HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE March 8, 2000 9:30 A.M. TAPE HFC 00 - 67, Side 1 CALL TO ORDER Co-Chair Mulder called the House Finance Committee meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. PRESENT Co-Chair Mulder Co-Chair Therriault Representative Foster Vice Chair Bunde Representative Grussendorf Representative Austerman Representative Moses Representative J. Davies Representative Phillips Representative G. Davis Representative Williams ALSO PRESENT Denny DeWitt, Staff, Representative Mulder SUMMARY HB 312 An Act making and amending appropriations for the operating and loan program expenses of state government, for certain programs, and to capitalize funds; making appropriations under art. IX, sec. 17©, Constitution of the State of Alaska, from the constitutional budget reserve fund; and providing for an effective date. CSHB 312 MOVED to report CSHB 312 out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation. HB 313 An Act making appropriations for the operating and capital expenses of the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program; and providing for an effective date. CSHB 312 MOVED to report CSHB 312 out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation. HOUSE BILL NO. 312 "An Act making and amending appropriations for the operating and loan program expenses of state government, for certain programs, and to capitalize funds; making appropriations under art. IX, sec. 17(c), Constitution of the State of Alaska, from the constitutional budget reserve fund; and providing for an effective date." Co-Chair Mulder noted that the Legislative Finance Division made a number of technical changes in order to conform amendments adopted to HB 312 and HB 313: Amendment DOT-1C was adopted to delete $600 thousand dollars in general funds from the Department of Corrections, Administration and Operations, Inmate Programs. There were insufficient general funds in the component to make the reduction. This was changed to reduce the component by the amount of general funds remaining and take the remainder from GFMH dollars: $455.9 thousand dollars in general funds and $144.1 in GFMH. Amendment DCED-10 reduced the Department of Corrections, Administration and Operations, Inmate Programs by $181.7 thousand dollars in general funds. There were no general funds remaining in the component, so the reduction was taken in GFMH dollars. Amendment DOT-1C created a new appropriation and a new component. The bill print program does not allow a component name to differ from the appropriation name when there is only one component within the appropriation. The component name was changed to Statewide Highways and Maintenance Needs to match the appropriation name. A corrected citation for the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission was made in section 4. DENNY DEWITT, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE MULDER explained that an additional technical amendment was needed to conform Amendment HSS-16. The intent of Amendment 16 was to take general funds. The amendment instead transferred $188.6 thousand dollars in tobacco settlement funds to the Medicaid Services component. There are general funds available in another component. A floor amendment would be offered to make the change. Funding was restored to the tobacco settlement fund. Amendment 18 would delete the corresponding general funds. With this amendment, Amendment HSS-16 will net zero GF. Co-Chair Mulder provided members with proposed committee substitutes for HB 312 and HB 313: work draft 1-LS1304\G, dated 3/08/00 and work draft 1-LS1305\D, dated 3/08/00 (copies on file). Co-Chair Therriault MOVED to ADOPT Amendment HSS-18: Department of Health and Social Services Medicaid Services BRU Medicaid Services component DELETE $188.6 General Fund/Match There being NO OBJECTION, Amendment HSS-18 was adopted. Co-Chair Mulder MOVED to ADOPT Amendment Intent-2: It is the intent of the legislature that the Alaska Court System examine the feasibility of moving its information technology network operations form the Department of Administration's Wide Area Network (WAN) to a network provided by commercial carriers. The Court System shall use money appropriated to pay network charges to obtain services from the cost beneficial network service provider, which may be a network secured for the balance of state government by the Department of Administration. Representative J. Davies was added as a co-sponsor to Amendment Intent-2. There being NO OBJECTION, Amendment Intent-2 was adopted. Representative J. Davies referred to language section 18. He questioned if the money would be for the planning committee in 2001 or for the full redistricting committee. Co-Chair Mulder thought that members of the committee would be named and that the money would fund the committee. Representative J. Davies concluded that there may be expenses for the planning committee in transition to the full board. Co-Chair Mulder agreed. Co-Chair Therriault MOVED to report CSHB 312 and 313 (FIN) out of Committee with individual recommendations. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Representative J. Davies identified areas that continue to be of concern: University of Alaska, employee contracts, municipal assistance and revenue sharing, and Power Cost Equalization. CS HB 312 (FIN) and CS HB 313 (FIN) were reported out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:40 a.m.