Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain

January 31, 2020

In this issue:

• Governor Steps Back from Important Decisions

• VPSO Working Group Update

• State of the State

• Community Events

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Last week, House Finance Subcommittees started meeting. In the coming weeks, we will keep you updated on how the department budgets are evolving and how the FY21 proposed budget compares to what the governor proposed last year.

Governor Steps Back from Important Decisions

Department of Corrections Reverses Plan to Send Prisoners Out-of-State

Last year, we reported on the Department of Corrections' (DOC) proposal to send 250-500 incarcerated Alaskans to Lower 48 prisons to serve their sentences. Following Representative Zack Fields' introduction of House Bill 187, which would prevent DOC from sending prisoners out of state, the Administration reversed their plans to ship Alaskan prisoners Outside.

We need to reduce crime and want our inmates to be successful when they leave prison and come back into our communities. From our past experience, sending prisoners out-of-state is not effective and costs more than using state prisons. This decision is good news for the many Alaskans who are advocating for improved reentry services. The House State Affairs Committee will continue to hear HB 187 with the goal of preventing future administrations from sending prisoners Outside.

In another reversal, DOC plans to reopen the Palmer Correctional Center. Last year, the department said that was not a viable option, even after the legislature appropriated more than $16 million toward reopening the facility. The administration has not yet provided details on its plan to re-open the Palmer prison.

Department of Health and Social Services Unable to Achieve Savings

In an effort to downsize government last year, the governor’s FY 2020 operating budget drastically cut spending to many key DHSS services including reducing Medicaid expenditures and increasing rates for the Alaska Pioneer Homes.

Earlier this week, the DHSS Finance Subcommittee learned that key items in the governor’s FY 2020 budget did not meet their intended savings goals, and in some cases, did not result in any savings. For example:

Last year, the administration terminated the Adult Preventative Dental, estimated to save of $8.3 million in state funding and lose $18.7 million in federal matching funds. After approximately 3 months of denying claims while continuing discussions with the Center for Medicaid Services about its plan to eliminate this program, the governor reversed his decision. DHSS is now providing these dental benefits, including benefits for the period they initially denied benefits. The state did not realize any savings.
The administration proposed reducing the time allowed to file claims for medical services, estimated to save $10 million. But the change required a statute change and would, in fact, not have achieved any actual savings. The state did not realize any savings.
The administration proposed limiting physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy services through updated regulations, estimated to save approximately $1 million. The administration was unable to complete the regulatory work needed to update the applicable regulations. The state did not realize any savings.

Although DHSS previously estimated $102.9 million in projected savings, the adjusted FY20 savings only amount to $55.3 million. In addition, we currently anticipate that the governor will request a supplemental appropriation for DHSS of $120 million to pay for additional costs in the FY 2020 budget—more than twice the actual savings described above. Finally, the administration's FY 2021 budget request for general fund dollars is $140 million greater than the current year's budget, which does not include any supplemental appropriation.

VPSO Working Group Publishes Recommendations and Findings

On January 28, Rep. Chuck Kopp gave the Division of Public Safety Finance Subcommittee an overview of the findings and recommendations of the bipartisan Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) Legislator Working Group. Working with tribal organizations from around the state, they made nine working recommendations:

Provide a public safety mission and vision for program and clarify VPSO law enforcement duties and powers
Create more financial flexibility for the VPSO grantee organizations
Restore VPSO funding to the FY 18 level (approximately $13 million)
Fund unfunded mandates, including labor, training, and transportation
Require that grant awards pay full indirect costs to grantee organizations
Move financial grant management from the Department of Public Safety to the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
Maintain operational oversight by the Department of Public Safety
Establish a consultation process between tribal/grantee organizations and the Department of Public Safety before changing training and experience requirements
Make the statutory and regulatory changes needed to implement the recommendations

State of the State

On Monday, January 27, Governor Dunleavy delivered his second State of the State address. The governor outlined a vision for Alaska's future centered on development of the state's natural resources, increased opportunities for private-sector business ventures, and heightened public safety measures around sex trafficking.

The governor introduced a proposal to increase private ownership of state land through a dividend-land exchange that would allow Alaskans to obtain land certificates valued at twice the amount of their dividends.

The governor did not address the $1.5 billion deficit that the state would incur as a result of his proposed budget. He did, however, suggest starting a state lottery as a means to generate revenue.

Community Events

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

Spenard Community Council

When: Wednesday, February 5 at 7:00 PM

Where: Spenard Recreation Center

Facebook event page

Turnagain Community Council

When: Thursday, February 6 at 7:00 PM

Where: West/Romig Career Technology Center, Room 152

Facebook event page

Sand Lake Community Council

When: Monday, February 10 at 6:30 PM

Where: Sand Lake Elementary School Library Room

Facebook event page

Alaska Ski for Women 2020

The 24th annual Alaska Ski for Women is at Kincaid Park on Sunday, February 2. The Alaska Ski for Women looks forward to hosting 1,000 participants, vendors, volunteers, and supporters for North America's largest women-only ski event in support of domestic violence programs in Alaska.

When: Sunday, February 2 from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Where: Kincaid Park, 9401 Raspberry Rd.

For more information and to RSVP, visit the Facebook event page.