HOUSE BILL NO. 168                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  requiring the Department of  Health and Social                                                                    
     Services  to   provide  and  allow  submission   of  an                                                                    
     electronic application for  certain state benefits; and                                                                    
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:24:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman relayed that it  was the second hearing for                                                                    
HB  168, and  the committee  had heard  public testimony  on                                                                    
April  22nd. The  committee intended  to quickly  review the                                                                    
bill, review the  fiscal notes, and look to the  will of the                                                                    
committee.  He noted  that there  was  a proposed  committee                                                                    
substitute for consideration.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  MOVED to ADOPT proposed  committee substitute                                                                    
for HB 168, Work Draft 32-LS0639\N (Foote, 4/28/22).                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:25:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ERIN SHINE, STAFF, SENATOR CLICK  BISHOP, explained that the                                                                    
only  change  in the  proposed  committee  substitute was  a                                                                    
change from the Department of  Health and Social Services to                                                                    
the Department  of Health. There  were also  other technical                                                                    
and conforming  changes related to the  Executive Order 121,                                                                    
which had passed earlier in the session.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman WITHDREW  his  OBJECTION.  There being  NO                                                                    
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:26:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LIZ  SNYDER, SPONSOR, explained that  HB 168.                                                                    
She  explained  that the  bill  required  the Department  of                                                                    
Health to  establish a fully online  application process for                                                                    
public  assistance   programs,  without   eliminating  other                                                                    
existing application  options. She thought it  was important                                                                    
to   know   that    online   applications   could   increase                                                                    
accessibility and efficiency  in application and processing.                                                                    
The greater efficiency would improve  access and granting to                                                                    
eligible applicants more quickly.  She noted that efforts to                                                                    
create  an online  application option  had been  ongoing for                                                                    
many  years but  had  not yet  been  unsuccessful. The  bill                                                                    
established a  deadline of  July 1,  2022 and  protected the                                                                    
option in statute.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  discussed FN 2,  a previously  published zero                                                                    
fiscal note from the Department of Health.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson MOVED  to  report  SCS HB  168  (FIN) out  of                                                                    
Committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal  note. There being NO  OBJECTION, it was                                                                    
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SCS  HB 168  was REPORTED  out  of committee  with four  "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendations  and  with  one  "no  recommendation"                                                                    
recommendation,  and  with  one  previously  published  zero                                                                    
fiscal note: FN 2(DHS).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman reviewed the agenda for the following day.