HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE March 18, 2005 1:36 p.m. CALL TO ORDER Co-Chair Chenault called the House Finance Committee meeting to order at 1:36:55 PM. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Mike Chenault, Co-Chair Representative Kevin Meyer, Co-Chair Representative Bill Stoltze, Vice-Chair Representative Richard Foster Representative Mike Hawker Representative Jim Holm Representative Reggie Joule Representative Mike Kelly Representative Carl Moses Representative Bruce Weyhrauch MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Eric Croft ALSO PRESENT GENERAL SUBJECT(S): HB 66 "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." HB 66 was heard and HELD in Committee for further consideration. HB 67 "An Act making 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." HB 66 was heard and HELD in Committee for further consideration. Public Testimony Operating Budget: Juneau and Fairbanks JUNEAU: Carol Edwards, Alaska Nurses Association; Ric Iannalino, Coordinator, Juneau FASD Diagnostic Clinic; Karen Cashen, Parent; Catherine Reardon, Parent; Barbara Thurston, Parent; Lucy Hudson, Member, Governor's Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; Jeannie Monk, Parent; Holly Cockerille, Social Worker; Merle Ritter, Southeast Alaska Independent Living; Cheryl Hull, Southeast Alaska Independent Living; Cathy Johnson, Member, Board of Directors, AWARE; Marc Wheeler; Walter Majoris, Director, Juneau Youth Service; Brian Johnson, Director, Juneau Economic Development Council; Pam Johansen, Parent; Ruth Simpson, National Council on Alcohol and other Drug Dependency; Ruth Simpson, National Council on Alcohol and other Drug Dependency; Elizabeth Ruder, National Council on Alcohol and other Drug Dependency; Chava Lee; Sherrie Wenzlau, Meeting the Challenge Campaign; Barbara Belknap, Board Member, AWARE; Nancy Karacand, Alaska Commission on Aging; Kevin Ritchie, Alaska Municipal League; Karen Sidell, Bethel; Virginia Smiley; Caren Robinson, Alaska Women's Lobby; Lance Miller, Executive Director, Juneau Economic Development TIME SPEAKER DISCUSSION  1:38:24 PM Carol Edwards, Spoke in favor of maintaining health Alaska Nurses care services in the budget, as well as Association funding for breast and cervical prevention and early detection. She highlighted expenses related to breast cancer compared to preventative costs.  1:44:23 PM Ric Iannalino, Stressed the importance of continued Coordinator, funding for FASD diagnostic services. Juneau FASD Shared expenses related to prevention Diagnostic and treatment.  Clinic 1:46:47 PM Karen Cashen, Spoke of personal experience with Parent expenses related to having an FASD child. Testified in support of the Governor's request to replace federal funding for diagnostic services for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.  1:49:40 PM Catherine Encouraged funding for small public Reardon, charter schools. She related how they Parent are funded as a separate school if it has an ADM of at least 150 students.  1:53:01 PM Barbara Explained the inequity in funding of Thurston, small public charter schools in the Parent Juneau School District. She spoke in favor of adding the charter school grant back into the budget.  1:55:19 PM Lucy Hudson, Testified in support of the Governor's  Member, request to replace federal funding for Governor's diagnostic services for Fetal Alcohol Advisory Board Spectrum Disorder. She related on Alcoholism advantages of funding programs for and Drug Abuse prevention. She also spoke in favor of funding substance abuse programs.  1:58:49 PM Jeannie Monk, Spoke in favor of equalizing funding Parent for charter schools because they offer more educational options.  2:01:07 PM Holly Stressed the importance of continued Cockerille, funding for FASD diagnostic services.  Social Worker 2:02:17 PM Merle Ritter, Related personal experience as a Southeast beneficiary of SAIL programs, such as Alaska visual aids, which enable her to live Independent at home. She encouraged continued Living funding.  2:03:56 PM Cheryl Hull, Requested continued funding for Southeast independent living centers provided by Alaska SAIL.  Independent Living 2:07:29 PM Cathy Johnson, Shared personal experiences with Member, Board domestic and sexual violence. She of Directors, requested additional funds of $300,000 AWARE for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.  