HFLR-20260409-1815

Um,

this is from the DOC on the regional and community jails contract.

And also I want to be clear that I was on the finance subcommittee and I voted to fund them completely for the supplemental because I know that the work this body has done before and I didn't want to up into the apple cart.

But once again,

if we're going to make incremental changes,

we spend tens of millions of dollars. I'm not advocating shuttering these. I'm not even advocating for cutting the money that we currently spend on them. I'm just saying that.

We do not need to increase their budget by essentially,

what is it going from nine,

whatever to 14,

I mean like over 30 some odd 40 percent when we have a 22 percent utilization across the state for all of these particular facilities.

And not only that,

there are multiple facilities that have a zero percent utilization and some that have had a zero percent utilization for a decade. So I think this is a sensible cut to draw some money back.

And the funding is still increased,

but it helps the Department of Corrections. I think it incentivizes them to even standardize their contracts.

Right now, the...

The maximum hold days varies from 7 to 10 to 30.

The daily rate goes from $78 to $350.

I think bringing some of that money back will help the DOC to standardize those contracts and for us to be better stewards of what we have.

This is a small cut.

It's still, in my mind, a massive increase,

but I think it will help us increase in our efficiency.

So I would urge the members once again to vote yes on Amendment 56.

Are you ready for the question, the question being shall the house adopt Amendment number fifty-six? Members may proceed to vote.

Clerk, please lock the roll.

Does any member wish to change his or her vote?

Will the clerk please announce the vote?

16 yeas, 24 nays

With a vote of 16 yeas to 24 nays, Amendment No. 56 has failed.

Madam Clerk.

Amendment number 57 by Representative Schwanke, beginning page 11, line 4.

Amendment No.

line 4.

Representative Schwanke.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

I offer amendment,

I move amendment number 57.

There's an objection.

There's an objection.

I'm offering this simple amendment.

It's a reappropriation of $500,000 from expected unspent, my apologies,

broadband assistant grant funds within deed.

So the funding would stay within deed.

This is not adding to the budget.

As it stands, we expect by the end of the year that we will still have adequate unspent funds from this particular grant.

The reason that I'm asking for this basically reappropriation is that we all know that the Alaska Reads Act has provided us some very significant improvements in our literacy numbers.

I was going to ask permission to read all of the gains that we've had,

but I know that you would probably say no,

so I'm not going to ask.

I'd love to give a shout out, though, to all of our districts and all of our teachers that have worked very, very hard to improve literacy.

throughout our Alaska schools.

So currently there's no state funded program offering literacy support to all of our districts across the state.

We do have one federal literacy grant but only about half of our districts currently qualify for that.

So this is one of the reasons that I decided to address some funds that are currently available in the budget.

and reappropriate them to a really good cause I do hope that you all support the amendment

At ease.

Will the House please come back to order. Under debate on Amendment No. 57,

Representative Galvin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I stand to oppose this amendment.

I think that reading

is very important.

I know there's been a lot of discussion about some positive.

Movement with regard to the academy,

especially some of the online opportunities that were taking place in various districts, but I did not hear...

The district respond to our comments about that in our subcommittee.

We did have some conversation, but they did not make that ask again for the funds,

number one. Number two, we're taking away from broadband,

lapsed funds from broadband for one-time spending.

I'm not sure that that's the best way to fund anything. It's sort of an odd situation,

but...

What happened was some of the districts determined that they chose last year not to apply for some of the grants, but we don't know what will happen in future.

And so I think it's important that we hold what we have harmless for now until we know see more of a pattern with regard to those funds. I know that in finance we did.

end up using some of those funds for one amendment and I'm not sure if there's enough funds even left after we used some portion of those funds so and I

I did not vote for that, but that did pass in finance. So I just want to make sure that, A,

we have some clarity that this is one time and that to me doesn't seem like a good way to be funding some education pieces like this. Not saying that it's not bad because I did hear some of the pieces online were effective,

but I also know that there was some concern about what was happening.

happening in Anchorage and whether or not that was serving the whole state enough given the funds that was spent so I will be opposing this amendment and urge others to do the same

Representative Stapp.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think you'll see a rare moment which I'm in agreement with the previous member from Anchorage.

