Alaska News • • 419 min
Alaska Legislature: House Floor Session, 4/8/26, 10:30am
video • Alaska News
Hmm.
Would the House please come to order?
Will the House please come to order?
Will members please indicate their presence by voting?
Will members please indicate their presence by voting?
Now that everybody's voted,
Now that everybody's voted,
Madam Clerk, would you please tally the board?
Madam Clerk,
would you please tally the board?
40 members present.
Forty members present.
With 40 members present,
With forty members present, we have a quorum present to conduct business. Mr. Majority Leader?
we have a quorum present to conduct business,
Mr. Majority Leader.
Mr. Speaker, there are no previous excused absences today.
Mr. Speaker,
there are no previous excused absences today.
Leading the invocation this morning is Dave Muldoon,
Leading the invocation this morning is Dave Muldoon,
Worship Leader at St.
Worship Leader at St.
Brendan's Episcopal Church in the Mendenhall Valley.
Brendan's Episcopal Church in the Mendenhall Valley.
Will members please rise.
Will members please rise?
in this room in our great state.
in this room in our great state. Thank you.
Oh God,
Oh God, the fountain of wisdom.
the fountain of wisdom,
with the— let me put this down here.
With the—
Sorry.
For all is good and occasions that lead to trade. Forgive me.
For all is good and occasions that lead to trade.
Let me start one more time.
Forgive me, let me start one more time.
Oh God of wisdom,
Oh God of wisdom,
who's good and gracious,
who is good and gracious,
and who is all the truth,
and who is all the truth,
we beseech thee to guide our representatives in the Alaska State Legislature to commence with great laws and bring together all the laws that shall please thee and serve the people of this great state.
we beseech thee to guide our representatives in the Alaska State Legislature to commence with great laws and bring together all the laws that shall please thee and serve the people of this great state. We humbly ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We humbly ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Representative Fields,
Representative Fields,
will you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?
will you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands,
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation under God,
one nation under God,
indivisible,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
with liberty and justice for all.
Representative Story.
Representative Story.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move and ask unanimous consent that the prayer be spread across the journal.
I move and ask unanimous consent that the prayer be spread across the journal.
Hearing no objection,
Hearing no objection,
the prayer will be spread across the journal.
the prayer will be spread across the journal.
Will the clerk please certify the journal for the previous legislative days?
Will the clerk please certify the journal for the previous legislative days?
I certify as to the correctness of the journal for the 72nd through the 78th legislative days.
I certify as to the correctness of the journal for the 72nd through the 78th legislative days.
Mr. Majority Leader.
Mr.
Mr. Majority Leader.
Mr. Speaker, I move and ask unanimous consent
Mr. Speaker,
I move and ask unanimous consent
Madam Speaker, consent that the journal of the previous days be approved as certified by the chief clerk.
Madam Speaker, consent that the journal of the previous days be approved as certified by the chief clerk.
Hearing no objection,
Hearing no objection,
the journal stands approved.
the journal stands approved.
Are there guests for introduction this morning?
Are there guests for introduction this morning?
Representative Kerrick.
Representative Karik.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Speaker.
Good morning. I get the pleasure to introduce in the Paratrovich Gallery,
Good morning. I get the pleasure to introduce in the Pratchevich Gallery,
Tracy Adams,
Tracy Adams,
if she would stand.
if she would stand.
Tracy is the community services manager at Thread,
Tracy is the Community Services Manager at Thread,
which is Alaska's statewide child resource center and referral organization.
which is Alaska's statewide child resource center and referral organization.
She was born in Nome and has always had a strong passion for supporting and advocating for children and families across the state,
She was born in Nome and has always had a strong passion for supporting and advocating for children and families across the state,
especially in rural Alaska.
especially in rural Alaska.
She got her bachelor's degree at UAF from the early childhood and family studies program.
She got her bachelor's degree at UAF from the Early Childhood and Family Studies program.
and she's a preschool teacher in Fairbanks where she's lived for the last 24 years she has three amazing daughters and she is often found at the hockey rink supporting the girls hockey team but she also enjoys beating crafting swimming and going golfing with her husband please help me welcome Tracy
And she's a preschool teacher in Fairbanks where she's lived for the last 24 years.
She has three amazing daughters and she is often found at the hockey rink supporting the girls hockey team,
but she also enjoys beating,
crafting,
swimming and going golfing with her husband.
Please help me welcome Tracy.
Representative Holland.
Representative Holland.
Good morning, Mr. Speaker.
Good morning, Mr. Speaker.
I have two constituents that are here this morning in the Taylor Gallery if Monty Worthington and April O'Connor could stand please.
I have two constituents that are here this morning in the Taylor Gallery if Monty Worthington and April O'Connor could stand, please.
Monty is an oncology genic counselor at Providence Center in Anchorage. He's lived in Alaska for 50 years and he enjoys exploring Alaska including a recent trip on the lost coast of Alaska between Yakutat and Cordova with a beach cart and his family including two young kids. It sounds like.
Monty is an oncology genetic counselor at Providence Center in Anchorage. He's lived in Alaska for 50 years and he enjoys exploring Alaska including a recent trip on the lost coast of Alaska between Yakutat and Cordova with a beach cart and his family including two young kids. It sounds like.
Sounds like quite an adventure.
Sounds like quite an adventure.
April O'Connor is an oncology genetic counselor at Providence Center in Anchorage.
April O'Connor is an oncology genetic counselor at Providence Center in Anchorage.
She's practiced in the fields of oncology, cardiology, and perinatal genetics for 21 years.
She's practiced in the fields of oncology,
cardiology,
and perinatal genetics for 21 years.
Her dream was to live in Alaska,
Her dream was to live in Alaska,
and she's now here with her husband and made the dream a reality when they built her home in south Anchorage.
and she's now here with her husband and made the dream a reality when they built their home in South Anchorage.
Monte and April are visiting the capital in support of licensure for genetic counselors in the state of Alaska.
Monty and April are visiting the capital in support of licensure for genetic counselors in the state of Alaska.
and invite all of you to help me welcome them to the capital.
and invite all of you to help me welcome them to the capital.
Representative Stutes.
Representative Stutes.
Good morning,
Good morning, Mr. Speaker,
Mr.
Speaker,
and thank you. I am delighted to have a constituent here from Seward.
and thank you. I am delighted to have a constituent here from Seward.
Cassie Werner, who is in the Paratavich Gallery,
Cassie Werner, who is in the Paratavich Gallery,
if she would stand kindly.
if she would stand kindly.
She is a lifelong Seward resident,
She is a lifelong Seward resident,
small business owner,
small business owner,
and city council member of Seward.
and city council member of Seward.
She serves as director of Hiper under Seward Prevention Coalition,
She serves as Director of HIPER under Seward Prevention Coalition,
where she leads efforts to expand child care capacity,
where she leads efforts to expand child care capacity,
support workforce stability,
support workforce stability,
and build sustainable early childhood systems.
and build sustainable early childhood systems.
Her work connects children,
Her work connects children,
child care,
child care,
housing,
housing,
and workforce development to ensure Alaska's community remain resilient,
and workforce development to ensure Alaska's community remain resilient,
healthy,
healthy,
strong,
strong,
and able to go. So I would be delighted if you all would help me welcome her.
and able to go. So I would be delighted if you all would help me welcome her.
Come hurt here.
Come her here.
Representative Hall?
Representative Hall.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker,
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning.
and good morning.
I have two constituents in the Paratrovich Gallery that I'd like to introduce to the body.
I have two constituents in the Peratrovich Gallery that I'd like to introduce to the body.
I'd like to start by introducing Rebecca Cofford, who is visiting today from Anchorage to observe the legislative process.
I'd like to start by introducing Rebecca Coford,
who is visiting today from Anchorage to observe the legislative process.
Mrs.
Mrs.
Cofford is an attorney in the Alaska Court System's Administrative Office.
Coford is an attorney in the Alaska court system's administrative office.
In her work, she handles a range of legal issues for all of Alaska's judicial districts, including responding to records requests.
In her work, she handles a range of legal issues for all of Alaska's judicial districts, including responding to records requests.
Prior to joining the court system,
Prior to joining the court system,
Rebecca served as the Executive Director for Anchorage Youth Court,
Rebecca served as the executive director for Anchorage Youth Court,
and before moving to Alaska,
and before moving to Alaska,
she practiced law in Texas for several years.
she practiced law in Texas for several years.
When she has free time,
When she has free time,
Rebecca enjoys sewing and raising two small children into slightly larger children every day.
Rebecca enjoys sewing and raising two small children into slightly larger children every day.
The second constituent I would like to introduce also in the Paratrovich Gallery is Mr.
The second constituent I would like to introduce also in the Paratrovich Gallery is Mr.
Nick Moe. He's in Juneau to help parents access the child care they need.
Nick Moe.
He's in Juneau to help parents access the child care they need.
Nick is a fourth generation Alaskan and the parent of two students at Turnagin Elementary.
Nick is a fourth generation Alaskan and the parent of two students at Turnagin Elementary.
His wife Allie is a nurse practitioner and their family is very excited to welcome another daughter this fall.
His wife Allie is a nurse practitioner and their family is very excited to welcome another daughter this fall.
Nick has a long history of civic engagement in Alaska,
Nick has a long history of civic engagement in Alaska,
working on local,
working on local,
state and federal policy issues throughout his career.
state and federal policy issues throughout his career.
his career.
his career.
He is a graduate of the University of Alaska Anchorage with a degree in political science and currently serves as the public policy manager at Thread.
He is a graduate of the University of Alaska Anchorage with a degree in political science and currently serves as the public policy manager at Thread.
So would the body please help me warmly welcome my two constituents.
So would the body please help me warmly welcome my two constituents.
Not seeing any additional guests to be introduced this morning.
Not seeing any additional guests to be introduced this morning.
Madam Clerk, are there any messages from the Governor?
Madam Clerk, are there any messages from the Governor?
A message dated April 6 stating the Governor noted the following resolution and is transmitting the engrossed and enrolled copies to the Lieutenant Governor's Office for permanent filing,
A message dated April 6 stating the Governor noted the following resolution and is transmitting the engrossed and enrolled copies to the Lieutenant Governor's office for permanent filing,
House Concurrent Resolution No.
House Concurrent Resolution number 11 extending the October 9,
11 extending the October 9,
2025 West Coast Storm Declaration of Disaster,
2025 West Coast Storm Declaration of Disaster, legislative resolve No.
Legislative Resolve number 24.
24.
A declaration of disaster emergency dated March 25 and accompanying letter dated April 6 regarding widespread infrastructure damage due to extreme cold temperatures was received.
A Declaration of Disaster,
emergency dated March 25,
and accompanying letter dated April 6 regarding widespread infrastructure damage due to extreme cold temperatures was received.
The declaration and letter were copied to the Finance Committee co-chairs and are on file in the Chief Clerk's office.
The declaration and letter were copied to the Finance Committee co-chairs and are on file in the Chief Clerk's Office.
A letter dated April 6.
A letter dated April 6.
Was received requesting concurrence from the legislature to extend the conditions of the 2025 West Coast storm disaster emergency in accordance with AS 2623020. The letter was copied to the Finance Committee co-chairs and is on file in the Chief Clerk's office.
Was received requesting concurrence from the Legislature to extend the conditions of the 2025 West Coast storm disaster emergency in accordance with A.S.
26.23.020.
The letter was copied to the Finance Committee co-chairs and is on file in the Chief Clerk's office.
I have no further messages from the Governor this morning,
I have no further messages from the Governor this morning,
Mr.
Mr.
Speaker.
Speaker.
Are there any messages from the other body?
Are there any messages from the other body?
Message dated April 1st stating the Senate has passed and is transmitting the following for consideration.
Message dated April 1st stating the Senate has passed and is transmitting the following for consideration.
Senate Joint Resolution Number 29 by the Senate Finance Committee proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to a public education fund.
Senate Joint Resolution Number 29 by the Senate Finance Committee proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to a public education fund.
Finance Committee.
Finance Committee.
Senate Bill Number 63 amended by
Senate Bill Number 63 amended by
By Senators Cronk, Keel, and Rousher Entitled an act relating to the local boundary commission, and providing for an effective date
By Senators Cronk, Keel, and Rauscher, entitled an act relating to the local boundary commission and providing for an effective date.
Community and Regional Affairs
Community and Regional Affairs.
Committee substitute for Senate Bill Number 130, Finance, by the Senate Finance Committee,
Committee substitute for Senate Bill number 130,
Finance by the Senate Finance Committee,
entitled an Act Relating to the Fisheries Product Development Tax Credit, Providing for an Effective Date by Amending the Effective Date of Section 2, Chapter 31, SLA 2022, and Providing for an Effective Date.
entitled an act relating to the fisheries product development tax credit; providing for an effective date by amending the effective date of section two,
chapter 31,
SLA 2022 and providing for an effective date.
Finance committee.
Finance Committee?
Finance Committee.
Committee substitute for Senate bill number 143,
Committee substitute for Senate Bill number 143, community and regional affairs, by the Senate community and regional affairs committee entitled an act relating to the terms of office of municipal school board members relating to the size of the city council in second-class cities and providing for an effective date.
community and regional affairs by the Senate community and regional affairs committee entitled an act relating to the terms of office of municipal school board members relating to the size of the city council in second class cities and providing for an effective date.
Education Committee.
Education Committee.
And the Senate has passed and is transmitting the following for consideration.
And the Senate has passed and is transmitting the following for consideration.
Committee substitute for Senate Bill number 185 Labor and Commerce by the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee entitled An Act relating to the business of insurance,
Committee substitute for Senate Bill number 185, Labor and Commerce by the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee,
entitled an act relating to the business of insurance,
relating to exceptions to prohibited rebates, relating to the powers of the director of the division of insurance,
relating to exceptions to prohibited rebates, relating to the powers of the director of the division of insurance,
relating to prohibited practices in the advertisement of insurance and providing for an effective date.
relating to prohibited practices in the advertisement of insurance and providing for an effective date.
Labor and Commerce Committee.
Labor and Commerce Committee.
I have no further messages from the other body.
I have no further messages from the other body.
Madam Clerk,
Madam Clerk,
are there any communications?
are there any communications?
There are no communications this morning.
There are no communications this morning.
Are there any reports of standing committees?
Are there any reports of standing committees?