2:10:19 PM Marc Wheeler Stressed the importance of continued funding for FASD diagnostic services. He pointed out the advantages of investing in prevention.  2:12:06 PM Walter Spoke about the Governor's Bring Youth Majoris, Home Initiative, and in favor of Director, funding for the Mental Health Grant in Juneau Youth Medicaid, FASD and substance abuse Service prevention.  2:14:56 PM Brian Johnson, Requested funding for micro- Director, enterprises, 18 percent of all Juneau employment in Alaska, to support Economic development of small businesses.  Development Council 2:18:04 PM Pam Johansen, Spoke in favor of supporting small Parent public charter school funding.  2:19:50 PM Ruth Simpson, Related reports of drug and alcohol National abuse by youth and the need for more Council on prevention programs.  Alcohol and other Drug Dependency 2:22:26 PM Elizabeth Spoke of her job as a social worker at Ruder, the Johnson Youth Center and the need  National for continued prevention services. She Council on related success stories and emphasized Alcohol and the need for continued funding.  other Drug Dependency 2:25:41 PM Chava Lee Testified in support of continued funding for positions at the Juneau Pioneer Home. She suggested that Alaska become a leader in the care of the elderly.  2:30:08 PM Sherrie Shared personal experiences with drug Wenzlau, and alcohol abuse and related Meeting the statistics about drug and alcohol abuse Challenge of youth. She emphasized the need for Campaign continued funding for drug and alcohol abuse prevention.  2:34:08 PM Barbara Urged appropriation of additional funds Belknap, Board for prevention of domestic violence and Member, AWARE prevention programs.  2:36:41 PM Nancy Expressed concern for vulnerable Karacand, Alaskans, especially the elderly. She Alaska urged support for additional staff at Commission on the Pioneer Home, and increased funding Aging for the home nursing program, and for adult protective services program.  2:40:32 PM Kevin Ritchie, Shared financial information on small Alaska communities (copy on file.) and Municipal requested assistance for them.  League 2:42:46 PM Karen Sidell, Spoke about cost containment of Bethel Medicaid benefits. She requested continued funding of Medicaid programs.  2:46:50 PM Virginia Testified as a breast cancer survivor Smiley in support of the Governor's $1.8 million dollar request for continuation and expansion for cervical and breast cancer screening. She spoke of the benefits of prevention from a personal experience.  2:49:27 PM Caren Spoke to two issues: in support of Robinson, continuation and expansion for cervical Alaska Women's and breast cancer screening, in support Lobby of additional funding for domestic violence programs. She related personal stories of the women she represents.  2:53:22 PM At ease.  3:13:25 PM Lance Miller, Spoke in favor of small business Executive development. He shared information Director, about Springboard, a resource for small Juneau business projects.  Economic Development # RECESSED The meeting was recessed at 3:16 PM  Co-Chair Chenault reconvened the House Finance Committee meeting to order at 4:38:41 PM. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Mike Chenault, Co-Chair Representative Kevin Meyer, Co-Chair Representative Bill Stoltze, Vice-Chair Representative Richard Foster Representative Mike Hawker Representative Jim Holm Representative Reggie Joule Representative Mike Kelly MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Eric Croft Representative Carl Moses Representative Bruce Weyhrauch FAIRBANKS: Ruth Prokopowich; Murray Richmond; George Hisamoto; Andy Harrington; Taber Rehbaum; Kimerbly Banderhoof; Webb Phillips; David Jacobson; Brenda Stanfill; Cami Aries; Hadahra Ben-Israel; Deborah Allman Reynolds; Sandy Young; Pam Karalunas; Shayle Hutchison, Stevie's Place, Fairbanks; Annie Hopper, Fairbanks; Mike Powers, Fairbanks; Cheryl Keepers, Fairbanks Borough Health and Social Services Commission; Sandra Bond, Legal Advocate, Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violence Living, Fairbanks; Annette Freiburger, Fairbanks; Karen McLain, Fairbanks; Luke Hopkins, Fairbanks North Star Assembly, Fairbanks; Ruthamae Karr, Fairbanks; Philip, Fairbanks. TIME SPEAKER DISCUSSION  4:38:53 PM CO-CHAIR Convened the House Finance Committee CHENAULT meeting in order to take statewide testimony on the operating budget from the Fairbanks area.  4:43:03 PM RUTH Testified on behalf of continued FAS PROKOPOWHICH, funding. She spoke to the current FAIRBANKS programs and the families that they serve. She requested more programs for those people that suffer substance abuse.  