I know it happened.

I'm going to oppose this amendment a couple of reasons,

Mr.

Speaker, not that I don't think the intention of the reading academy is good.

Broadband access grants were in the application process.

When we looked at this in finance,

there is surplus funds in there,

but because people are applying,

you want to have a little headroom because in the event that you don't do that in the budget,

the grants get prorated and you don't want to have to end up prorating the grants that people apply for.

you

Will the House please come back to order? We're in our debate on Amendment Number 57. I think we're at the wrap-up stage unless there's any additional members wishing to speak. Representative Schwanke.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

I brought the amendment because I've seen a lot of changes in the usage of broadband grant over the years,

and I suspect that we are going to have even more lapsed funds in FY 27. But I do understand the concerns raised by the members on the floor and so out of respect I will pull the amendment so it's withdrawn.

So amendment number 57 has been withdrawn.

Madam Clerk?

Madam Clerk, Amendment Number 58 by Representative Schwanke, beginning page 58 before line 1.

So, Schwanke.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. I move Amendment Number 58.

There's an objection.

Amendment 58 is very simple. This is intent language that I decided to write because I have seen repeated attempts to do something responsible with all of the un...

filled state positions.

I think over the years this legislature has struggled mightily with the fact that there's a tremendous amount of unfilled positions in the state across departments and so just so everybody is aware I just wanted to point out that of the total positions vacant over six months this totals 101 million dollars.

These are $101 million that aren't appropriated for the specific allocations that they're used for at commissioner discretion when those positions aren't filled.

So the amendment basically says all of this money will be used only for salary and benefits.

As it was originally appropriated, it could also be used for bonuses that we know that are given in some departments or it could be used for overtime that we know are used in other departments or it could be used for seasonal employees to maybe extend their season.

Otherwise,

those funds should probably not be utilized.

They should revert back to the funds that they originated from. I'm also asking in the amendment that

When departments do spend these funds on these additional uses that they actually report to the legislature and let us know where those dollars went did they get used for OT did they get used for bonuses it would really help us refine the legislative process going forward next year and the year after and the year after that so look forward to any conversation

Representative Sadler.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Real briefly,

the public watching this might not see the details as much as we have, and they might assume that this amendment would add new money to provide bonuses and overtime for employees.

That's not the case. I want to make it real clear for those watching that right now, funding for vacant...

Non-filled positions can be spent for anything in the department and that's not quite what we appropriate for and we should make sure that it's spent as closely to the initial intended use as possible.

This intent language is kind of body English,

puts a spin on things. It's saying if there is this extra money, we would like to have it spent for employees'

salaries and bonuses and not, this is not new money,

this is to provide,

to use the money for the intended purposes. So I think on that basis I'll support it.

Any wrap-up comments, Rips and Schwanke?

Any wrap-up comments?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just uh very quickly I think I want to uh thank the member from District twenty three who mentioned earlier today on the floor that the legislature is the body that appropriates funding.

If we pass an amendment like this,

we are taking back our authority on where those dollars are spent.

I would hope that everybody would take this opportunity and push the green button.

Thank you.

Are you ready for the question?

The question being shall amendment number 58 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?

19 yeas, 21 nays.

With a vote of 19 yeas to 21 nays, Amendment No. 58 has failed to pass.

Madam Clerk.

Amendment number 59 by Representative Bynum, beginning page 36, line 27.

Amendment No.

Representative Bynum?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move amendment 59.

There's an objection.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

So Amendment 59.

So what Amendment 59 does for us here is that it puts $15,000. I know we've been talking about millions today,

Mr.

Speaker, but today I'm talking about $15,000.

And this $15,000 would be dedicated for the specific purpose of maintenance and caretaking of a.

Ferry Dock in Coffman Cove.

