SENATE BILL NO. 124 "An Act extending the termination date of the Alaska Commission on Aging; and providing for an effective date." Co-Chair MacKinnon discussed housekeeping. 9:42:34 AM Vice-Chair Micciche read from Page 2 of the amended fiscal note: The amended fiscal note reflects a staff reduction from four full-time positions to three full-time positions in FY2017 and two full-time positions beginning in FY2018 going forward. Vice-Chair Micciche added that the reduction would be $93 thousand in personal services. 9:44:26 AM AT EASE 9:45:49 AM RECONVENED 9:45:58 AM Co-Chair MacKinnon remarked that there had been a discussion in the previous meeting regarding the 4 staff member support for the Board of the Alaska Commission on Aging. She noted the reduction in staff reflected on the amended fiscal notes. She requested that legislative finance walk through the fund allocations. KELLY CUNNINGHAM, FISCAL NOTE COORDINATOR, LEGISLATIVE FINANCE DIVISION, informed the committee that one position would be cut in FY2017, which would result in a savings of $93.3 thousand; $36 thousand in General Funds, $57.3 thousand in interagency receipts. She furthered that the second year of the reductions, 2018, the second position would be removed. 9:47:51 AM 9:43:45 AM Co-Chair MacKinnon queried whether the fiscal note information that the department had sent to her office for FY18 going forward, was reflected in the note. DUANE MAYES, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF SENIOR AND DISABILITIES SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), responded that the fiscal note that the department proposed would had reduced the 2 positions in FY18. 9:47:56 AM Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that the numbers reflected for FY18 through FY22, had been provided by the department, and that the only change that the committee had made was the FY17 reduction. Mr. Mayes agreed. 9:48:24 AM Co-Chair MacKinnon reminded Mr. Mayes that interagency receipts were also General Fund spending. She wanted to ensure that the two positions had not been moved to another division or department, but had been cut completely. Mr. Mayes replied that the positions were not being moved, but were being eliminated. 9:49:26 AM Co-Chair MacKinnon understood that the positions would not be moved to the State Unit on Aging. Mr. Mayes replied that the State Unit on Aging was delegated to the Division of Senior Disability Services. He explained that as a requirement of the Older American Act, the department had to gather input from seniors throughout the state, and to have an advisory council; the Alaska Commission on Aging was the advisory council. 9:50:16 AM Co-Chair MacKinnon solicited additional information form Mr. Mayes. Mr. Mayes replied that he did not. 9:51:47 AM SANA EFIRD, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, commented that the department understood the fiscal climate of the state. She said that the governor's FY17 budget for the commission had already been established, which was why they had recommended that the reductions begin in FY18. Co-Chair MacKinnon relayed that the committee understood that the cuts would impact the work that the commission was under schedule to complete. 9:53:21 AM Senator Dunleavy warned that the cuts would occur over all areas of government. He said that many long-standing, effective programs would be scrutinized. He thought that it was appropriate to reduce the fiscal note. Co-Chair MacKinnon hoped that all boards and commissions could be fairly evaluated in the future. 9:53:50 AM AT EASE 9:55:51 AM RECONVENED Vice-Chair Micciche MOVED to REPORT SB 124 out of committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. SB 124 was REPORTED out of committee with "no recommendation" and with a new fiscal impact note from the Department of Health and Social Services. 9:56:10 AM AT EASE 9:57:28 AM RECONVENED