any one of these entities may start a MDT without supervision from the Department of Health and Social Services. She said OCS estimates an increase in 20 new social workers if even half of these tribes started an MDT without supervision. CHAIR KELLER noted that the amendment was adopted without objection. 1:37:09 PM REPRESENTATIVE LYNN moved to report HCS SB 171(JUD), as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. CHAIR KELLER objected. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG stated that it sounds like what is being done is having one agency, HSS, be the clearinghouse, "and you're sort of saying it will simplify things to have one agency do it, I gather, rather than a bunch...Am I right?" MS. ROSS said yes. CHAIR KELLER removed his objection, and HCS SB 171(2d JUD) moved out of the House Judiciary Standing Committee. 1:38:45 PM