Senate Finance advances early intervention services expansion

The Alaska Senate Finance Committee approved legislation to expand early intervention services for children with developmental delays.

Senate Bill 178 passed out of committee with a revised effective date. The change gives the Department of Health additional time to create and submit required modifications to the state's Medicaid plan. The committee substitute was developed through collaboration between the bill sponsor and department officials.

"The first item is Senate Bill 178, expanding early intervention services," said Senator Lyman Hoffman, who presided over the meeting. "This bill was first heard on March 4."

The committee had previously taken public testimony and reviewed fiscal notes on the measure in early March. "We took public testimony and reviewed the fiscal notes at the time," Hoffman said. "We have a CS to introduce."

The committee first adopted committee substitute version N as its working document before advancing the bill. Committee staff explained the changes give state officials more time to prepare the Medicaid plan modifications needed to support the expanded services.

The committee approved the measure without objection. Hoffman said Senate Bill 178 moved from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. The bill advances to the Senate Rules Committee as its next committee of referral.