Coffman Cove is a small community on the Prince of Wales Island.

It is a part of my district,

and so this is an item I'm bringing forward that is specifically for my district,

but more importantly is for Prince of Wales.

What the money is allocated for is to help that small community,

less than 200 community members that live there, help take care of and manage the maintenance of a Marine Ferry Terminal that was built there for the specific purposes, Mr. Speaker, of the IFA and or other Marine services off of that part of Prince of Wales Island.

I have some notes here,

Mr.

Speaker.

I'm going to try to go find them if you just give me a brief at ease, please.

Breathe it easy.

Will the House please come back to order. Representative Bynum.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My notes have escaped me, so I will just do it off the cuff here and hopefully I can do it well.

I pretty much explained what the amendment does.

This facility is a phenomenal facility that was built.

Unfortunately, the state of Alaska never utilized the facility for its intended purpose, and that was to provide.

Marine Highway type service from that part of the island,

specifically trying to do shuttle services to Wrangell and other parts of the state. And unfortunately,

Mr.

Speaker,

we have not fully utilized our ferry services in southeast Alaska.

We have not expanded our services in Southeast Alaska.

We have seen our services crumble and diminish.

And I have to stand up every chance I get and support for the IFA,

the marine highway system,

because it is vital transportation systems. And this money, Mr. Speaker,

will help a very small community make sure that this very costly facility will stay maintained and insured.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to any questions.

Representative Hannon.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I'm going to rise in opposition to this project and although it's a small amount of money, I want to draw the members attention to something that is called the Municipal Harbour Grants Programme that exists in statutes and um requires that community docks and harbours participate in an established programme that evaluates their application, contributes some local money to it,

It has a fair adjudication by a board of harbormasters from across the state.

So there is not one political favor to one.

The Harbor Grants Program has a number of harbors on the wait list to be funded.

When you come in and say, here's one little project, would like to jump the queue because my dock is more important than yours, I'll remind you that across the state there are many facilities that the state initially built and have transferred to local governments and they asked for local governments to participate in the upkeep and maintenance of that. Coffman Cove could increase their harbour fees, they could charge people like my family who has frequently loaded gillnet gear on and off of that. In fact,

In fact, a huge number of gill netters do that, but they have not done that and they've not put any money into the maintenance of what was a state-built facility 20 years ago,

has never been part of the Alaska Marine Highway system and has never seen a commercial ferry operator.

I would like to see the Coffman Cove community participate in the Missile Harbor Grant and encourage them to do so so that they could be part of an established program that evaluates.

and helps the harbourmasters across the state love to help other harbours prove up their systems and get funding in line with their policies and projects. So I urge a no vote on this amendment.

Representative Stepp.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'm going to be a yes vote because it's important to the members of Prince of Wales and again my colleague from District 1.

I just want to say, Mr.

Speaker,

after the last speaker,

I think we got serious problems in the marine highway system if we're building docks to nowhere.

And I hope that people figure out what we're going to do because when we run out of Murkowski money,

I think the ferry system's in trouble.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

Representative Settler.

Mr. Speaker, a real brief thing, I've got a channel by Grammar Rogers who would say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

If an investment has been made in this small facility in the small port town of Coffin Cove where I've never been,

if we can save a lot of money in the out years to prevent disrepair, I think it's a worthwhile investment of $15,000. So in deference to my colleague here from the southeast, I think I'm going to support this.

Any wrap-up comments, Representative Bynum?

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. I appreciate everybody has stood up and supported this.

I think it is a really important cue to the communities when we turn facilities that were built for greater infrastructure good over to these small communities and say now be caretakers.

Whether that community said yes, we will happily do that or not, it's unfortunate that we see a marine.

terminal for ferries being not utilized.

And, you know, to the Speaker from District 4,

I know she spent some time on Prince of Wales, and I appreciate every time she gets to go over there and see my wonderful,

beautiful community of Coffman Cove. I think that's a wonderful thing.

Also, my friend from District 2,

because that is her district,

not Kauffman Cove, but Prince of Wales Island,

point that out.