4:45:40 PM MURRAY Spoke in support of continued funding RICHMOND, for public broadcasting.  FAIRBANKS 4:47:17 PM GEORGE Spoke in support of restoration of HISAMOTO, independence living grants and capital  FAIRBANKS requests to assist those with disabilities.  4:49:44 PM ANDY Spoke in support of continued funding HARRINGTON, for public broadcasting, Human Services FAIRBANKS Matching Grant to 2.2 million. Testified in support of the Governor's $1.8 million dollar request for continuation and expansion for cervical and breast cancer screening. Stressed the importance of continued funding for FASD diagnostic services.  4:52:16 PM TABER REHBAUM, Testified in support of restoration of FAIRBANKS the Human Services Matching Grant of 2.2 million. Testified in support of the Governor's $1.8 million dollar request for continuation and expansion for cervical and breast cancer screening. Testified in support of the Governor's request to replace federal funding for diagnostic services for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.  4:54:17 PM KIMBERLY Spoke in support of programs to prevent BANDERHOOF, suicide.  FAIRBANKS 4:56:27 PM WEBB PHILLIPS, Spoke in support of independent living FAIRBANKS services.  4:58:03 PM DAVID Testified in support of full funding JACOBSON, for Independent Living Grants and a FAIRBANKS capital appropriation and transition funds, which help individuals return to their homes.  5:00:06 PM BRENDA Testified in support of funding for STANFILL, domestic violence and sexual assault FAIRBANKS programs.  5:02:23 PM HADAHRA BEN-Testified in support of funding for ISRAEL, domestic violence and sexual assault FAIRBANKS programs.  5:04:15 PM DEBORAH ALLMAN Testified in support of funding for REYNOLDS, domestic violence and sexual assault INTERIOR programs. She stressed for additional ALASKA CENTER fund.  FOR NON- VIOLENCE LIVING, FAIRBANKS 5:05:20 PM PAM KARALUNAS, Testified in support of the Governor's FAIRBANKS request for funding of diagnostic services for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and other substance abuse programs.  5:07:31 PM SHAYLE Stressed the importance of continued HUTCHISON, funding for FASD diagnostic services. STEVIE'S She gave examples of parents raising  PLACE, children with FASD.  FAIRBANKS 5:09:20 PM ANNIE HOPPER, Spoke in support of continued funding FAIRBANKS for public broadcasting. Testified in support of the Governor's $1.8 million dollar request for continuation and expansion for cervical and breast cancer screening. Stressed the importance of continued funding for FASD diagnostic services.  5:11:57 PM MIKE POWERS, Testified in support of the Governor's FAIRBANKS $1.8 million dollar request for continuation and expansion for cervical and breast cancer screening. Spoke in support of continued funding for public broadcasting.  5:14:08 PM CHERYL Spoke in support of full funding the KEEPERS, Human Services Matching Grant of 2.2 FAIRBANKS million.  BOROUGH HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES COMMISSION. 5:19:13 PM SANDRA BOND, Testified in support of funding for 5:16:25 PM LEGAL domestic violence and sexual assault ADVOCATE, programs.  INTERIOR ALASKA CENTER FOR NON- VIOLENCE LIVING, FAIRBANKS 5:17:15 PM ANNETTE Testified in support of the Governor's FREIBURGER, request to replace federal funding for FAIRBANKS diagnostic services for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.  5:19:16 PM KAREN MCLAIN, Testified in support of the Governor's FAIRBANKS $1.8 million dollar request for continuation and expansion for cervical and breast cancer screening.  5:21:23 PM LUKE HOPKINS, Asked the Committee to increase funding FAIRBANKS for Community Matching Block grants. He NORTH STAR observed that these grants help senior ASSEMBLY, transportation, homelessness, and youth FAIRBANKS at risk. He also spoke in support of reinstating revenue sharing. Spoke in support of continued funding for public broadcasting.  5:24:06 PM RUTHAMAE KARR, Noted the importance of cancer research FAIRBANKS and testified in support of the Governor's $1.8 million dollar request for continuation and expansion for cervical and breast cancer screening.  5:25:44 PM PHILIP, Spoke in support of the Department of FAIRBANKS Fish and Game, Hunter Education Range.  5:30:29 PM ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 PM