Untitled Document

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

VETERANS' AFFAIRS

February 8, 2005 Hearing Room C

8:30 A.M. Tapes 17 - 19

Corrected 10/17/05

MEMBERS PRESENT: Rep. Donna Nelson, Chair

Rep. Phil Barnhart, Vice-Chair

Rep. Debi Farr, Vice-Chair

Rep. Rep. Scott Bruun

Rep. Rep. Dave Hunt

Rep. Rep. Betty Komp

MEMBER EXCUSED: Rep. Brian Boquist

STAFF PRESENT: Jim Stembridge, Committee Administrator

Erin Seiler, Committee Assistant

MEASURES/ISSUES HEARD:

HB 2133 – Public Hearing and Work Session

HB 2192 – Public Hearing and Work Session

Veterans’ Issues – Informational Meeting

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 17, A
003	Chair Nelson	Opens the meeting at 8:35 a.m. Open a public hearing on HB 2133.
HB 2133 – PUBLIC HEARING
021	Jim Stembridge	Committee Administrator. Explains HB 2135, which extends reemployment rights to members of organized militia of other states called into active state service.
025	Adjutant General Raymond Byrne	Adjutant General, Oregon Military Department (OMD). Submits and summarizes written testimony in support of HB 2133 (EXHIBIT A).
052	Chair Nelson	Close the public hearing on HB 2133. Opens a work session on HB 2133.
HB 2133 – WORK SESSION
058	Rep. Komp	MOTION: Moves HB 2133 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
		VOTE: 4-0-3 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. EXCUSED: 3 - Barnhart, Boquist, Hunt
	Chair Nelson	The motion CARRIES.