But yes,

Mr.

Speaker,

I'm not sure that...

The Harbor program is appropriate for the Marine Terminal.

The Marine Terminal is not in the harbor,

and I would have to go look at statute. I have to go dig into the program.

I don't believe that it technically qualifies for that.

It may, and hopefully it does, we will explore that as it sounds like this amendment may not pass,

but I have to fight for my district and fight for my community and let them know I'm going to continue to try.

And we have a capital budget coming up, so I'll happily see it in that space. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Are you ready for the question? The question being shall amendment number fifty nine 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?

11 yeas, 29 nays.

With a vote of 11 yays to 29 nays, amendment number 59 has failed to pass the House.

At this time, I'm going to hold

House Bill 263 in second reading until tomorrow's calendar and then carry over House Bill 265 to tomorrow's calendar.

Madam Clerk, are there any other items on today's calendar?

further items on today's calendar, Mr.

Speaker?

Under unfinished business,

Mr.

Majority Leader.

Speaker, I move a unanimous consent that Representative Probst be excused from the call of the House from Friday,

April 10th at 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Are there any committee announcements?

Are there any other announcements?

Representative Meares.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

I know everyone might be disappointed that Food and Farm Caucus has been delayed from this Thursday until next Thursday,

but next Thursday will be our final meeting of the Food and Farm Caucus. Thank you.

Thank you.

Representative Stutes.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

I'm going to make this really brief.

I'll give you all the details on another date, but I just want to let people know that on April 26th, which is Sunday at Centennial Hall,

there will be a Senator Stevens,

Senator Hoffman roast.

retiree and so tickets will be available in the room 127 and I will give you the details on an earlier day.

This takes us to special orders.

Representative Josephson.

Would you offer an apology?

Offer an apology.

Representative Josephson.

The member from District 1 was incredibly gracious,

but I offer him an apology.

My passion got the better of me.

Thank you.

Representative Nelson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On the topic of Alaska as a small state,

thank you.

We have in this building the Ramona Barnes Committee building or the Ramona Barnes Committee room.

One of the wrestling coaches for my sons is Pat Barnes,

who I just learned after having a conversation,

and he's a firefighter in Anchorage,

lives in the valley.

We were discussing defined benefits and contributions and the challenges there.

And he informed me that that was his grandmother.

And he remembers walking the halls of this very building when he was a little kid helping her deliver papers and do things like that. So it's just an interesting thing that we live in this state. And there's so many.

many connections that are unexpected and so I just wanted to give Pat a shout out he's a great coach and even though he's not here now has a long history of this building and now I'm here and my kids have been here so it's wanting to give Pat a shout out thank you Mr. Speaker yes

Representative Bynum,

is your mic up?

sir thank you Mr.

Speaker I just wanted to speak on the topic of apology accepted

Represented by them.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the member co-chair from District 13,

I appreciate the apology,

although not necessary.

I understand that we get into this process,

we get through the debates,

we get a little spicy and excited,

and it's all part of the process,

but I do appreciate the apology,

even though it was not necessary,

but thank you very much.

Representative Elon?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the topic of standing.

Representative Elon.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Uh I just wanted to uh give a shout out to uh all the folks around the room here that are standing while we're sitting in these nice chairs, the gentlemen that are standing outside of the door that uh keep this place safe, that are standing on these long days, and then also just kind of a a shout out to all the staff and members who uh who help us on these long days. And so uh just thank you to all of them.

Representative Stepp.

On the topic of a celebrity,

Representative Stepp.

thank you Mr. Speaker. We talk about her a lot on this House floor, but I just want everybody to know that Brenda Stanfill is in the

Okay.

gallery. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Ah, we get so few celebrities.

Mr. Majority Leader,

Mr. Speaker, I move and ask unanimous consent that the House stand at adjournment until Friday,

April 10th at 10.30 a.m.

there being no objection,

the House will stand adjournment until Friday,

April 10th at 10.30 a.m.