In accordance with A.S. 39-05-080,
In accordance with AS 39.05.080,
the Community and Regional Affairs Committee considered Regulatory Commission of Alaska appointee Julie Volk.
the Community and Regional Affairs Committee considered Regulatory Commission of Alaska Appointee Julie Volk.
Vogler.
Vogler, signing the report representatives Holland,
Signing the report: Representatives Holland,
Prox, Hall,
Prox Hall,
Sinclair,
Sinclair,
G. Nelson,
G.
Nelson and co-chairs Himeshoot and Mears.
and Co-Chairs Himschoot and Meers.
The House Labor and Commerce Committee considered to the board to the Alaska Labor Relations Agency Jennifer McConnell signing the report representatives Freer,
The House Labor and Commerce Committee considered to the Alaska Labor Relations Agency Jennifer McConnell signing the report: Representatives Freer, Karik, and Co-Chairs Fields and Hall.
Carrick and co-chairs Fields and Hall.
The State Affairs Committee considered the state board of parole appointee, Steve Meyer,
The State Affairs Committee considered the state board of parole appointee Steve Meyer and the Alaska Police Standards Council appointee Brrronia Lambertson. Signing the report,
and the Alaska Police Standards Council appointee, Veronica Lambertson. Signing the report, representatives McCabe,
Representatives McCabe,
St.
St.
Clair, Holland,
Clair, Holland,
Hemschoot,
Hemshue,
Story,
Story,
and Chair Garrick.
and Chair Carrick.
The Finance Committee considered House Bill ninety one, marijuana tax retail stores registration, recommends it be replaced with committee substitute for House Bill ninety one finance with a new title:
The Finance Committee considered House Bill 91,
marijuana tax retail stores registration, recommends it be replaced with Committee substitute for House Bill 91 finance with a new title,
attach seven new fiscal notes,
attach seven new fiscal notes,
signing the report do pass Representatives Jimmy Hannon and co-chairs Schrage and Foster. Do not pass, Tomachevsky, amend Galvin, Stapp and co-chair Josephson. The bill has no further referral.
signing the report due pass,
Representatives Jimmy Hannon and co-chairs Schrage and Foster.
Do not pass Tomoshevsky, amend Galvin,
Stap,
and co-chair Josephson. The bill has no further referral.
The Health and Social Services Committee considered House Bill 157 effective adoption decree on siblings attached to new indeterminate fiscal notes and one new zero fiscal note signing the report due pass Representatives Gray and Mears no recommendation Procks and Fields amend Schwanke and Cheramina the bill has a further referral to the Judiciary Committee.
The Health and Social Services Committee considered House Bill 157,
effective adoption decree on siblings,
attached two new indeterminate fiscal notes and one new zero fiscal note,
signing the report due pass Representatives Gray and Mears,
no recommendation Prox and Fields,
amend Schwanke and Chermina.
The bill has a further referral to the Judiciary Committee.
The Community and Regional Affairs Committee considered sponsor substitute for House Bill Number 234,
The Community and Regional Affairs Committee considered sponsor substitute for House Bill number 234,
PERS Emergency Dispatchers.
PERS,
Emergency Dispatchers, attached two new zero fiscal notes.
Attached two new zero fiscal notes.
Signing the report due pass representatives Holland,
Signing the report do pass Representatives Holland,
Prox, Hall and co-chairs Meares and Hemschoot. No recommendation.
Prox, Hall,
and Co-Chairs Mears and Hemshoot. No recommendation,
G. Nelson,
G.
Nelson,
Amund,
Amend,
St.
St.
Clair. The bill has a further referral to the Labor and Commerce Committee.
Clair. The bill has a further referral to the Labor and Commerce Committee.
The Judiciary Committee considered House Bill 242, Sexual Assault by Health Care Worker, attached three previously published zero fiscal notes.
The Judiciary Committee considered House Bill 242, Sexual Assault by a Health Care Worker, attached three previously published zero fiscal notes.
Signing the report do pass, Representative Mina,
Signing the report do pass,
representatives Meena Costello,
Costello,
Underwood,
Underwood,
Eichheit, Vance,
Eishide, Vance,
Kopp and Chair Gray.
Kopp, and Chair Gray. The bill has no further referral.
The bill has no further referral.
The Health and Social Services Committee considered House Bill 244, CNA Training,
The Health and Social Services Committee considered House Bill 244, CNA training, attached one news error fiscal note. Signing the report, due pass,
attached one news era fiscal note.
Signing the report due pass,
Representatives Prox, Gray,
Representatives Prox, Gray,
Mears,
Mears, Schwaneke,
Schwenke and Chair Mina.
and Chair Mina.
The bill has a further referral to the Labor and Commerce Committee.
The bill has a further referral to the Labor and Commerce Committee.
The Finance Committee considered House Bill 262, number of superior court judges,
The Finance Committee considered House Bill 262, number of Superior Court judges,
attached three previously published fiscal notes and one new fiscal note. Signing the report due pass,
attached three previously published fiscal notes and one new fiscal note.
Signing the report do pass,
representatives Jimmy Galvin,
representatives Jimmy,
Galvin,
Hannon,
Hannon,
Stapp,
Stapp,
Allard,
Allard,
Bynum, and co-chairs Josephson,
Bynum, and co-chairs Josephson, Schrage,
Schrage,
and Foster.
and Foster.
No recommendation,
No recommendation,
Tomaszewski.
Tomaszewski.
The bill has no further referral.
The bill has no further referral.
The Finance Committee considered House Bill 263,
The Finance Committee considered House Bill 263, appropriations, operating budget.
appropriations operating budget.
Amend Supplemental recommends it be replaced with committee substitute for House Bill 263 Finance with a new title.
Amend supplemental recommends it be replaced with committee substitute for House Bill 263, finance, with a new title.
Signing the report due pass,
Signing the report do pass,
Representatives Jimmy and co-chairs Josephson Foster and Triage amend Galvin, Tomoszewski,
Representatives Jimmy and Co-Chairs Josephson,
Foster,
and Chiragi.
Amend Galvin, Tomaszewski,
Hannon,
Hannon,
Moore,
Moore,
Bynum, Allard,
Bynum, Allard, and Stapp.
and Stapp.
The bill is on today's calendar.
The bill is on today's calendar.
The Finance Committee considered House Bill 265, Appropriations Mental Health Budget,
The Finance Committee considered House Bill 265, appropriations mental health budget,
recommends it be replaced with committee substitute for House Bill 265, Finance, with the same title. Signing the report do pass, Representatives Jimmy,
recommends it be replaced with committee substitute for House Bill 265 finance with the same title. Signing the report do pass, Representatives Jimmy,
Galvin, Hannon,
Galvin,
Hannan, and co-chairs Josephson,
and co-chairs Josephson,
Foster,
Foster,
Schrage.
Schrage,
No recommendation,
no recommendation,
Tomoszewski,
Tomaszewski,
Allard,
Allard,
Feinstein,
Bynum Stapp,
amend more.
amend more.
The bill is on today's calendar.
The bill is on today's calendar.
The Health and Social Services Committee considered House Bill 272,
The Health and Social Services Committee considered House Bill 272, insurance for prosthetics and orthotics,
Insurance for Prosthetics and Orthotics,
recommends it be replaced with Committee Substitute for House Bill 272, Health and Social Services, with the same title; attached one new fiscal note and one new indeterminate fiscal note; signing the report,
recommends it be replaced with committee substitute for House Bill 272, Health and Social Services with the same title; attached one new fiscal note and one new indeterminate fiscal note.
Signing the report,
do pass, representatives Fields,
do pass,
Representatives Fields,
Gray,
Gray,
Meares,
Meares,
and Chair Mina.
and Chairman; no recommendation,
No recommendation,
Schwaneke; amend,
Schwanke,
amend,
Prox; the bill has a further referral to the Finance Committee.
prox. The bill has a further referral to the Finance Committee.
The Labour and Commerce Committee considered a committee substitute for Senate Bill number eighty nine, second L_C_
The Labor and Commerce Committee considered a committee substitute for Senate Bill number eighty nine, second L_C_ Physician Assistant Assistant Scope of Practice recommends to be replaced with House committee substitute for committee substitute for Senate Bill eighty nine, health and social services with the same title, attached one new excuse me, one previously published zero fiscal note. Signing the report, due pass, representatives Frayer, Carrick and Co-chairs Fields and Hall. The bill has no further referral.
Position assistant assistant scope of practice recommends it be replaced with House Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill eighty nine, Health and Social Services with the same title. Attached one new, excuse me, one previously published zero fiscal note. Signing the report, do pass, representatives Freear, Kerrick and co-chairs Fields and Hall. The bill has no further referral.
The Education Committee considered Senate Bill number 181, employment information disclosure,
The Education Committee considered Senate Bill Number one eighty one, employment information disclosure, attached one previously published zero fiscal note. Signing the report due pass, representatives Diebert, Eishide, and co-chairs Hemshute and Story. No recommendation, Schwanke, Elam and Underwood. The bill has a further referral to the Labour and Commerce Committee. I have no further reports of standing committees.
attached one previously published zero fiscal note. Signing the report due pass,
Representatives Deibert,
Eichheit, and Co-chairs Henshut and Story.
No recommendation,
Schwanke,
Elam, and Underwood.
The bill has a further referral to the Labor and Commerce Committee.
I have no further reports of standing committees.
mr. majority leader hearing
Mr. Majority Leader?
Mr. Majority Leader.
Mr. Speaker,
Mr. Speaker, I move and ask unanimous consent that the deadline for submitting amendments to the Chief Clerk's Office for House Bills 263 and 265 be set for today,
I move and ask unanimous consent that the deadline for submitting amendments to the Chief Clerks Office for House Bills 263 and 265 be set for today,
Wednesday,
Wednesday,
April 8th at 5 p.m.
April 8th at 5 p.m.
Hearing no objection,
no objection the deadline to submit amendments to the Chief Clerk's Office for House Bills 263
the deadline to submit amendments to the Chief Clerk's Office for House Bills 263
At 2:65, otherwise known as the operating budget and the mental health trust budget, will be set at today at 5 p.m.
and 265, otherwise known as the operating budget and the mental health trust budget, will be set at today at 5:00 PM. Madam Clerk, are there any reports of special committees?
Madam Clerk, are there any reports of special committees?
I have no reports of special committees this morning.
I have no reports of special committees this morning.
Are there any citations or resolutions for introduction?
Are there any citations or resolutions for introduction?
There is the first special order citation calendar.
There is the first special order citation calendar.
Mr. Majority Leader.
Mr. Majority Leader?
Mr. Speaker,
Mr. Speaker, I move and ask unanimous consent that notice and publication requirements be waived on the citations on the first special order citation calendar be made a special order of business.
I move and ask unanimous consent that notice and publication requirements be waived on the citations on the first special order citation calendar being made a special order of business.
Without objection,
Without objection, Mr.
Mr.
Mr. Majority Leader.
Majority Leader.
Mr. Speaker, I move and ask unanimous consent that the House approve the citations on the first special order citation calendar.
Mr. Speaker, I move and ask unanimous consent that the House approve the citations on the first special order citation calendar.
Hearing no objection,
Hearing no objection,
the first special order citation calendar is approved.
the first special order citation calendar is approved.
Madame Clerk,
Madam Clerk,
are there any bills for introduction?
are there any bills for introduction?
House Bill number 384 by the House Judiciary Committee entitled An Act Relating to the Definition of Victim Counseling Center for disclosure of certain communications concerning sexual assault or domestic violence.
House Bill number 384 by the House Judiciary Committee entitled an act relating to the definition of victim counseling center for disclosure of certain communications concerning sexual assault or domestic violence.
House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs and Judiciary Committee.
House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs and Judiciary Committee.
I have no further bills for introduction this morning.
I have no further bills for introduction this morning.
As we turn our attention to consideration of the daily calendar for the body's awareness,
As we turn our attention to consideration of the daily calendar for the body's awareness,
it will be the plan to take a break probably around noon or so,
it will be the plan to take a break probably around noon or so,
a half an hour break for lunch,
a half an hour break for lunch and then we'll continue on with amendments throughout the afternoon and make a determination in terms of a dinner break later on and I'll certainly work with you all to accommodate or arrive at the best time to do all that.
and then we'll continue on with amendments throughout the afternoon and make a determination in terms of a dinner break later on and I'll certainly work with you all to accommodate or arrive at the best time to do all of that.
So, with that, Madam Clerk,
So, with that,
Madam Clerk,
please read the first item on today's calendar.
please read the first item on today's calendar.
House Bill number 263 by the House Rules Committee,
House Bill No.
263 by the House Rules Committee by request of the Governor,
by request of the governor,
entitled an act making appropriations for the operating and loan program expenses of state government and for certain programs,
entitled an act making appropriations for the operating and loan program expenses of state government and for certain programs,
capitalizing funds,
capitalizing funds,
amending appropriations, making supplemental appropriations, making appropriations under Article 9, Section 17C, Constitution of the state of Alaska, from the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund and providing for an
amending appropriations, making supplemental appropriations, making appropriations under Article IX,
Section 17c,
Constitution of the State of Alaska from the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund,
and providing for an effective
for an effective date.
for an effective date.
date."
The Finance Committee considered the bill,
The Finance Committee considered the bill,
recommends it be replaced with committee substitute for House Bill 263 Finance with a new title.
recommends it be replaced with committee substitute for House Bill 263 Finance with a new title,
signing the report due pass,
Signing the report do pass Representatives Jimmy,
Representatives Jimmy,
Co-chairs Josephson,
Co-Chairs Josephson, Foster,
Foster,
and Schrage,
and Schrage,
Amend Galvin Tomoszewski, Hannon Moore,
Amend Galvin-Tomaszewski,
Hannon, Moore,
Bynum, Allard, and Stapp.
Bynum, Allard, and Stapp.
There's one committee substitute.
There's one committee substitute.
Mr.
Mr. Majority Leader.
Mr.
Mr.
Majority Leader.
Mr. Speaker, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Finance Committee substitute for House Bill 263 be adopted in lieu of the original bill.
Mr. Speaker,
I move and ask unanimous consent that the Finance Committee substitute for House Bill 263 be adopted in lieu of the original bill.
Hearing no objection,
Hearing no objection,
the Finance Committee substitute has been adopted.
the Finance Committee substitute has been adopted.
Brief at ease.
Brief at ease.
The House please come back to order.
The House please come back to order.
We are under amendments.
We are under amendments. Madam Clerk,
Madam Clerk,
are there any amendments by chance?
are there any amendments by chance?
