This week in Senate Finance we heard from the Office of Management and Budget on the governor\u2019s fiscal year 2022 budget amendments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One main takeaway from these changes is that motor fuel tax revenue is down again. This is important because that revenue helps fund highway maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another change is to implement the suggestion from the Alaska State Legislature Task Force on Therapeutic Courts to add three positions: one new prosecutor, one new public defender, and one person to oversee and coordinate peer support groups for the various therapeutic court participants and graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was also a request for $800,000 to implement Ballot Measure 2 changes. Ballot Measure 2 was passed in November, and changes our voting from party primaries to ranked-choice voting. The Division of Elections needs these funds to be able to accommodate updated procedures for voting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Watch that hearing here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We also heard from Commissioner of Health and Social Services Adam Crum about the governor\u2019s proposed plan to split the department into two departments. You can read the full executive orders here<\/a>. The split would cost $5.7M with $5.2M in ongoing costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n