069	Rep. Farr	MOTION: Moves HB 2133 be placed on the CONSENT CALENDAR.
		VOTE: 4-0-3 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. EXCUSED: 3 - Barnhart, Boquist, Hunt
	Chair Nelson	The motion CARRIES.
075	Chair Nelson	Closes the work session on HB 2133. Opens a public hearing on HB 2192.
HB 2192 – PUBLIC HEARING
076	Jim Stembridge	Committee Administrator. Explains HB 2192, which exempts public employees on military leave in Active Guard Reserve Program from employer-sponsored health coverage.
081	Adjutant General Raymond Byrne	Adjutant General, Oregon Military Department (OMD). Submits and summarizes written testimony in support of HB 2192 (EXHIBIT B).
115	Rep. Komp	Asks if the one year time frame is an adequate amount of time to satisfy bureaucratic process.
120	Byrne	Recommends extending to a two year time frame.
127	Rep. Komp	States that the uncertainty of deployment necessitates extending the exemption too two years.
130	Chair Nelson	Closes the public hearing on HB 2192. Opens a work session on HB 2192.
HB 2192 – WORK SESSION
141	Chair Nelson	Agrees that the exemption should be extended too two years.
146	Rep. Komp	MOTION: Moves to AMEND HB 2192 on page 1, in line 4, after "not exceeding a total of," insert "24 months".
		VOTE: 5-0-2 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. EXCUSED: 2 – Boquist, Hunt
	Chair Nelson	The motion CARRIES.
179	Chair Nelson	Closes the work session on HB 2192. Opens an informational meeting on Veterans’ Issues.
VETERANS’ ISSUES – INFORMATIONAL MEETING
187	Adjutant General Raymond Byrne	Adjutant General, Oregon Military Department (OMD). Submits copies of OMD Budget 2005-07 PowerPoint presentation (EXHIBIT C). Discusses the OMD budgetary request for fiscal years 2005-07.
220	Byrne	Reviews the facilities owned and operated by OMD.
290	Byrne	Discusses the OMD funding sources.
320	Byrne	Discusses the budgetary trends at OMD and how the loss of funding has impaired the ability of OMD to maintain and repair its facilities.
390	Byrne	Explains the importance of the revenue that OMD receives from recreational usage of OMD facilities and armories.
TAPE 18, A
030	Byrne	Describes the backlog of maintenance and repairs at OMD facilities.
100	Byrne	Explains how the OMD uses revenue from its Other Fund budget to support state emergencies.
148	Byrne	Reviews the budget structure of OMD (EXHIBIT C, Page 6). Points out the need to update OMD facilities.
220	Byrne	Discusses the capitol improvement policy package and the recommended capitol improvement budget (EXHIBIT C, Pages 10 – 12).
280	Rep. Farr	Asks why improvement projects approved during the last biennium had only one dollar in General Fund monies allocated to it.
310	Colonel Mike Caldwell	Deputy Director, OMD. Summarizes the Federal matching funds requirements.
355	Caldwell	Verifies that OMD would receive $1.89 million dollars from the Federal government for capitol improvements, if the state would supply the matching requirement.
TAPE 17, B
015	Rep. Komp	Questions the difference between capitol improvement projects and capitol construction projects.
070	Caldwell	Clarifies the difference between capitol improvement and capitol construction projects.
080	Rep. Hunt	Points out how the OMD has to balance the human service and capitol construction needs.
110	Caldwell	Comments on the impact of the current military situation on OMD.
170	M.J. Kesterson	Vice-President, Afghan-Iraqi Freedom War Memorial Fund. Describes the Afghan/Iraqi Freedom War Memorial.
225	Kesterson	Speaks to the design of the memorial, location, and possible groundbreaking date.
310	Jim Willis	Director, Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA). Introduces ODVA staff.
320	Bruce Shriver	Chief Financial Officer, ODVA. Summarizes ODVA budget history and projected budget for 2005-07.
340	Shriver	Explains the fluctuations in requests for a ODVA Veterans’ Home Loan.
TAPE 18, B
002	Shriver	Identifies why the home loan program is a shrinking program.
045	Shriver	Provides the background on the home loan program and details the current budget and funding status.
075	Chair Nelson	Questions what the retirement placement opportunities for veterans.
080	Shriver	Explains that a veterans placement options depend upon source of benefits.
110	Chair Nelson	Asks if a nursing facility has to have a contract with the Veterans’ Administration.
120	Randal Basl	Budget Officer, ODVA. Explains the contracting requirements that must be met by a nursing home to except veterans receiving Veterans’ Administration (VA) benefits.
130	Rep. Farr	Asks how VA benefits compare to Medicaid benefits.
135	Basl	Explains how VA reimbursements are not as high as Medicaid.
155	Shriver	Identifies what the funding resources are for Oregon Veterans’ Homes and why expenditures for the Oregon Veterans’ Homes are increasing.
190	Chair Nelson	Questions what the Governor’s recommended budget is for Oregon Veterans’ Homes.
195	Shriver	Clarifies the amount of the Governor’s recommended budget.
210	Rep. Hunt	Questions why there are discrepancies in ODVA budget requests and the Governor’s budgetary recommendations.
260	Basl	Explains why the ODVA budgetary requests were less then the Governor’s recommended budget.
268	Chair Nelson	Asks what the per diem is for nursing home care.
275	Basl	Addresses what the amount of the per diem paid for nursing home care.
280	Chair Nelson	Asks for clarification regarding how a veteran qualifies for a nursing home placement.
285	Basl	Explains that by virtue of having veterans status, qualifies a veteran to enter a facility.
290	Rep. Farr	Asks whether per diem figure is a combination of VA and Medicaid benefits.
300	Basl	Explains how the per diem amount is determined.
315	Rep. Farr	Asks if a veterans’ living expenses are paid by VA benefits or in combination with Medicaid benefits.
320	Basl	Explains why living expenses are paid by a combination of benefits.
360	Willis	Summarizes the individualized assessment of each veteran and profile developed for each veteran upon entering a facility.
TAPE 19, A
005	Shriver	Explains the Veterans’ Services Program and the programs current budget requirements.
050	Shriver	Describes the activities and assistance provided by the Veterans’ Services Program.
070	Shriver	Points out that budgetary trend of the program is flat.
The following written material is submitted for the record without public testimony:
	Shriver	Submits ODVA Budget Summary 1999 – 2007 (EXHIBIT D).
087	Chair Nelson	Closes the informational meeting on Veterans’ Issues. Opens a work session on HB 2133.
HB 2133 – WORK SESSION
089	Rep. Farr	MOTION: Requests unanimous consent that the rules be SUSPENDED to allow REP. HUNT to BE RECORDED as voting AYE on the "Moves HB 2133 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.”
		VOTE: 5-0-2 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. EXCUSED: 2 - Barnhart, Boquist
	Chair Nelson	The motion CARRIES.
104	Chair Nelson	Closes the work session on HB 2133. Opens a work session on HB 2192.
HB 2192 – WORK SESSION
106	Rep. Farr	MOTION: Requests unanimous consent that the rules be SUSPENDED to allow REP. HUNT to BE RECORDED as voting AYE on the "Moves to AMEND HB 2192 on page 1, in line 4, after "not exceeding a total of," insert "24 months."
		VOTE: 6-0-1 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. EXCUSED: 1 - Boquist
	Chair Nelson	The motion CARRIES.
110	Chair Nelson	Closes the work session on HB 2192. Adjourns the meeting at 10:29 a.m.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A. HB 2133, written testimony, Adjutant General Raymond Byrne, 1 p
B. HB 2192, written testimony, Adjutant General Raymond Byrne, 1 p
C. Veterans’ Issues, OMD Budget 2005-07 PowerPoint Presentation, Adjutant General Raymond Byrne, 25 pp

The following written material is submitted for the record without public testimony:

D. Veterans’ Issues, ODVA Budget Summary 1999 – 2007, Bruce Shriver, 1 p