HB 168 — An Act requiring the Department of Health to provide and allow submission of an electronic application for certain state benefits; and providing for an effective date.

32-LS0639\WLAWS HOUSEOF BILLALASKA NO.Source Chapter No.

168SCS INHB THE168(FIN) LEGISLATURE_______ OFAN THEACT STATERequiring OFthe ALASKADepartment THIRTY-SECONDof LEGISLATUREHealth -to SECONDprovide SESSIONand BYallow REPRESENTATIVESsubmission SNYDER,of Zulkosky,an Tarr,electronic Eastman,application Spohnholz,for Vance,certain Story,state Kurka,benefits; Nelson, Tuck SENATOR Gray-Jackson Introduced:

4/9/21and Referred:providing for an effective date.

Health_______________ andBE SocialIT ServicesENACTED ABY BILLTHE FORLEGISLATURE ANOF ACTTHE ENTITLEDSTATE "AnOF ActALASKA: requiring the Department of Health and Social Services to provide and allow submission of an electronic application for certain state benefits;

andTHE providingACT forFOLLOWS anON effectivePAGE date."1 BEEnrolled ITHB ENACTED168 BYAN THEACT LEGISLATURERequiring OFthe THEDepartment STATEof OFHealth ALASKA:to provide and allow submission of an electronic application for certain state benefits;

*and Sectionproviding 1.for an effective date.

AS_______________ 47.05.010* isSection amended1. to read:

AS 47.05.010, as amended by sec.

41 of Executive Order 121, is amended to read:

Duties of department.Department of Health.

The Department of Health and Social Services shall (1) administer adult public assistance, the Alaska temporary assistance program, and all other assistance programs, and receive and spend money made available to it;

HB0168a -1- Enrolled HB 168 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 32-LS0639\W (3) establish minimum standards for personnel employed by the department and adopt necessary regulations to maintain those standards;

(7) cooperate with the federal government,government itsin agencies,adopting orstate instrumentalitiesplans into establishing,make extending,the andstate strengtheningeligible services for thefederal protectionmatching andin careappropriate categories of homeless,assistance, dependent, and neglected children in dangerall matters of becomingmutual delinquent,concern, andincluding receiveadoption andof expendthe fundsmethods availableof toadministration thethat departmentare found by the federal government,government theto state,be ornecessary itsfor politicalthe subdivisionsefficient foroperation thatof purpose;welfare programs;

(8) cooperateadopt withregulations, thenot federalinconsistent governmentwith inlaw, adoptingdefining stateneed, plansprescribing to make the stateconditions eligibleof eligibility for federal matching in appropriate categories of assistance, and inestablishing allstandards mattersfor ofdetermining mutual concern, including adoption of the methodsamount of administrationassistance that arean foundeligible byperson theis federalentitled government to bereceive; necessary for the efficient operation of welfare programs;

(9) adopt regulations, not inconsistent with law, defining need, prescribing the conditions of eligibility for assistance, and establishing standards for determining the amount of assistance that an eligible person is entitled to receive;

(10)(9) grant to a person claiming or receiving assistance and who is aggrieved because of the department's action or failure to act, reasonable notice and an opportunity for a fair hearing by the office of administrative hearings (AS 44.64.010), and the department shall adopt regulations relative to this;

HB(10) 168 -2- HB0168a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 32-LS0639\W (11) enter into reciprocal agreements with other states relative to public assistance,assistance welfare services, and institutional care that are considered advisable;

(12)(11) establish the requirements of residence for public assistance,assistance welfare services, and institutional care that are considered advisable, subject to the limitations of other laws of the state, or law or regulation imposed as conditions for federal financial participation;

(13)Enrolled HB 168 -2- (12) establish the divisions and local offices that are considered necessary or expedient to carry out a duty or authority assigned to it and appoint and employ the assistants and personnel that are necessary to carry on the work of the divisions and offices, and fix the compensation of the assistants or employees, except that a person engaged in business as a retail vendor of general merchandise, or a member of the immediate family of a person who is so engaged, may not serve as an acting, temporary, or permanent local agent of the department, unless the commissioner of health and social services certifies in writing to the governor, with relation to a particular community, that no other qualified person is available in the community to serve as local welfare agent;

(14)(13) provide education and health-related services and referrals designed to reduce the number of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and the number of induced pregnancy terminations in the state;

(15)(14) investigate reports of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property by certified nurse aides in facilities licensed by the department under AS 47.32;

(16)(15) establish state policy relating to and administer federal programs subject to state control as provided under 42 U.S.C.

(17)(16) administer the older Alaskans service grants under AS 47.65.010 - 47.65.050 and the adult day care and family respite care grants under AS 47.65.100;

(18)(17) activelyestablish seekan toelectronic recruitapplication qualityprocess fosterfor parentsall andassistance adoptiveprograms parentsadministered whenby athe shortagedepartment ofand qualityallow fosteran parentsapplicant to submit either a written or adoptivean parxists;electronic application;

HB0168athe -3-electronic HBapplication 168must Newinform Textan Underlinedapplicant [DELETEDthat TEXTa BRACKETED]false 32-LS0639\Wstatement (19)made establishon anthe electronic application processwill forbe allinvestigated assistance programs administered by the department and allowis anpunishable applicantunder toAS submit11.56.210; either a written or an electronic application;

in this paragraph, "electronic application" means an application for benefits or renewal of benefits, whether the department exclusively administers the benefits or administers the benefits in coordination with another state agency or federal agency, electronically -3- Enrolled HB 168 completed and submitted through the department's Internet website.

The electronic application must inform an applicant that a false statement made on the application will be investigated and is punishable under AS 11.56.210.

(6) establish an electronic application for assistance and allow an HB 168 -4- HB0168a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 32-LS0639\W applicant to submit an application in electronic format or in other formats required by state and federal law.law;

*the Sec.electronic application must inform an applicant that a false statement made on the application will be investigated and is punishable under AS 11.56.210.

Enrolled HB 168 -4- * Sec.

The electronic application must inform an applicant that a false statement made on the application will be investigated and is punishable under AS 11.56.210.

The electronic application must inform an applicant that a false statement made on the application will be investigated and is punishable under AS 11.56.210.

Regulations adopted under this section must establish an electronic application for assistance and allow an applicant to submit an -5- Enrolled HB 168 application in electronic format or in other formats required by state and federal law.

InThe thiselectronic section,application "electronicmust application"inform means an applicationapplicant forthat benefitsa orfalse HB0168astatement -5-made HBon 168 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 32-LS0639\W renewal of benefits, whether the departmentapplication exclusivelywill administersbe theinvestigated benefits or administers the benefits in coordination with another state agency or federal agency, electronically completed and submittedis throughpunishable theunder department'sAS Internet11.56.210. website.

In this section, "electronic application" means an application for benefits or renewal of benefits, whether the department exclusively administers the benefits or administers the benefits in coordination with another state agency or federal agency, electronically completed and submitted through the department's Internet website.

AS 47.25.62247.25.622, isas amended toby read:sec.

134(81) of Executive Order 121, is amended to read:

The Department of Health and Social Services shall (1) administer the Alaska affordable heating program provided under AS 47.25.621;

the electronic application must inform an applicant that a false statement made on the application will be investigated and is punishable under AS 11.56.210;

(2) cooperate with the federal government and do all things necessary Enrolled HB 168 -6- to continue state eligibility under the food stamp program;