Amendment number 1 by Representatives McCabe and Underwood, beginning page 1, lines 3 through 4.
Amendment number 1 by Representatives McCabe and Underwood, beginning page 1, lines 3 through 4.
Amendment number one will be rolled to the bottom.
Amendment number one will be rolled to the bottom, Madam Clerk.
Madam Clerk.
Amendment number 2 by Representative McCabe, beginning page 4,
Amendment number 2 by Representative McCabe, beginning page 4, lines 8 through 13.
lines 8 through 13.
Representative McCabe.
Representative McCabe.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will not be offering amendment two at this time.
Speaker.
I will not be offering Amendment 2 at this time.
Amendment number two will not be offered at this time.
Amendment number two will not be offered at this time.
Madam Clerk.
Madam Clerk.
Amendment number 3 by Representative McCabe, beginning page 66,
Amendment number 3 by Representative McCabe, beginning page 66, line 4.
line 4.
Representative McCabe.
Representative McCabe.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move Amendment 3.
I move amendment 3.
Amendment number three has been moved. There is an objection. Representative McCabe.
Amendment number 3 has been moved. There is an objection. Representative McCabe.
Thank you, mr Speaker. So amendment three is pretty simple. Um I was uh at a uh community council meeting not too long ago and they announced that they were giving uh community council grants to uh non-profit whose sole intent is to work against the state of Alaska in resource development. And we crafted this amendment uh so that it fit under the constitution for uh intent language.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So amendment three is pretty simple. Um I was uh at a uh community council meeting not too long ago and they announced that they were giving uh community council grants to uh non-profit whose sole intent is to work against the state of Alaska in resource development and we crafted this amendment uh so that it fit under the constitution for uh intent language.
Our Constitution is clear,
Our Constitution is clear,
Mr.
Mr.
Speaker. Our resources are to be developed for the maximum benefit of Alaskans.
Speaker. Our resources are to be developed for the maximum benefit of Alaskans.
That's not optional. It's foundational to our Constitution.
That's not optional. It's foundational to our Constitution and for us to appropriate money from this body to the Community Assistance Program,
And for us to appropriate money from this body to the Community Assistance Program,
Community Assistance Grants, and then have them turn around and provide it to an environmental group whose sole function is to work against.
Community Assistance Grants, and then have them turn around and provide it to an environmental group whose sole function is to work against.
Our constitutional mandate to develop our resources to me seems a little bit of a vicious cycle. We could continue to do that, but I think that we need to clearly tell the communities that are providing these grants that we don't want them working using our money that we appropriate to work against what we need, such as the gas line,
Our constitutional mandate to develop our resources to me seems a little bit of a vicious cycle. We could continue to do that, but I think that we need to clearly tell the communities that are providing these grants that we don't want them working and using our money that we appropriate to work against what we need,
such as the gas line,
such as roads,
such as roads,
all of our infrastructure development.
all of our infrastructure development.
And I think that we need to make that intent clear, hence this amendment.
And I think that we need to make that intent clear. Hence this amendment.
I'm happy to take questions.
I'm happy to take questions. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. Any discussion on amendment number 3?
Any discussion on amendment number 3?
Minority Leader Johnson?
Minority Leader Johnson.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Speaker.
I will be a yes vote on this amendment,
I will be a yes vote on this amendment,
and I think it's
and I think it's
critical if we realize how much money that we give out in community revenue sharing and I've been a big proponent of that but the fact that that money can be used to fund political advocacy when I think about our community revenue sharing I think of a variety of things that it might be used for it might be used for a playground it might be used for trails it might be used for upgrading the building that they have their meeting in but when I think about giving community
critical if we realize how much money that we give out in community revenue sharing and I've been a big proponent of that but the fact that that money can be used to fund political advocacy when I think about our community revenue sharing I think of a variety of things that it might be used for it might be used for a playground it might be used for trails it might be used for upgrading the building that they have their meeting in but when I think about giving community
revenue sharing to our communities, it's not to fund political activities.
revenue sharing to our communities it's not to fund political activities and so that I think this is a good amendment for that reason and I will be a yes vote
And so I think this is a good amendment for that reason and I will be a yes vote.
Representative Nelson.
Representative Nelson.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of Amendment 3.
Speaker.
I rise in support of Amendment 3.
And as the chair of a community council and been a member for quite a few years, we've given out these community assistance funds.
And as the chair of a community council and been a member for quite a few years, we've given out these community assistance funds.
There have been times where...
There have been times where.
I mean, our goal was to follow the intent of the legislature and there's very little language that actually lines that out.
I mean, our goal was to follow the intent of the legislature,
and there's very little language that actually lines that out. And so I think this is a good amendment. It gives some direction to the people that want to be responsible with the funds that are given and want to provide them to the community in the most effective way possible. So I think this intent language is good and clarifies things for just the multitude of community councils that are out there.
And so I think this is a good amendment.
It gives some direction to the people that want to be responsible with the funds that are given and want to provide them to the community in the most effective way possible. So I think this intent language is good and clarifies things for just the multitude of community councils that are out there.
So I would urge all members to vote yes. Thank you, Mr.
So I would urge all members to vote yes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker.
Representative Costello.
Representative Costello.
Good morning, Mr.
Good morning, Mr.
Speaker.
Speaker.
I rise in support of this amendment.
I rise in support of this amendment.
It is intent language,
It is intent language,
which I think is important in this budget.
which I think is important in this budget.
I believe that it's important that when we do write a budget that we ask others to follow the Constitution. You know, we all took an oath to follow the Constitution, and I believe that it's important that when we fund organizations that they too have an eye to our constitutional responsibility.
I believe that it's important that when we do write a budget that we ask others to follow the Constitution. You know, we all took an oath to follow the Constitution.
And I believe that it's important that when we fund organizations that they too have an eye to our constitutional responsibility.
responsibilities and I want to thank the maker of this amendment and I will be in support of it.
responsibilities and I want to thank the maker of this amendment and I will be in support of it.
Representative Sadler.
Representative Sadler.
Thank you,
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker. It's a pleasure to stand in support of this amendment declaring our clear intention that money we provide communities to help them perform their duties,
It's a pleasure to stand in support of this amendment declaring our clear intention that money we provide to communities to help them perform their duties,
their neutral duties as governments,
their neutral duties as governments,
is not turned around and used to lobby us on issues of personal concern,
is not turned around and used to lobby us on issues of personal concern,
private concern.
private concern.
We do have a constitutional mandate to develop our resources and to understand the details of this case.
We do have a constitutional mandate to develop our resources and understand the details of this case.
It's just stunning to me that people would take money provided to the communities.
It's just stunning to me that people would take money provided to the communities.
and turn around and use it to try and defeat the development that pays the bills in our state.
and turn around and use it to try and defeat the development that pays the bills in our state.
You know, how do you lose your constitutional authority mission?
You know, how do you lose your constitutional authority mission?
Slowly at first, but then all at once. So it's important that we stand in opposition to this kind of thing.
Slowly at first,
but then all at once.
So it's important that we stand in opposition to this kind of thing.
There's precedence as well. We don't provide money to the Judicial Council to advocate for or against judges.
There's precedence as well. We don't provide money to the Judicial Council to advocate for or against judges.
We don't allow other government money to be used to lobby us.
We don't allow other government money to be used to lobby us. So this is an important principle and expressing this through legislative intent is appropriate.
So this is an important principle and expressing this through legislative intent is appropriate.
I hope all members support this amendment.
I hope all members support this amendment.
Brief it ease
Brief it easy.
Will the House please come back to order?
Will the House please come back to order?
Hearing no further objection on Amendment Number 3,
Hearing no further objection on Amendment Number 3, it's been adopted.
it's been adopted.
Madam Clerk,
Madam Clerk,
brief at ease.
brief at ease.
Please come— will the House please come back to order for purposes of clarification for the record? I'm going to return back to Amendment Number 3. Representative Stutes.
Please come— will the House please come back to order for purposes of clarification for the record? I'm going to return back to Amendment Number 3. Representative Stutes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just in case there's any question,
Thank you, Mr. Speaker,
just in case there's any question,
I would like to remove any objection that I may have made on this Amendment Number 3.
I would like to remove any objection that I may have made on Amendment Number 3.
Hearing no further objection, Amendment Number 3 has been adopted. Madam Clerk.
Hearing no further objection, Amendment Number 3 has been adopted. Madam Clerk.
Amendment number four by Representative McCabe beginning page 59 following line 28.
Amendment number four by Representative McCabe, beginning page 59, following line 28.
A brief at ease.
A brief at ease.
Will the House please come back to order?
Will the House please come back to order.
Amendment number 4 will be ruled to the bottom.
Amendment number 4 will be ruled to the bottom.
Madam Clerk.
Madam Clerk,
Madam Clerk, amendment number 5 by Representative McCabe, beginning page 59,
Madam Clerk, amendment number 5 by Representative McCabe, beginning page 59, lines 19 through 28.
lines 19 through 28.
Representative McCabe.
Representative McCabe.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move amendment number 5.
I move amendment number five.
There's an objection.
there's an objection.
Representative McCabe.
Representative McCabe.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This amendment deals with ADA and it addresses a fundamental issue in this budget.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. This amendment deals with ADA and it addresses a fundamental issue in this budget.
We are legislating where we should be appropriating.
We are legislating where we should be appropriating.
The language in this section asserts legislative control over ADA's unrestricted receipts, deciding how these funds are used.
The language in this section asserts legislative control over ADA's unrestricted receipts, deciding how these funds are used.
We talked about, I talked about this last year,
We talked about, I talked about this last year,
Mr.
Mr.
Speaker.
Speaker,
ADA's funds, if the legislature dips into them, we stand a chance of affecting their bond rating,
ADA's funds, if the legislature dips into them, we stand a chance of affecting their bond rating,
which right now is among the top in the country,
which right now is among the top in the country, frankly,
frankly,
in the world. ADA is known as an awesome.
in the world.
ADA is known as an awesome.
funding mechanism until the legislature starts dipping into their receipts.
funding mechanism until the legislature starts dipping into their into their receipts.
ADA was deliberately structured in statute to operate independently of us.
ADA was deliberately structured in statute to operate independently of us.
The board has authority over its finances. Its receipts are not state funds.
The board has authority over its finances. Its receipts are not state funds. There are three or four legal amendments concerning this, Mr.
I have three or four legal amendments concerning this,
Mr. Speaker.
Speaker.
They are exempt, in fact, from the executive budget act. This budget language overrides that framework and sets dangerous precedents.
They are exempt, in fact, from the executive budget act.
This budget language overrides that framework and sets dangerous precedence.
It introduces real financial risk, as I mentioned, with the bonds.
It introduces real financial risk, as I mentioned, with the bonds.
And once we claim control of those revenues,
And once we claim control of those revenues,
future legislatures can then redirect them.
future legislatures can then redirect them.
That threatens ADA's creditworthiness,
That threatens ADA's creditworthiness, bonding capability,
bonding capability,
and ability to invest in Alaska projects.
and ability to invest in Alaska projects.
Mr.
Mr.
Speaker,
Speaker, ADA was designed to build up our infrastructure,
ADA was designed to build up our infrastructure,
to build up...
to build up...
Jobs to build up things such as the Ketchikan shipyard, such as Sneddasham Hydroelectric,
Jobs to build up things such as the Ketchikan shipyard,
such as Sneddisham Hydroelectric,
such as the mine to the Red Dog Road and a myriad of other projects that Ada has funded and used over the years and us dipping into them just because they look like a convenient pot of money is a huge mistake.
such as the mine to the Red Dog Road and a myriad of other projects that ADA has funded and used over the years and us dipping into them just because they look like a convenient pot of money is a huge mistake.
This also raises serious legal concerns about those assets can even be appropriated under existing law.
This also raises serious legal concerns about those assets can even be appropriated under existing law.
If we want to change the ADA statute,
If we want to change the ADA statute,
then we should do the right way, through the standalone bill and change the statute,
then we should do the right way through the standalone bill and change the statute,
not buried in a budget. We should not be changing statutes and changing the direction of ADA in a budget,
not buried in a budget.
We should not be changing statutes and changing the direction of ADA in a budget, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker.
I urge adoption of this amendment.
I urge adoption of this amendment. Thank you.
Thank you.
Free for these
Free for these.
Will the House please come back to order under discussion on Amendment number five,
Will the House please come back to order under discussion on Amendment number five,
Representative Josephson.
Representative Josephson.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker.
Mr.
Mr.
Speaker,
Speaker, the language in Section 7C at page 59 does not do what the maker of the amendment purports it does.
the language in Section 7C at page 59 does not do what the maker of the amendment purports it does.
The maker of the amendment said that this language somehow takes money from ADA.
The maker of the amendment said that this language somehow takes money from ADA.
It doesn't do that.
It doesn't do that.
If it did, you'd see a dollar figure in subsection C.
If it did, you'd see a dollar figure in subsection C.
What it says is,
What it says is,
and so no one is taking any of ADA's unobligated funds.
and so no one is taking any of ADA's unobligated funds. In fact, if you look at the language.
In fact, if you look at the language...
From lines 19 to 23,
From lines 19 to 23,
it effectively says all that you have, all that you have, Ada,
it effectively says all that you have, all that you have,
Ada,
is yours.
is yours.
It could be summarized to say all that you have is yours.
It could be summarized to say all that you have is yours.
And then at the very end, it says go forth and prosper with your funds,
And then at the very end it says go forth and prosper with your funds, the Set Stand Fund Arctic Infrastructure Development Fund,
the set fund,
Artic Infrastructure Development Fund,
under procedures your board adopts.
under procedures your board adopts.
That's all it says.
That's all it says.
It says what you have is yours and go use it wisely pursuant to the wishes of your board of directors.
It says what you have is yours and go use it wisely pursuant to the wishes of your board of directors.
That's what it says.
That's what it says.
And there's comparable language for AHFC.
And there's comparable language for HFC.
This language,
This language, by the way, contrary to ADA's comments,
by the way, contrary to Ada's comments,
that I've read something they offered,
I've read something they offered,
was in the budget last year when it left this body. I can't confirm whether it stayed in the budget at this moment.
was in the budget last year when it left this body.
I can't confirm whether it stayed in the budget at this moment.
But this was,
But this was when the Finance Committee was reviewing changes to the language section,
when the finance committee was reviewing changes to the language section,
this was just last year's language.
this was just last year's language.
So there wasn't substantial time spent on it.
