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Senate committee moves SB 178 to advance expanded early intervention services with fiscal notes attached
Summary
The Senate Health and Social Services Committee moved SB 178 out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes after questions about funding sources and fiscal notes; senators voted to move the bill with no objections.
Senate Bill 178, which would expand early intervention services, was moved out of the Senate Health and Social Services Committee after committee discussion about funding sources and fiscal impact. Chair Sen. Dan Dunbar recalled the bill’s prior hearings and said an amendment deadline had passed; Senator Giesel moved the bill from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes, and there were no objections.
Sen. Hughes questioned whether a requested appropriation of $440,000 listed as “GF/MH” would come from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority budget. Susan Kessler of the Senior and Disability Services Division clarified the additional funding was not from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority; subsequent clarification from Kessler and others stated the funds referenced are state general funds (GF) and that further Medicaid-related fiscal impacts would run through the Medicaid system.
Committee discussion also referenced a larger Medicaid fiscal note tied to the bill. A committee member characterized the large fiscal note as running “through Medicaid, half federal, half state,” and quoted a figure in the record (spoken as “5 point, $459,000,000”) with an approximate state unrestricted general fund (UGF) share described as “2.729” (state share). Susan Kessler said developing Medicaid billing and rates for early intervention could be a longer-term process and described those future costs as a mix of state and federal Medicaid funds, but she confirmed the immediate requested additional funding described in committee documents was general fund (GF) money.
Senator Giesel moved: “I move Senate Bill 178 version 34 LS0918 back from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.” No members objected and the chair announced SB 178 was moved from committee and asked members to remain to sign paperwork.
The committee did not take further substantive amendments at this hearing. The record shows staff from senior and disability services and a staffer for Senator Tobin were available for questions. The committee will carry the bill forward with the attached fiscal notes as part of the committee record.