So there wasn't substantial time spent on it.
Again,
Again,
what they have is theirs.
what they have is theirs.
Go forth and prosper.
Go forth and prosper.
Thank you.
Thank you.
So I think the amendments are not necessary.
So I think the amendment's not necessary.
Representative Sadler.
Representative Sadler.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker.
I rise in support of this amendment.
I rise in support of this amendment.
The language on page 59 of this budget bill represents a tremendous power swap in ADA's management. It's very prescriptive, puts limits on what ADA can spend money on.
The language on page 59 of this budget bill represents a tremendous power swap in ADA's management. It's very prescriptive, puts limits on what ADA can spend money on,
So I must support this amendment. I'll explain more briefly why.
so I must support this amendment.
I'll explain more briefly why.
AIDA has been doing good work for a long time for Alaska.
ADA has been doing good work for a long time for Alaska.
One of the things we hear often is that Alaskans want increased economic diversity,
One of the things we hear often is that Alaskans want increased economic diversity,
economic diversification and development to provide the funds for all the services we allocate for here.
economic diversification, and development to provide the funds for all the services we allocate for here.
ADA is one of our prime tools for doing that, Mr.
AIDA is one of our prime tools for doing that, Mr.
Speaker,
Speaker,
and I have been okay with some minor tweaks to how AIDA is managed,
and I have been okay with some minor tweaks to how ADA is managed, which have been put forth in this form before this session,
which have been put forth in this for this session,
as long as they pertain directly to what AIDA has been doing so successfully for so long.
as long as they pertain directly to what ADA has been doing so successfully for so long.
However,
However,
I see this measure,
I see this measure,
the language in the bill right now, which the amendment would just delete,
the language in the bill right now, which the amendment would just delete,
as part of a continuing effort to change the power structure in ADA and redirect its authorities and its funds to goals which might not be in the best interest of the state's desire for economic diversification.
as part of a continuing effort to change the power structure in ADA and redirect its authorities and its funds to goals which might not be in the best interest of the state's desire for economic diversification.
I fear that this will destroy ADA's ability to do what it does so well.
I fear that this will destroy ADA's ability to do what it does so well.
You know, as I said,
You know, as I say, we've also seen legislation to, I'll use the word metal in how...
we've also seen legislation to, I'll use the word metal in how.
ADA's executive leadership and boards are appointed and confirmed,
ADA's executive leadership and boards are appointed and confirmed,
which again seems to be of a piece in the desire to, I will not say that.
which again seems to be of a piece in a desire to,
I will not say that.
So I think this bill language on page 59 is bad.
So I think this bill language on page 59 is bad.
I think the amendment stripping it out is good.
I think the amendment stripping it out is good,
and I'm going to vote for economic diversification,
And I'm going to vote for economic diversification,
for economic development,
for economic development, and for going with what works and not changing it. So I will vote for this amendment and encourage members to join me in voting yes.
and for going with what works and not changing it. So I will vote for this amendment and encourage members to join me in voting yes.
Further discussion on amendment number five,
Further discussion on amendment number five.
Representative Prox.
Representative Prox.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker. I'm rising in support of this amendment.
I'm rising in support of this amendment.
I found the Finance Committee Chair's comments interesting.
I found the Finance Committee chair's comments interesting. As I understood him, he said this doesn't change anything.
As I understood him,
he said this doesn't change anything.
Well, okay. Why bother to put the language in there in the first place if it doesn't change anything?
Well, okay,
why bother to put the language in there in the first place if it doesn't change anything?
It must be changing something.
It must be changing something,
Therefore I support this amendment to uh delete the language on page fifty nine, because it seems unnecessary to tell them what to do and we shouldn't be as the sponsor
therefore I support this amendment to delete the language on page 59 because it seems unnecessary to tell them what to do and we shouldn't be as the sponsor.
pointed out we shouldn't be directing them through a budget language.
pointed out we shouldn't be directing them through a budget language thank you mr. speaker
Thank you Mr. Speaker.
And wrap-up, Representative McCabe.
In wrap-up, Representative McCabe.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Permission to read.
Permission to read.
Permission granted.
Permission granted.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker.
So I have a couple, three Attorney General's opinions.
So I have a couple, three attorney general's opinions.
I won't read them all, thank goodness,
I won't read them all, thank goodness,
but I would like to read a few things from them.
but I would like to read a few things from them.
A-G-O-P-833-02-058. The Alaska Constitution's confinement clause,
A.G.
Op.
833-02-058.
The Alaska Constitution's confinement clause,
Article 2, Section 13,
Article 2,
Section 13, prohibits the legislature from enacting or amending existing law in an appropriations bill.
prohibits the legislature from enacting or amending existing law in an appropriations bill,
and the legislature cannot in an appropriations bill alter the statutory scheme.
And the legislature cannot,
in an appropriations bill,
alter the statutory scheme. The confinement clause prevents use of an appropriation bill to make or amend substantive law.
The confinement clause prevents use of an appropriation bill to make or amend substantive law.
AG Opinion 883-00-095,
AG Opinion 883-00-095, an attempt to insert a substantive requirement in an appropriation bill thus violates the confinement clause of Article 2, Section 13.
an attempt to insert a substantive requirement in an appropriation bill thus violates the confinement clause of Article 2, Section 13.
AG Opinion 883-92-0141. It is well understood that the legislature cannot enact substantive law in an appropriation bill.
AG Opinion 883-92-0141.
It is well understood that the legislature cannot enact substantive law in an appropriation bill.
We're doing that in this section,
We're doing that in this section,
Mr. Speaker,
Mr.
Speaker,
regardless of whether we're taking any money or not taking any money.
regardless of whether we're taking any money or not taking any money. I don't see any section like this for the Alaska Railroad.
I don't see any section like this for the Alaska Railroad.
So this is the legislature's attempt to exert control over ADA and whether it's a little nibble at the edges or camel's nose under the tent or a huge undertaking,
So this is the legislature's attempt to exert control over ADA and whether it's a little nibble at the edges or camel's nose under the tent or a huge undertaking,
we shouldn't be doing that with ADA.
we shouldn't be doing that with ADA.
This is a fabulous corporation for the state of Alaska.
This is a fabulous corporation for the state of Alaska.
I would say it's second only to the Alaska Railroad in the crown jewel of Alaska corporations.
I would say it's second only to Alaska to the Alaska Railroad in the crown jewel of Alaska corporations.
And I think we need to quit messing with it. It's going to affect their bond rating if we continue to do that.
And I think we need to quit messing with it. It's going to affect their bond rating if we continue to do that.
I urge a yes vote.
I urge a yes vote.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Are you ready for the question?
Are you ready for the question?
The question being shall Amendment number five pass the House? Members may proceed to vote.
The question being, shall Amendment No.
5 pass the House? Members may proceed to vote.
Will the clerk please lock the roll?
Will the clerk please lock the roll?
Does any member wish to change his or her vote?
Does any member wish to change his or her vote?
Will the clerk please announce the vote?
Will the clerk please announce the vote?
21 yeas, 19 nays.
21 yeas, 19 nays.
With a vote of 21 yeas to 19 nays,
With a vote of 21 yeas to 19 nays,
House Bill 5 has passed the body. Madam Clerk.
House Bill 5 has passed the body.
Amendment number 6 will not be offered.
Amendment number 6 will not be offered. Amendment number 7 by Representative Moore, beginning page 6 line 8.
Amendment number 7 by Representative Moore, beginning page 6, line 8.
I'm rolling this to the bottom of the file. Madam Clerk.
I'm rolling this to the bottom of the file.
Amendment number 8 will not be offered.
Amendment number 8 will not be offered.
Amendment number 9 by Representative Moore beginning page 8 line 7.
Amendment number 9 by Representative Moore, beginning page 8,
line 7.
Representative Moore.
Representative Moore.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be not offering amendment number 9 or number 10 at this time.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be rolling— um, not offering amendment number 9 or number 10 at this time.
So amendment number 9 will not be offered at this time.
So amendment number 9 will not be offered at this time.
Amendment number 10 also will not be offered at this time.
Amendment number 10 also will not be offered at this time.
Madam Clerk.
Madam Clerk.
Amendment numbers 11 and 12 will not be offered.
Amendment numbers 11 and 12 will not be offered.
Amendment number 13.
Amendment number 13.
13 by Representative Moore, beginning page 39, line 7.
13 by Representative Moore, beginning page 39, line 7.
I move amendment number 13.
I move amendment number 13.
There is an objection.
There is an objection, Representative Moore.
Representative Moore, permission to read please?
Representative Moore, permission to read, please?
permission to read
Permission to read
Amendment number 13.
number amendment number 13 this amendment is intended to add 2 million to the northern region highways and aviation to support Dalton highway maintenance ahead of forecasted increased use the Dalton highway is more than a road it's a lifeline connects our resources our workers in our future and I hope we can all support this amendment thank you
This amendment is intended to add two million to the northern region highways and aviation to support Dalton highway maintenance ahead of forecasted increased use.
The Dalton highway is more than a road. It's a lifeline. It connects our resources,
our workers and our future and I hope we can all support this amendment.
Thank you.
Under discussion on Amendment number 13,
under discussion on amendment number 13 representative Sadler
Representative Sadler.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Telegraph this, I rise in support of the amendment 13.
Telegraph this. I rise in support of the amendment 13. I think it's important that we maintain the structures we have.
I think it's important that we maintain the structures we have.
Mr. Speaker, I had the occasion,
Mr. Speaker, I had the occasion,
the privilege to ride in a truck up the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks all the way up to Deadhorse earlier this year and saw firsthand the importance of this surface lifeline for Alaska's primary industry.
the privilege to ride in a truck up the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks all the way up to Deadhorse earlier this year and saw firsthand the importance of this surface lifeline for Alaska's primary industry,
And I was, I think I used the word shocked and chagrined at the condition of that highway.
and I was, I don't think I used the word shocked and chagrined at the condition of that highway. It's a narrow gravel road that crosses some of the most rugged territory on God.
It's a narrow gravel road that crosses some of the most rugged territory on God.
and God's green earth and truckers were having a heck of a time trying to avoid the potholes to avoid the soft shoulders to deal with the frosties and it was over the course of many hours it was made clear to me by the driver that this is the lifeline through which the supplies go to the north slope that power the oil exploration the oil production the gas exploration the infrastructure what all the things we count on to fund our state government we owe the industry we owe our state economy
and God's green earth and truckers were having a heck of a time trying to avoid the potholes to avoid the soft shoulders to deal with the frosties and it was over the course of many hours it was made clear to me by the driver that this is the lifeline through which the supplies go to the north slope that power the oil exploration the oil production the gas exploration the infrastructure what all the things we count on to fund our state government we owe the industry we owe our state economy
decent infrastructure,
decent infrastructure, if not outstanding infrastructure,
if not outstanding infrastructure,
so that we can keep that lifeline flowing and keep the money going to the state.
so that we can keep that lifeline flowing and keep the money going to the state.
There are many simple fixes that could be done through the Department of Transportation's Highways Division of Maintenance to make the Dalton Highway safer, more efficient, and more conducive to good operations,
There are many simple fixes that could be done through the Department of Transportation's Highways Division of Maintenance to make the Dalton Highway safer,
more efficient, and more conducive to good operations,
to fix the washouts,
to fix the washouts, to plow the avalanches, to expand the lanes, to provide safety. This is a very wise and important investment in our basic infrastructure.
to plow the avalanches, to expand the lanes, to provide safety.
This is a very wise and important investment in our basic infrastructure.
And I'm glad to support this and appreciate the member bringing it forward.
And I'm glad to support this and appreciate the member bringing it forward.
Representative Hannon.
Representative Hannan.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Speaker.
I too had the privilege of driving the Dalton last year as a passenger in a commercial rig where my driver had been driving that road since 1978.
I too had the privilege of driving the Dalton last year as a passenger in a commercial rig where my driver had been driving that road since 1978.
He had very specific recommendations and ways he would like to see DOT maintain that road.
He had very specific recommendations in ways he would like to see DOT maintain that road.
But as the chair of the DOT subcommittee,
But as the chair of the DOT subcommittee,
we fully funded every request that DOT had for highway maintenance.
we fully funded every request the DOT had for highway maintenance.
We asked them in committee,
We asked them in committee,
in subcommittee, and behind closed doors about ways to improve the Dalton Highway.
in subcommittee,
and behind closed doors about ways to improve the Dalton Highway.
And they said they're spending every dollar they have and in every way they are.
And they said they're spending every dollar they have and in every way they are.
This is not money they've asked for.
This is not money they've asked for and in fact they sort of implied they can't spend any more money, their seasons are short, and so I'm going to...
And in fact, they sort of implied they can't spend any more money. Their seasons are short. And so I'm going to.
going to oppose this amendment although I could say the Dalton Highway is a washboard and I can't believe that people drive it with their own personal rigs and RVs and maybe they shouldn't but those are different issues and DOT did not ask for this money we have fully funded every request they had for road maintenance.
I'm going to oppose this amendment,
although I could say the Dalton Highway is a washboard, and I can't believe that people drive it with their own personal rigs and RVs, and maybe they shouldn't, but those are different issues, and DOT did not ask for this money. We have fully funded every request they had for road maintenance.
Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Representative Costello.
Representative Costello.
Thank you. I rise in support of this amendment and want to thank the sponsor of it.
Thank you. I rise in support of this amendment and want to thank the sponsor of it. I think this amendment sends a very important message to the truckers in our state who have said that this is the number one capital,
I think this amendment sends a very important message to the truckers in our state who have said that this is the number one capital,
excuse me, project for them to keep that road and the maintenance in a shape that can be driven safely.
excuse me, project for them to keep that road and the maintenance in a shape that can be driven safely. And I think that members who've driven along in the trucks saw firsthand the condition of the road.
And I think that members who've driven along in the trucks saw firsthand the condition of the road.
so I will be supporting this amendment because it does it sends a very important message that Alaska is open for business and we have many projects on our horizon that are going to be reliant on a safe passage to our to the north thank you
So I will be supporting this amendment because it does. It sends a very important message that Alaska is open for business and we have many projects on our horizon that are going to be reliant on a safe passage to the north.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Representative McCabe.
Representative McCabe.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm going to approach this a little bit differently.
I'm going to approach this a little bit differently.
The Arctic is thawing.
The Arctic is thawing. We know that. We are starting to be able to access the Arctic and the resources up there. There are trillions of dollars of resources in the Arctic,
We know that. We are starting to be able to access the Arctic and the resources up there. There are trillions of dollars of resources in the Arctic,
Mr.
Mr.
Speaker.
Speaker.
I've said it before on this floor and I'll continue to say it. The United States is an Arctic nation,
I've said it before on this floor and I'll continue to say it. The United States is an Arctic nation, one of eight,
one of eight, only because of Alaska.
only because of Alaska.
Right now there are two roads going to the Arctic. There's the Mackenzie in Canada and there's the Dalton Highway.
Right now there are two roads going to the Arctic.
There's the McKenzie in Canada and there's the Dalton Highway.
Both of them are in incredibly bad shape. If it were up to me, I would put a railroad up to the north slope.
Both of them are in incredibly bad shape.
If it were up to me, I would put a railroad up to the North Slope. What a better way to haul goods,
What a better way to haul goods,
but it's not.
but it's not.
It's the Dalton Highway.
It's the Dalton Highway.
We need to make sure that that highway is fully funded, ready to go and repaired.
We need to make sure that that highway is fully funded,
ready to go, and repaired.
The Sag River washes out every couple,
The Sag River washes out every couple, three years or five years. It washes out a significant portion of that.
three years or five years. It washes out a significant portion of that. I think we saw that maybe not last summer, but the summer before.
I think we saw that maybe not last summer but the summer before,
and the DOT struggles with it.
And the DOT struggles with it.
I also think the DOT struggles with their direction on the budget.
I also think the DOT struggles with their direction on the budget.
So it is quite possible that they had to sacrifice some of the Dalton Highway money where we should be putting money into it, Mr.
So it is quite possible that they had to sacrifice some of the Dalton Highway money where we should be putting money into it, Mr. Speaker. Of all the things I've heard on this floor about funding things that were not requested, this is by far the most important.
Speaker.
Of all the things I've heard on this floor about funding things that were not requested,
this is by far the most important.
It's our lifeline to the North Slope and it's the lifeline to the new resource development that's coming in the Arctic.
It's our lifeline to the North Slope, and it's the lifeline to the new resource development that's coming in the Arctic.
the Arctic,
the Arctic, including fishing,
including fishing,
Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Representative Tomaszewski.
Representative Tomaszewski.
Thank you, Mr.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker.
I rise in support of this amendment.
I rise in support of this amendment.
The Dalton Highway certainly needs attention.
The Dalton Highway certainly needs attention.
And in recent times,
And in recent times,
we in Fairbanks are now starting to haul our gas in trucks down that highway to feed the infrastructure in Fairbanks for our natural gas.
we in Fairbanks are now starting to haul our gas in trucks down that highway to feed the infrastructure in Fairbanks for our natural gas.
And we need to look forward and see the opportunities that we have for resource development.
And we need to look forward and see the opportunities that we have for resource development.
within the North Slope Borough, and we need to fund that appropriately.
within the north slope borough and we need to fund that appropriately this is not a large request and we should be looking at the maintenance we should be listening to the truckers I have heard from many truckers about the conditions of this highway and I've driven it myself and we need to do more do better thank you
This is not a large request, and we should be looking at the maintenance.
We should be listening to the truckers. I have heard from many truckers about the conditions of this highway,
and I've driven it myself,
and we need to do more, do better.
Thank you.
at ease
Eddie's.
Will the House please come back to order.
Will the House please come back to order?
At this time, the House will stand at ease until approximately 1 p.m.
At this time, the House will stand at ease until approximately 1 p.m.
Will the House please come to order?
Continuing on under debate on Amendment Number 13, Representative Carrick.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. On amendment thirteen I really appreciate the intent of the amendment, but I am gonna recommend that members would vote no today. A couple of reasons. Uh we heard this issue fairly extensively in our department of transportation subcommittee it was discussed. And uh offline talked with the department of transportation at some length.
about whether additional funds was something they could actually capitalize on and put into use during the short summer construction season and currently the department feels that they have the resources that they are able to utilize at this time so while this amendment is very well intentioned I don't believe it's necessary or able to be affected the way that
The original sponsor of the amendment outlined further.
There are some other efforts underway to capture more federal dollars for the Dalton Highway through
Beginning page 16,
following line 8.
Representative Rutledge.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I move amendment 17.
Mr.
Speaker,
Amendment 17 is more intent language.
This has to do with an area of our state that I really did not know much about prior to the last year or so.
And I want to thank the operating chair of the Finance Committee for his work in dealing with the child advocacy centers across the state.
As many of you know,
these were funded primarily by federal grants.
for as long as they've existed.
In fact, there was very little state funding that went into child advocacy centers at all.
And that changed last year. Last year we appropriated $5.5 million.
This budget includes an additional $1.5 million.
In getting to know how this process works, it's come to my attention that there are some highly functional CACs in the state.
One of the areas that really is hurting for having access to these services is my own community in the Kenai Soldotna area.
With the addition of $1.5 million in this budget,
the intent of this amendment is to allocate $491,850 to the Kenai Soldotna area to provide a grant to operate a child advocacy center there.
there specifically for them.
Currently, my community is a satellite of the nonprofit Haven House in the Homer area,
and they operate a satellite campus for the multidisciplinary team in Kenai and Soldotna.
Sadly,
the positions are often unfilled, and there have been many cases of children not being able to get their interviews.
use after some traumatic events,
abuse and other sexual trauma.
And cases are going untried or have significant delays.
This was a request that as after talking to multiple community members, including members of that multidisciplinary team,
about what the cost would be to operate something that is based in the Kenai area so it can be well staffed.
And that's the amendment that you see before you. Thank you.
Representative Josephson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate that if I were new or not, and I read Amendment 17,
it would seem benign enough.
I had no conversation with anyone at DFCS,
so apparently these grants come through DFCS.
And then on to OCS, the division of DFCS, and on to the CACs. No one informed me that the $1.5 million that's added to this budget currently, that almost a third of it could go to a new program for which apparently there's already a satellite team in Kienais Eldana.
I would note also that I have frequent conversations with Miss Brenda Stanfill of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and her colleague.
testified in committee as well about CAC issues and there was no her name is Lori Morton there was nothing we were told at any time since I arrived January 7th that this was a request that there be this essentially a carve out of this 1.5 million and for that reason I oppose the amendment
Representative Stapp.
Yeah, thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I just want to say, like, Brenda Stanfill does not represent the CAC,
CDBSA. It's a different organization.
I think she's a wonderful person. This is the second time we've had this discussion regarding CACs where that's been invoked, and we probably shouldn't do that.
I'm just going to say this is a good amendment.
It's a good allocation of existing resources to a place where there is a high level of need.
That's gain ISO dotna.
I don't live there. Obviously, I live in the interior.
I support the amendment because helping abused children across the state is something we should, as a body, support.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Allard.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I actually personally spoke to Ms.
Sandfield,
and she had apologized for her and her representative coming up and speaking in front of the Finance Committee.
In fact, the other individual that was called up by the co-chair of finance broke into tears, put her arms around me and started crying in the hallway.
She felt blindsided by the notion that she had anything to do with the child advocacy centers.
And once I did speak to Ms.
Stanfield,
she said that she did speak to representatives of the Child Advocacy Centers, and said they desperately need the funds.
And I think this is an important cause,
and it was shameful because my amendment got shot down over misinformation to the body.
And I absolutely support this amendment.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Representative Sadler.
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I'm rising in support of the amendment,
but a point I wish to make, my colleague from District 27 to my right said it very clearly and eloquently a little while ago.
We are the appropriators.
We set policy for the state of Alaska and through our budget, our moral document, we implement those policies.
It's not vice versa.
The executive branch agencies do not tell us. They advise us.
We are the decision maker. It is up to us. We certainly listen.
But the vote's still the green-red buttons mean we're in charge. We make appropriations decisions, and I encourage us to do so. Yes, support the amendment.
Representative Vance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this amendment. Uh when it comes to the issue of whether or not um a child advocacy centre is needed in Kenai Soldotna area, I just want to emphasise
It is probably underestimated the level of need.
Homer, it's interesting,
usually the keen eye gives support services to Homer but happens to be opposite in this case.
So there's Ketchumac Bay quilters that make little baby children's quilts and little teddy bears that are distributed through the Homer police department to children who are in a domestic violence type of situation.
And a few years ago I asked them, how many do you do?
And they said that they made more than 300 every year.
So that's just in the homeware area alone that our police department will distribute these gifts of love to help soften the situation that they're in.
It's the CAC that handles, that then takes in these children to help them through.
In the Kenai-Soldotna area,
it's a much larger population by far, and the level of human trafficking and abuse that happens in that community has gone unrecognized in the state for a very long time,
and many times
These women will have young children that are used as leverage against them.
The CACs are this first level of defense to help these children who are in these traumatized situations,
help them work through and in a less intimidating situation.
And so I think it would be great negligence for us to neglect providing a CAC in the Kenai-Soldotna area that has a much larger population.
It has just a lot of transient activity and a way that we can add that humanity to a very vulnerable situation for these children.
So I stand and support this amendment.
Representative Castillo.
Thank you.
I rise in support of the amendment. And for those watching, I just am offering a reminder that the legislature is an entirely different branch of government than the departments in the executive branch.
And so when a member,
like the member from District 7,
lives in the community and is sent to Juneau to represent the voices of the community and solve
solve the needs of the community.
I think that as the people's branch, we should take that responsibility incredibly seriously. There have been many instances where I have listened to my constituents on issues and needs in the community that did not actually show up in a budget,
but we were able to come together and provide that solution. This is, again,
intent language,
so it doesn't...
hold the department you know with any sense of you know they they if they decide not to do this that's up to them but it is intent language and the legislature can speak through intent language I will be supporting this amendment and I want to say my comments are reflective of the member of district 24 who also mentioned that
As a separate branch of government,
we have a voice and our number one, our only job is to pass a budget and we do that collectively by representing all of our
districts across the state.
Now again,
I appreciate the member who's offering this amendment, and I will be supporting it.
Representative McCabe.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'd just like to remind the body this is what the minority is for.
This is why we offer the budget on the floor so that we can catch those things that maybe didn't get caught in finance.
A point of fact is, Mr. Speaker,
there are no representatives from the Kenai Peninsula on the Finance Committee,
and I think that this...
Point of order.
Point of order.
Mr.
Speaker, we must confine our debate to the business before the body,
which is amendment number 17.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I'm going to agree with the point of order,
Representative McCabe.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Point of fact is we are talking about the Kenai Peninsula CAC amendment,
I believe.
Maybe I'm confused.
We want to offer some money for the CAC department in the Kenai Peninsula,
merely trying to point out that this is a perfect time when we should allow the member from the Kenai Peninsula to offer an amendment like that and to bring forth something that might not have been brought forth that we might not have considered on the finance. Not a critique,
Mr.
Speaker,
just mentioning that this where this amendment comes from.
and how important it might be to that member.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Minority leader Johnson.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this amendment,
and as noted,
it's good to hear from all areas of the state when they may not have had a chance to
put their amendment forward in another committee.
This, I just want to remind folks, this is not additional and add to the budget.
It's just designating $491,850 to open the Kenai Soldotna area Child
Advocacy Center.
So, seems appropriate to let this go through knowing that we have numbers that...
have an opportunity and may want to speak to this and put this amendment forward and they didn't have a chance to before.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Hannon.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
If you've ever met with any of the CAC organizations, you know that they operate on a shoestring.
And the concern is this language asks all the existing CACs, because it's the
Minority leader just pointed out it's not an addition. It's asking them to give their budget to open another one. And so I'm not sure if my police department officer needs to work fewer cases, or if the Homer office needs to shudder one day a week or not take one case,
but without it being an addition, it's taking money from the existing CAACs and asking you to open another one. Um I don't doubt that there is demand. We have not met the demand for sexual assault and abuse investigation.
across the state but if we don't add money all we're doing is taking the current say sees and asking to operate less so I must oppose this intent language
Wrap up Representative Ruffridge.
Well, thank you, Mr.
Speaker. I will work in reverse to the member from District 4.
I will say
There's amendments coming for this purpose.
It is not my intention to offer this to take money away from other child advocacy centers.
$491,000 is a very specific number.
I was surprised no one rose to a question as to why that was there.
I was saving that for wrap-up,
so I'm going to tell you anyway.
I worked with the multidisciplinary team that meets in the Kenai-Soldotna area for the specific purpose of asking how can we do better.
Mr. Speaker,
we're not doing well. We're not doing well in our child advocacy centers across the state.
Most demanding of that right now is in the Kenai-Soldat area as the member from District 6,
I think, put forward very eloquently.
And I think for a lot of the reasons mentioned by the member from District 4,
that's because the budget is a shoestring budget.
Now, why is that?
And I did a lot of effort and a lot of work into trying to figure out why it is. And I mentioned it.
and briefly in my opening remarks it's because these CACs were not funded by the state up until last year and so working with one of the members of the staff of our operating co-chairs who does a great job in this we were able to work through how does this function should the state have a little more oversight right now mr.
speaker with the
budget before us, we are taking on the bulk of the funding for child advocacy centers.
So I think we have a responsibility to ask, are they doing the things that we want them to do?
And the answer right now is they're trying.
They're trying really hard.
But actually, a lot of things are falling through the cracks.
In the Kenai area,
it was multiple times this year where there was no interviewer, no professional interviewer, which is required by statute,
available to interview victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to our children.
Now, what happens in that case, those cases, they may go.
unprosecuted.
Conviction rates go down, bad guys get away.
So that's unacceptable to me, should be unacceptable to all of us.
I think that there is a way that we can have this conversation as a body and do a little bit better.
I'm going to make some comments about that a little bit later.
This dollar amount that's in the amendment is very specific.
And if members want to take a look at what's being asked for here,
it's literally the bare minimum.
to try to make sure that there is a child interviewer and a space.
for children who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault can have their words heard in a safe space,
can have the multidisciplinary team,
which is also provided for in statute,
a fascinating thing.
A lot of these individuals,
they volunteer their time.
They're all employed by other organizations like the troopers or the city police,
but they all say it's important to hospital.
We're going to use our time and we're going to use it to make sure that our children are treated with dignity and respect even after these things are perpetrated to our most vulnerable.
So this is the start of this conversation.
I think it's an important one and I urge your support for Amendment 17.
Thank you.
Are you ready for the question?
The question being shall amendment number 17 pass the body. Members may proceed to vote.
Will the clerk please lock the roll.
Does any member wish to change his or her vote?
Will the clerk please announce the vote.
19 yeas, 21 nays.
By a vote of 19 yeas to 21 nays, Amendment Number 17 has failed.
Madam Clerk,
Madam Clerk, Amendment Number 18 by Representative Ruffridge.
Representative Ruffridge,
there's
Well, thank you, Mr.
Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move Amendment 18.
There's an objection.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. Amendment 18 actually seeks to identify a few dollars that were added to the budget.
In this case, very specifically in...
page 15 line 17 for frontline social workers in in this case it was two hundred and sixty thousand dollars that we were hoping to use for retention bonuses
Mr. Speaker, we heard over and over and over on this issue in Health and Social Services Committee.
And frankly,
Mr.
Speaker,
the Department of Family and Community Services has the ability to pay bonuses now,
and they actually have dollars available to pay those bonuses based off of their incredibly high vacancy rate.
This idea of moving $260,000.
members from this retention bonus to,
as you see here, page 16, line eight is where I seek to move that money to page 16, line eight on the budget is where we find this phrase family preservation.
Mr.
Speaker is where grants to child advocacy centers go.
I think we need to do better for child advocacy centers.
We also need to do better in OCS.
But that's a conversation for another day.
Bonuses alone are not going to do that,
especially not,
Mr.
Speaker,
when children do not have an interviewer to talk to after they have had a traumatic experience.
This is not affecting just my community, even though it seems clear after the last vote that maybe my community will be thought of later. Second,
second,
maybe.
This seeks to just appropriate money for CACs because they need more. And frankly,
Mr.
Speaker, they're afraid to ask for it because they are so fractured that the way that this works is this multidisciplinary team that I mentioned before.
These are all people with other jobs.
All of them have other jobs with the exception.
of the interviewer and the director.
And they don't know how to ask.
So Mr. Speaker, I decided to get involved, ask the questions, and the truth is is uh we are not doing good enough. And this uh helps move the needle in that direction. Thanks.
Representative Josephson.
I thank you, Mister Speaker. Uh while well intentioned, I oppose Amendment eighteen for two reasons.
The first is that on the idea of retention bonuses that came to fruition in subcommittee and survived the finance process,
the majority,
both in the health committee chaired by the member from North Anchorage,
but also in finance committee,
took the step of having discreet, dedicated time.
To the subject of OCS reform.
And the reason we did that was because of the damning, frankly,
three-part audit that issued over the period of maybe a year or more from our auditor very,
very recently.
And there was a lunch and learn with Ms.
Mativier of Facing Foster Care.
There was dedicated time.
And the members of the subcommittee that oversaw this budget for DFCS were not going to do what the maker has said.
The maker said this is a conversation for another day.
That's what the maker just said.
And colleagues of mine on this floor said it is not for another day. It's for this day.
We're doing it now.
And so there were a number of things, including some very carefully crafted intent language put in this bill.
There was more training dollars put in this bill.
And there was a restoration of these retention bonuses.
In an email on March the 31st, I had with the director of Ms.
Quay,
she acknowledged that the retention bonuses have had some success,
some success.
So I'm being straight about that more particularly she said they were somewhat successful.
That's a quote quote somewhat successful. So she wasn't effusive like Andy this is the silver bullet.
These retention bonuses man keep them coming.
But she said they were somewhat successful.
And I want you to know that when I first chaired or sat on that subcommittee,
we proposed retention bonuses because their retention is so notoriously awful.
The next year, the administration itself put bonuses into the budget.
So this is not an unusual ask to try and incentivize workers to stay in this important work of social work.
The second reason I object to the amendment is,
as I said before,
the CACs simply did not ask for these dollars,
and they are capable of reaching out. They've been in my office before.
I've had four or five of them in my office,
I think, last calendar year.
They did not write or come to my office this calendar year.
And as I said, the only intel I have is that all they sought was $1.5 million.
They didn't seek $1.76 million,
which this amendment would give them.
They sought $1.5 million.
And I will tell the body that this was something I didn't entrust to the other body in the conference committee last year.
When CAC said I need five and a half million by God,
I was going to give it to him.
And so I'm ready to do what they asked for.
They just haven't asked for this. And for that reason and the former reason, I oppose.
Representative Sadler.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in support of this amendment.
And kind of going backwards,
we have again heard the argument because the executive branch did not ask, we should not give.
I will repeat my earlier assertion that we are the appropriators.
We take advice from, but we are guided,
but we're not directed to, we're not ordered by the executive branch. And if we as legislators see a need,
we are able to provide for that need.
You know, we've heard in previous debate,
we've heard the bonuses do not work. That's not a good way to...
recruiting and retaining teachers bonuses just don't work it has to be a solid increase forever and now we find out that in fact bonuses do work or at least they do sometimes and that we should use them as a as a tool well you know this amendment I think properly exercises the legislature's responsibility and ability to redirect resources in our budget to where we think they'll do the most good based in our judgment this amendment may pass it may fail that will be the will of this body
But to say that bonuses do work sometimes and don't work other times based on the circumstances is interesting.
I'm not in the Finance Committee.
I'm not in the House Committee.
Child services is not an area of policy in which I have...
worked much, but it's clear the member from House District 7 has.
He's listened to his community. He's talked to stakeholders.
He sees a need.
He is properly redirecting resources to that need.
This is good legislation, and much as I don't like to do this kind of thing on the floor,
I'm not in finance.
He's not in finance.
This is appropriate.
It's a good amendment.
We should pass it.
What more can I say?
Do it.
And wrap up, Representative Ruffridge.
Yeah, thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Let me start off by saying there is no they.
We heard from the operating co-chair,
they didn't ask.
Mr. Speaker, there is no they.
This entire Department of Family and Community Services has a whole division for the Office of Children's Services.
You know what? That's a they.
They get to come and ask.
There is no CAC division.
In the state of Alaska,
it's fractured. There is no day.
Each organization is a nonprofit that functions somewhat autonomously, and they get to try to function under the bands of which they are given,
the boundaries they are given financially.
Previously, that was under federal guidance and federal appropriation, even though we have it in our state statute.
We're off the hook.
For many years.
We're not off the hook anymore.
Maybe there needs to be a they.
And that's what I'm talking about when I say reform is a conversation for another day.
Mr.
Speaker, our child welfare system in this state is functionally broken.
A bonus of $260,000 by no means is going to be the fix. And that's what I mean when I say that's a conversation for another day.
Mr. Speaker, we have not addressed that scenario.
But what we can address,
what we can address right now is that we have child advocacy centers as the member from district.
from District 4 said on the previous amendment,
who are operating on a shoestring.
Mr.
Speaker,
children are going without access to interviews.
Children are going without access to their district attorney being able to have the information from that child in a safe space that can be used in a court of law.
I challenge the members of this body to go read the one line of statute that has to deal with child advocacy centers,
and it is the key by which.
We can unlock prosecution in these cases where children are harmed.
Do you want to know what the budget is for 22 child advocacy centers in the state of Alaska is?
22 centers across the entire state.
It's $11 million.
That's it.
$11 million for 22 centers.
That's $500,000 per center.
As we heard from the member from District 6, it's hundreds of kids in one.
Mr. Speaker,
do you know how much money we spend in this budget?
And right now we're going to say that $260,000 in bonuses is a better use of funds than put it towards a child advocacy center that currently is operating poorly?
That is not a good argument,
Mr.
Speaker.
What we heard is that the reason why we put these bonuses in here was because we had an audit,
and we did, and the audit is damning.
Is that what it takes for us to act in this body?
We have to have it rise to the level of an emergency?
Okay.
I guess we'll wait for that then.
I guess we'll wait.
We'll wait for the article that says child was harmed,
child received no care,
criminal goes free.
I guess we'll wait.
Oh,
that's happening now. Okay.
Well, maybe we'll wait for the auditor to tell us about that.
I think that's ridiculous.
Support the amendment.
Are you ready for the question?
The question being, shall Amendment No. 18 pass the body?
Members may proceed to vote.
Will the clerk please lock the roll?
Does any member wish to change his or her vote?
Will the clerk please announce the vote?
19 yeas, 21 nays.
With a vote of 19 yeas to 21 nays, Amendment No. 18 has failed.
Madam Clerk.
Amendment No. 19 by Representative Rutledge, beginning page 15, line 15.
Representative Rutledge.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. I move Amendment 19.
There is an objection.
There is an objection.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. Amendment 19 very similar to Amendment 18. This time we are looking at the Children's Services Training.
Mr. Speaker,
this amendment seeks to move $350,000 that was added to the budget for the purpose of facilitating in-person training for staff for the Office of Children's Services and move it into the child.
My brother was a corrections officer for a number of years,
and so I'm quite aware of what they see and have to deal with,
but I think that...
The common thing that I've always heard from any of the folks in law enforcement is that they do actually want to make sure that these problems that we're seeing out here on the streets and our communities are taken care of before they ever get to corrections.
One of the things that I think a lot of people don't realize is that if.
You do become a victim or if victim has issues early in life and it's not addressed early on, it's actually really quite common for them to also become part of the problem that they're having problems with.
And I'm trying to be sensitive to the nature of the subject.
So I would just encourage everybody to light that board up green because it's a big issue.
Unfortunately, we just have to make some priorities here as to which area we want to fund,
but on the keen eye,
we have heard from a number of folks, and so please support it.
Representative Tomaszewski.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in support of this amendment.
This isn't an addition to the budget,
Mr. Speaker.
This is simply transferring money from
perpetrators and to victims.
And Mr.
Speaker,
the children of this state are by far the greatest resource we have in this state.
I have five children myself.
I have three grandchildren.
And Mr.
Speaker,
there are so many children out there that are being affected that are victims of these crimes and they need the support.
And I am happy to stand and support with the children of this state.
Thank you.
Representative Prox.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I also rise in support of this amendment,
and there was some discussion about the Children Advocacy Center advocates not asking for the money,
but that shouldn't be a penalty.
That shouldn't at all be a penalty. I do recall them.
coming into my office and yes the focus was on money that they thought should have been spent and it wasn't on other things but they were talking about all they could do and just
in general we have to start spending money
on the front end to reduce the workload on the back end.
And now you would argue that if more people get sent to jail because a child advocacy center was able to convict them,
we're not fixing it on the back end. But we are because of helping those children on the front end.
And eventually that will result.
in less money spent on the back end, which is corrections. And I don't disagree that those folks have a difficult job, but we've got to make some tough choices. And I think we would be better off spending money on the front end as this amendment tries to do.
So I support the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In wrap-up, Representative Ruffridge.
Yeah, thank you, Mr.
Speaker,
and I appreciate the conversation.
This was actually not a light amendment.
It was actually not for the keen eye either.
It was for child advocacy centers in general.
Why?
Well,
because I did choose to start asking some questions about what we're doing here,
and it led me down a road that I did not expect.
I was on a conference call with a number of folks that are working in child advocacy centers and the director of the Alaska Children's Alliance just last week.
And I asked the question that you've heard sort of over again here,
well, what do you need?
Well, our official ask is to cover the grant that is disappearing from the federal government.
But the truth is, we need so much more.
We're not quite sure how to ask.
I think the member from District 36 actually stated it very well when she said that they sort of shyly asked for just covering the bare minimum.
I'm not okay with that.
Why am I not okay with that?
Well,
Mr.
Speaker,
we didn't have to be involved in this issue at all.
Um,
we didn't fund this for a long time. And so, you know, we could get away without a sight, out of mind.
But, but now we're not.
Now we're funding it. Now we're being asked for dollars. It's not out of sight, out of mind anymore. And I'm going to ask the question, are,
are we getting what we hope we should get in regards for justice for our children?
The answer to that right now, Mr. Speaker, is resoundingly no.
A member from District 4 said,
well,
we need the dollars that are here,
and I don't discount that.
The job and working in a prison facility is difficult.
But let me tell you, Mr. Speaker,
the job of a child interviewer in case of sexual abuse and trauma is a much more short-lived job than eight years.
In fact, the pay is decidedly up.
unbelievable, frankly.
In some cases it's less than $25 an hour.
They get no state health benefits.
They get no health insurance.
And they do it.
Why?
Why?
For many cases it's a mission for them.
It's a mission that they serve because they think it's the right thing to do because they themselves may have been
touched by trauma themselves or have a story that propels them forward in this in this mission to do better.
I think we should help with that.
I know that we don't have a budget in which we can just make a line item where we don't have to make choices.
I think that would be
The easy thing to do.
The harder thing to do is to ask about what your priorities are.
Is your priority right now to continue a program that has been in place for only one year that on all accounts and purposes is probably all well and good?
Or is it to say, you know what,
we actually have a system right now that is in
desperate need.
If they were a collective group at the moment,
similar to how many of our things get done in this building where you have a collective group,
a lobbyist and other things that is here advocating on behalf of your organization on a regular basis,
maybe this would have been something that
got got elevated a little higher but as it sits in front of us now that that's not the case so it's up to us as individuals to just go ask the question i'm sure i'm positive that the operating co-chair did not hear from them this year about the additional need because he as he uh is very truthful in saying has already been the advocate for the fill the gap dollars
So it involves us as a body,
as a collective of saying,
hey, other people hear things too.
Other people have connections to constituents or other people that may not know that the operating co-chair is the only guy to talk to about this money.
So it falls to me. It falls to other people that had different conversations.
I think it's pretty ugly out there if you're a kid.
Right now, I think it's ugly out there if you're a kid and you've been hurt.
We don't have a great system for them.
And when that system doesn't have a person to do the job that's required by law,
well,
then we're saying that our priority right now is these other things.
Amendment after amendment after amendment and not the thing that I think we all know would be the right thing to do.
So I urge you to vote yes.
Are you ready for the question?
Question being shall amendment number 20 pass the body.
Members may proceed to vote.
The clerk please lock the roll.
at ease
certainly have to spend more money on more corrections folks and thus they will also need more money.
So I think we need to consider the upstream funding that we're talking about. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Vance.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I appreciate my colleague from Kenai Soldot and bringing this forward because this is one area that I am greatly passionate about.
We need to keep in mind that Alaska has at least two times the national average of the number of child sexual abuse cases, and in some demographics it's up to six times the national average of child sexual abuse in this state.
The child advocacy centers are fulfilling a mandate that we have provided in law.
to help bring justice to these children.
We know that it's not enough,
but
when are we going to say that we're going to, we're going to give it a start?
When are we going to make this a high priority?
We've been talking about this issue for a very, very long time and we know that
59% of Alaska's women have faced some sort of abuse at some point in their life.
Many of the women that I've spoken to,
the abuse started as a child, and they learned to cope.
And we want to be the generation that says that we're going to stop it with our children.
We're not going to allow it to be acceptable anymore.
And these CACs are an opportunity.
to minimize the trauma that's already happened to them.
These are volunteers and people in our communities who are doing the very best that they can with very little to continue to stop this heinous trend in Alaska.
I know that this is a tough question of priorities,
but this is quite literally our job.
We know that we can't fund everything.
But we do have to figure out how to prioritize the money that we do have.
And Alaska's asked us to make sure that we provide justice to the most vulnerable.
This amendment does that.
It says that we recognize this is a problem and that we're going to take action to begin to do something about it.
And this is a reasonable one.
We're not adding money to the budget,
but we're shifting some priorities and the conversation isn't over.
We know that we're one side of the legislature,
one side of the body that can continue this conversation going forward,
saying we need to do more.
I had.
A man who was a victim as a child who started to speak up asked the question,
what could we do more as a state?
We have good laws.
And I said, we're going to have to provide more enforcement.
This is that, Mr.
Speaker.
This is saying this is another tool to help enforce the laws that we already have on the books.
And that is.
These child advocacy centers getting the personal testimony from these children so that they don't have to stand in front of a grand jury.
They don't have to stand with an intimidating trooper.
They can do it with someone that feels a little bit safer and more comfortable in their community that they can tell their story to.
They can help.
minimize the impacts of the trauma and make sure these children know that they're heard,
they're supported,
and we're going to do everything as a state to bring them justice.
So I ask for your support.
Wrap up, Representative Ruffridge.
Yeah,
thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Certainly appreciate the body discussing this issue with me.
I really wonder how many of us have actually looked through this budget from front to back.
Currently,
I stated previously $11 million is what it takes to fund the majority of our child advocacy centers in the state.
Just on the page that we're on right now, Mr. Speaker,
which is page 22 under child care benefits,
read the lines under public assistance.
Energy Assistance Program,
$31 million.
Public assistance facilities operations and maintenance,
tribal assistance programs,
$14 million.
And you can flip through and you can start to see that there are a number of things that we decide that we're going to allocate funds to that really I think if you were a member of the public you'd say, huh,
that's an awful lot of dollars for something I'm not quite sure what that is.
And yet $11 million is what we have for CACs.
$11 million is not even the total budget from the state.
We're actually only going to be representing $8 million of that $11 million.
They have to go fundraise, Mr.
Speaker,
for the rest.
Fundraise.
That sounds fun.
But here we have an opportunity to say,
well,
we're going to have our priorities shift just a little bit.
And we're going to say, you know what,
I think in this case, maybe we want to do just a little bit better.
And we have the opportunity to incrementally, incrementally, just little changes here that says, you know what, I know that these are unseen and unheard.
You know what, I hope, boy, do I hope that none of us have personal experience in this area.
But you want to know the sad fact is I've had conversations with many of you here.
This is actually not something that has been absent from some of our lives.
Certainly hadn't been absent from mine.
And you want to know what?
We have a chance here to just make a little bit of a difference.
Then I think we should do that. I think we should take it seriously.
I know we have this whole majority-minority thing and we like to fight and, you know, say this is my budget, you can't say anything else in here.
But this is probably an area where we should put that aside,
I think.
But we'll see.
Support the amendment.
Thanks.
Are you ready for the question?
The question being shall amendment number 21 pass the House.
Members may proceed to vote.
Will the clerk please lock the roll?
Does any member wish to change his or her vote?
Will the clerk please announce the vote?
17 yeas, 23 nays.
With a vote of 17 yeas to 23 nays, Amendment No. 21 has failed to pass the body.
Amendment number 22 will be rolled to the bottom. Madam Clerk.
Amendment number 23 by Representative St.
Clair, beginning page 66, line 27.
Representative St.
Clair.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I move Amendment number 23.
There's an objection.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
What this does is included in this budget was a one-time increment of $158 million to the education,
which equates to about a $600-plus BSA increase.
A couple of things.
Over the last 10 years,
we've given $367 million in one-time increments to deed.
With this amendment,
it will push us over half a billion dollars,
and I don't think we're doing any better.
I think our grades still are not so good.
Last year we had a significant increase to the base of the BSA.
Have we seen any results from that?
No,
we haven't had time.
We just keep throwing money at a problem without identifying the core issue.
We've been using one-time increments in education to prop up the education system,
a system that's broken.
We haven't seen a report on what the BSA, what these BSA increases, whether it be in the formula or an OTI,
have done.
We have no metrics for success and failure. And I guess my question is going to be,
what is the number?
What is the number? Because every year it changes.
I ask you to support this amendment.
Representative Kelvin.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I urge a no vote on this amendment.
And the reason is, well,
you just heard a lot of discussion around upstream concerns and making sure that we're looking after our children, certainly.
And unfortunately,
we are losing teachers and educators,
whether they're nurses or counselors or.
math teachers or even teachers of the year, greater and faster than ever in the past.
And we heard in this amendment discussion introduction that we want to know where
We're going to see accountability for the dollars spent.
I just want to make sure that we also understand as a body that last year we were asked to put in more than eighteen hundred in the B_S_A_ That was the ask. There was a compromise made. And we put in seven hundred.
So in terms of our keeping up with inflationary costs since two thousand eleven,
unfortunately we haven't done that.
And I want to help those in this room understand that removing $158 million from the budget right now, that's also removing funds that would go to all of our children,
whether they're in the neighborhood school learning,
whether they're homeschool,
whether they're in a special CTE school,
a charter school,
you name it, any public school student.
will be missing out on this opportunity,
hopefully to start catching up with where we haven't been able to, sadly.
And so that's why I do not support this. I think that instead what we need to be doing is listening to the parents.
To the educators,
to the business leaders who want us to invest in children,
to build more confidence and stability for our communities, especially when it comes to making sure we're producing the workforce that's needed.
So I urge a no vote on this amendment.
Representative Sadler.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in favor of this amendment.
I wish to note for members' reference that there is an editorial distributed at the request of the member from District 17 which was mislabeled. It said reference to amendment number 24.
It was seeming to apply to amendment 23 before us right now,
which I believe says in its essence,
do not use one-time money or revenue,
oil spike revenue,
for a one-time purpose.
Mr. Speaker,
this amendment follows that editorial.
It says we should not use one-time money for one-time purpose.
You know, we don't need to re-debate the entire education funding issue. I sincerely hope we don't.
But voting no on this amendment would give credibility to those who would say the education system in Alaska can never have enough money.
There can never be an opportunity to not spend money in education.
This seems to be a prudent amendment.
I think it's an inspiration is sound, I think the finances are sound,
and it appears at least we have one member who agrees that the we should not spend one time money for a one time purpose.
Representative Fields.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
If members'
goals are to accelerate out-migration and economic decline in Alaska,
I strongly encourage them to support this amendment.
And I want to correct the record.
The member who offered the amendment said,
we don't know what happened with restoring 40% of education funding last year, both in policy and the budget.
Well,
yes, we do.
In my district,
that restoration of some funds was sufficient to avoid a class size increase.
The amendment here.
If we adopted it, would lead to a class size increase of four students in every classroom on average in my school district.
Other districts would face similar impacts.
So where you have 25 kids in an Anchorage kindergarten today,
you would have 29.
Point of order, Representative Johnson.
I would like to ask the speaker there to speak to the amendment, not what he hopes the amendment would do.
I am, Mr. Speaker, I am directly speaking
to the impact of the amendment.
it's my duty to make a ruling on the point of order and I find the point of order frankly to be a little confusing to me because I think
Representative Fields, as I've allowed you and others to speak again,
largely to a very broad amendment,
amendment that have broad implications.
And if I feel like you are going out of bounds, I will remind you as such.
To clarify,
Mr.
Speaker,
this amendment,
if adopted,
would lead to an increase of four children per classroom in Anchorage with similarly negative impacts throughout the state.
And when I say similarly negative impacts,
the districts in Kenai and the Math Sioux have budget deficits of a very similar magnitude as in Anchorage.
I have never met a kindergarten teacher who says they can teach 29 kids. It is literally impossible.
The amount of money that's currently in the budget for education would be sufficient to prevent catastrophe in my school district,
the Anchorage School District.
It would also be sufficient to address much of the deficit in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, the Matsu Borough. In other districts that have suffered devastating cuts like Fairbanks, the amount of money that is in the budget right now would be enough to start rebuilding.
It's not enough to have the world's best school system. It's enough to start rebuilding and bringing down class sizes.
I have heard a lot of discussion in the context of this budget,
and this amendment addresses it, about how statutory changes are better than one-time funding.
I agree that is why the underlying budget language has one time funding with contingency language recognizing it would be wonderful if we can come together on bipartisan education funding and policy reform at which point this one time funding will be replaced with a fiscal note. The problem with this amendment is it says it deletes the contingency language.
So if you support statutory education reform,
then you should be opposing this amendment because this amendment says.
We don't have a place in the budget to support education reform.
I want to get in a little more detail about the impact of this amendment.
If this amendment is adopted,
we will see 300 teachers laid off in my district in Anchorage.
We will create a school system where no parent could look themselves in the mirror and say,
I feel responsible sending my kids to school. The classes will be too large.
I really appreciate the previous discussion about going upstream and preventing adverse childhood experiences.
Who works in schools?
Counselors.
Teachers.
These are the folks who keep kids safe.
I have two Title I elementary schools in my district where 98% of the kids are poor.
This amendment,
Fairview Elementary,
if this amendment is adopted,
Fairview Elementary loses a teacher.
We're going to have combo classes in a school where 98% of kids are poor. There are six kids in Fairview Elementary who are not poor.
But for the remaining 300 kids,
the school is where they get food.
The school is where they stay warm and the school is where they have an adult who is going to keep them safe every day. Our schools are where we start to address and prevent adverse childhood experiences.
So I really appreciate the discussion around adverse childhood experiences. I agree the schools are what help keep our kids safe and help our kids to learn.
So the most important thing for me in this entire budget is support for public education.
And this amendment,
unfortunately,
goes after it. I would urge a no vote.
Representative Ruffridge.
Oh, thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I don't know where to start with this one.
Well,
first let me say I'm going to support the amendment,
and then let me tell you why.
Firstly,
I think that when we talk about this.
which we've talked about I think more than anything else.
It really falls into the category of our dynamics, I think, as a body, our personality.
As a body, I think we sometimes like to catastrophize things,
and it has to rise to the level of a catastrophe before we take it seriously.
So obviously when we talk about education,
it has to be a catastrophe.
And Mr.
Speaker,
let me tell you, I think there is probably some things that rise to that level inside of our education system.
And I think we took it very seriously last year.
Many of us in this body made it our number one priority.
I personally said I don't support one-time funding for education.
Why?
Because I think it sends the wrong message.
I think it lets us off the hook for dealing with some of the real needed things that lie underneath of this funding problem.
And I think that was one of the reasons we advocated so strongly for HB 57.
seven to have the education task force language within it.
Mr. Speaker,
we've done a lot of work and there's a lot of work left to do.
But what I will say is what we've been left with is a knowledge that we have so much effort to put into,
frankly,
a lot of areas that haven't been looked at or touched in 25 years.
Continuing to just say we have a catastrophe now.
We have to make sure that we just put one time money in there.
That actually doesn't help solve the teacher shortage problem.
It maybe makes them not have a pink slip for just this year, but then now what happens next year?
And then it happens again the next year. And then it happens again the next year.
We have an obligation to take this quite a bit more seriously. Just like the last few amendments,
I think we should stop having things rise to the level of catastrophe.
The speaker before me said that schools are what prevent adverse childhood experiences.
Now, I don't know really,
I don't really know what to do with that.
I guess that means that when you're at school,
bad things don't happen to you. They only happen at home. I really don't, I don't know,
I don't, I actually don't know what to do with that.
But what I will say is that a educated.
population and an educated population in the variety of ways that we educate children in this state that is sustainable,
predictable,
and has clear guidelines about how that formula is done in well-established buildings,
well-maintained buildings with a clear direction for how we pay for that.
That's what we're looking for.
This is a band-aid and frankly, Mr.
Speaker, I'm not really entertained by that notion.
I think that we have a lot of time left in our session here.
I think we have education bills in motion that help to cover some of the gaps.
But what I will say while we're talking on this issue,
on Monday, I listened to the Kenai Borough School District meeting.
It's excruciating.
Horrible. It was a horrible meeting where school board members were forced with the impossible decision.
Closed schools or not.
And you know what? They did.
They closed four schools.
For education.
Representative Stutes, I am going to allow this member to continue speaking.
In broad terms.
And I would ask kindly of all members to certainly to have that liberty,
but as well to speak to the amendment in a manner that doesn't take us well into time.
Representative Ruffridge.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the latitude and I wanted to just respond to the speaker before me in referencing my school district and the things that this amendment he purported would change for us.
And I fear that it doesn't really change a whole lot. If this amendment were to be or if this.
Still with the with the full appropriation in it where to go forward.
Mr.
Speaker,
I think my school district is going to continue down the road of having these very difficult decisions until we as a body take the effort that is very necessary to dig into where these dollars are going.
And we've done that in the Education Task Force. And I appreciate that the members of the Finance Committee want to, you know, jump ahead to the end of the equation and say, well, we probably need to have some more dollars in education on some base level.
I don't disagree.
I just don't think this is the right way to go about it until we've had, as the speaker before me said,
funding and reform. And by reform.
I may be speaking about that in a different way.
I'm talking about how do we maintain our buildings.
We have zero answers for that.
How do we do it? We don't know.
How do we fund transportation? How do we solve the health care problem and the increase in costs for health care for our teachers?
We don't have great answers for that.
So I think we got work to do.
Thank you.
Representative Elam.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do have to rise in support of this amendment.
Unfortunately,
I just cannot support one-time funding.
What it doesn't do is it doesn't actually get the dollars to the spots where it needs to be.
I was blown away over the interim how few people within my district actually understood how the formula works.
And so to do and to continue doing and going down this road of one-time funding really does us a disservice.
And so I cannot support it. I told everybody before I wasn't going to be doing one-time funding.
If we're going to fund stuff,
we need to do it and stick within the formula.
We need to follow the rules that we've created for ourselves.
And that would be how I would support doing work.
So I can't do that.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Representative Bynum.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm going to rise in support of this amendment,
although my reasons for supporting the amendment are a little bit different than the maker of the amendment and me and him may have a little bit of a disagreement on some of the rationale,
but I will say this, Mr. Speaker.
When I ran for office and I came to this building,
I specifically said I'm going to try to help and solve the education issue with the BSA,
and I do not support one-time funding.
In finance,
Mr.
Speaker,
we had this conversation,
and the question was directly asked,
is this for one-time purposes? Because if it is for one-time purposes,
specific purposes,
I'll get on board.
The answer was, no, it is not.
This is a BSA substitute,
one-time funding like we've been doing year after year.
And that,
Mr.
Speaker,
I have pledged I will not do.
We have a crisis,
Mr.
Speaker, with teacher retirement.
We're not addressing that.
We have a crisis with our schools and our facilities and our maintenance,
hundreds of millions of dollars,
and we are not addressing that.
This funding doesn't solve that problem.
We have elevated costs,
Mr. Speaker, for heating oil and transportation costs in our schools.
This one-time funding does not give a guarantee that we will be solving those particular one-time funding needs.
I support one-time funding for one-time funding needs,
but I will not support one-time funding to continue this process of operational cost through one-time funding.
I urge us to start working together to come up with legislation in a bipartisan way like we did last year on a long-term solution.
Let the task force do what they were tasked to do and help us solve this education problem.
And I'm not just speaking here in general terms, Mr. Speaker.
In my own school district,
we have a crisis.
We're closing two schools and we don't have a big school district like Anchorage.
We have a small school district servicing less than 2,000 students in total.
This one-time funding does not solve the crisis in my school district,
Mr.
Speaker.
Sustainable long-term solutions is what solves the problems in our school districts.
And if we want to spend one-time funding,
let's focus it on needs that are there like our facilities and one-time directive spending activities.
That I'll support.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Briefings.
Fairbanks would be the necessary path forward if this cut goes all the way through the budgeting process.
This hatchery has six full-time and four part-time employees and it operates at a cost of approximately 2.3 million dollars per year.
I'm happy to entertain any questions that anyone might have but I hope you support the amendment.
Any comments in wrap-up? Pardon me, there is a mic raised. Representative Jimmy.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Permission to refer to my notes?
Representative Jimmy.
I oppose Amendment 28.
This is for two reasons.
First,
the Department of Fish and Game never brought a specific concern to me,
the Subcommittee Chair.
about this fund swap even when given an opportunity to explain in writing how this would affect them.
There's nothing forcing them to cut one project or another.
They can move around in their Dingle Johnson funds how they would like as Alaska Fisheries demand.
But I don't believe that they will have to take drastic measures in their department because the fund swap
swaps because the math just doesn't check out.
For at least the last two fiscal years,
the Department's Dingo Johnson Fund has been going up from $19.1 million to $20.8 million to an expected $22.1 million.
The Legislature has the right to appropriate funding. The Department has the extra DJ funding.
About $3 million,
and we were just dropping some of it,
about $2.2 million where we know it can be used well in the state of Alaska.
And our change just asked the department to use up Dingle Johnson funds we have already paid match for.
The Department of Fish and Game is still sitting on a pot about $80 million in the Dingle Johnson match.
spent on these hatcheries.
This is DJ money we've already spent UJF to unlock.
At the current rate of spending we won't use up the pot of money until 2070 but we are in a fiscal crisis now.
Words abroad be bailing us out for the time being, but we know better than to count on one-time bonuses for planning our future. Our changes were fiscally responsible to make. So please vote no, oye anna.
Representative McCabe.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. I sit on the Fisheries Committee and on the Finance Subcommittee.
This came up in the Finance Subcommittee and I asked for Commissioner Vincent Lang to come up and talk and he was,
that didn't happen.
So this is a meet the match.
We've been talking about meet the match all the time.
It's federal money that we have excess.
If there is excess,
I'm not completely sure there is because Commissioner Vincent Lang was not given a chance to talk.
I'm disposed to vote for this amendment because I think the hatchery program is well worth the money that we get out of it.
I would certainly hate to see the Fairbanks hatchery have to close to support one hatchery and us further decimate the rest of our fish.
I wish we had been able to talk to Commissioner Vincent Lang about this,
but it just didn't happen for timing or whatever reason.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Vance?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I think the prior member from Big Lake was being gracious.
He specifically asked for the Commissioner who was sitting in the room to be able to speak to the impacts of removing the more than $2 million from the hatchery program.
The chair of the subcommittee said no.
So we were not able to get a response on the record about the impacts.
It's the way the Dingle-Johnson funds work.
is that it's federal dollars.
By taking them away,
it doesn't mean that we get to put that money somewhere else in the general fund.
This would be a detrimental impact on the sport fish hatchery program that is helping feed families up in the interior.
This is a significant program. You can't just turn off a hatchery and then expect to turn it back on next year when there's funding.
This is a significant program.
If he were to choose not to shut down the hatchery,
that means that he would have to stop other boating access projects to the tune of $2 million.
The Dingle-Johnson funds run over periods of time that we have to access.
The federal calendar is different than our state calendar,
and so it's not a plug and play in the budget like our state appropriation is.
Those have to go on for several calendar years,
and they're projects that take time to develop.
I'm going to stand in support of this amendment because this is one of the ways that we work on rehabilitation when it comes to the fishery. And the hatchery program in the state is done on specific genetics for that region.
In Fisheries Committee,
I was perplexed as to why this amendment came up, why the opposition to the sport fish hatchery up in the interior.
I still stand perplexed why anyone is wanting to remove this great program.
I know that, you know, we have people as far as Fairbanks come down to fish the Kenai and Kasilof to dip net.
By having a hatchery program that rehabilitates the rivers up there that keeps things going, it makes it so people have access to fish in their own backyard.
So I'm going to stand in support of this. I hope that members of this body support this amendment to restore the funds that we've continued this program so that we continue to provide access to feed families in the interior.
participate in the discussion at that time.
It's not unusual. It's an explicit rule from the operating budget chair. They were written instructions. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Representative Stapp.
Yeah.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
And thank the member from Juneau for reminding us of the subcommittee rules.
I just wanted to say I support this amendment.
It's really important for the interior for Hatchery and Fairbanks to restore this funding.
And I hope that every member in our delegation will support this amendment because,
you know, if the funds aren't restored,
we probably will see a closure in our Hatchery and Fairbanks.
and that would have an adverse impact on the amount of fish available and there's already a shortage of fish. So that's a relatively simple amendment for me, and I hope members vote yes. Thank you.
Representative Klawe.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
So I had some time to wrap my head around what happened in subcommittee because I wasn't there.
So this deduction was used to fund something else.
This amendment doesn't take that money away.
It just restores the money back to the fishery. And also, okay,
maybe the...
Commissioner couldn't speak in subcommittee,
but we have a letter now.
We know now that there's a problem,
and so I hope you support the amendment.
Representative Tomaszewski.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this amendment. It is very important that we keep our Fairbanks hatchery running and funded,
and I find it.
It's kind of difficult to believe that a commissioner wouldn't be allowed to speak in the committee to talk about this specific amendment.
And I think we should do the right thing and vote to restore this funding back to the department.
Thank you.
Representative Prox.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise to speak in favor of this amendment.
And uh the representative from Juneau reminded us of yet another flaw in the subcommittee process. But there we go. We're gonna have to deal with it.
Um and
I'm thinking of s
spending money up front so we don't have problems later. And you would wonder why that applies to fishing. But it is.
So much fun to see families in the interior that maybe can't afford to go out, fly out to a lake or go all the way down to Kenai or somewhere else to catch fish.
And they're just parents out there with their kids catching
small fish,
but the kids have so much fun doing that. And I have no idea how much.
how many other problems that avoids, but I suspect that it's quite a few. And it really has been a great programme for the interior. So I support this amendment and hope everyone will vote yes. Thank you.
Brief it is.
Would the House please come back to order?
We have before us Amendment Number
28.
Representative Sadler,
I believe you're next in line.
Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Stand by one quick second while we get back to order here.
Mr.
Chairman,
I rise in support of this amendment.
You know,
chairmen have significant responsibilities and authority,
whether it's in subcommittees or in full committees or on the floor of this body or anybody.
And we try to get the people's business done in an expeditious way and sometimes we call balls and strikes in ways that provide for the greater good and not a persnickety adherence to rules.
I would like to think that...
If there was a situation in which the commissioner is present at a subcommittee meeting when the entire function of a budget subcommittee is to find out what proposed changes to the budget would mean for the department and its ability to fulfil its missions and responsibilities, that the chair would not exercise their authority to bring that person forward. Um so that's the whole purpose of a subcommittee is to is to have those decisions made at the lower level so we don't have to debate them here on the floor at this level. So I'm afraid
Respectfully, I don't see the defense that the rules prohibit a person from testifying to Commissioner,
who's responsible for the department.
I don't see it as a compelling argument that a rule would keep that person from testifying to prevent reversal of what I think was a bad move in the Finance Committee.
This amendment corrects a wrong,
it's a good amendment,
it does good things for the department,
it will take care of fisheries, hatcheries, and the people that depend on them.
So we have a chance to fix things and do it right.
Let's do it.
Representative Carrick.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So on Amendment 28 I find myself just a little bit confused. I don't sit on the underlying committee, I don't sit on the subcommittee, but I do care very much about the issue that's been raised here which is the Hatchery in Fairbanks. And it's a little unclear to me from what took place in the subcommittee to now.
what actions and questions have been asked and what still needs to be done here.
I think the intention behind this amendment is very positive.
I'm a little confused about why if this program is not currently funded through UGF and we have an over-capitalized Dingle Johnson program funds and assurances that Dingle Johnson program funds can be used to supplant existing federal funds.
Why we need UGF instead of utilizing Dinkel-Johnson.
So that is a question I have. I also rise to a question for the interior members of our House Finance Committee.
Was this amendment offered in the House Finance Committee?
And my understanding is it wasn't. So I'm wondering why at that level, given the severity of this issue, should the arguments presented today turn out to be technically correct?
why that wasn't brought forward in the Finance Committee as well.
So at this time, I'm not going to be able to support Amendment 28,
but I really just want to implore, I guess the other body,
Mr.
Speaker,
implore us to keep a thumb on the pulse of this issue because if this amendment is what is needed to ensure the Fairbanks Hatchery is open,
or if some version of it is what is needed,
then that should happen at some point in this budget process.
So I want to be very clear about where I stand on that issue.
I just, I'm getting a lot of conflicting information here today,
and I really wish that this amendment would have been brought around and had a little bit more time to consider.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Eva.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I rise in support of this amendment,
and actually I really appreciate my colleague from the interior in District 36 for offering this amendment.
I don't know how many of you guys know this,
but she's a biologist.
She's actually worked for the state. She's actually done this work within all of this.
So she's got a lot of very good knowledge in this area.
I, too,
was in the Fisheries Committee whenever all of this happened.
Actually, if memory serves correctly, we did have presentations and comments from non-committee members during that process.
I was actually really surprised and I just figured it was a freshman being naive,
but I figured that our commissioner would be able to speak to the questions about, you know, what would this do to the operational budget of the hatcheries. And I mean, anybody who's done any kind of operational management knows that you can't.
We can't be on the whims of budget ups and downs,
much like the issues we've had with education,
right?
You know, if it's lots of peaks and valleys on your chart,
you're going to have significant impacts. And so.
My concern would be is that our fishing opportunities in the interior,
particularly as you get up onto the Yukon,
are going to be significantly impacted by this potential hatchery defunding. And so I would just ask people to think about our resources here in Alaska and vote yes.
Representative Bynum.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I rise in support of the amendment.
One of the things I was concerned about initially in the amendment is whether or not it was going to strip away the funds that were dedicated in the subcommittee process.
I as well was on that subcommittee and was there for this process.
I believe the item that came before was a question during that closeout process to understand the impacts.
But the way I understand this amendment right now, Mr.
Speaker, is that it is going to fund those hatcheries, the Anchorage and Fairbanks hatcheries,
and it will leave the funding that was moved in place for the other purpose that was done in subcommittee. So I understand how important hatcheries are in Southeast.
It is a lifeline for our fishermen.
It is extremely important.
Not just commercial fisheries, but it's also important for our subsistence fisheries and our sports fisheries.
Across the board, it is an important part of our ecosystem as far as our fisheries go.
So I encourage the members to support this.
It is extremely important for the hatchery programs throughout Alaska.
I thank you for the opportunity to speak to the amendment.
Representative Ruffridge.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I also rise in support of the amendment,
and I always appreciate when members of our body have.
Well, professional experience in these areas and they can help us and guide us in some of these areas that maybe we don't have our own personal experiences in.
So I think the member from District 36 has spent a large amount of time on issues of this type.
And I think the concern raises a valid one, which is if we say, I think on the amendment it says on page 48 line five that we can just.
Just, you know, expect a federal receipt to come in and then we hear from the Department of Fish and Game. Actually, that's not going to happen.
We should be concerned about that.
Now, you know, I think we could probably have a debate at a later date about the.
Uh,
I'm sorry,
Mr.
Speaker,
I can hear if my son is listening to me right now, there's a 10 year old boy somewhere in all of us, I think that thinks the phrase Dingle Johnson is a funny phrase. And so I, I,
I just I can't say it.
So but that we should probably pursue the DJ funds understanding a little bit clearer, but
At the moment, it seems to me that we are putting hatcheries in jeopardy. I think that that would be irresponsible,
and I think in good faith effort here, we should probably put these funds back and deal with that later.
I think that would be a wise decision,
so I'll be supporting this. Thank you.
In wrap-up, Representative Schwanke, and that is my cue that other mics are to rise or have risen.
Representative Allard and then Representative Costilla.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. I'm in support of this amendment,
but I'm also concerned a little bit in regards to the district,
the member from Fairbanks stating that why wasn't this brought up in finance.
Half these amendments weren't brought up in finance.
There's a finance committee and there's a team on that committee and other members are running their committees. They're attending those committees.
And being able to bring amendments to the floor is part of what we do when we're not on finance committee.
And so that reasoning of saying,
well,
if it wasn't brought up in finance,
I'm not going to support it. I don't think that's adequate.
And I would refocus and I would definitely, if I was that member,
support this amendment.
Thank you.
Representative Costello.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. I respectfully request an at ease for the purpose of the Commissioner's letter being copied and distributed to the members prior to taking the vote.
At ease.
At ease.
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