Sponsor Statement for HB 125

"An Act relating to contributions from permanent fund dividends to the Alaska Children's Trust; and providing for an effective date."

Alaska has the unfortunate distinction of leading the nation in it's per capita rate of child abuse and neglect. Many of the difficult social problems we face as a state including delinquency, alcoholism, drug abuse, over-crowed prisons and domestic violence are a direct result of child abuse and neglect. In 1988, the Alaska Children's Trust was formed to help to provide a funding mechanism for community based child abuse and neglect prevention projects. The trust remained virtually unfunded until last year when the legislature made a one-time appropriation of $6 million to establish the corpus of the fund. The fund is managed by the Department of Revenue. After the fund is inflationed proofed, the interest will be distributed to individual community groups for innovative projects that will aid in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

HB 125 was introduced to help create a steady flow of funding for the Children's Trust Fund. HB 125, if enacted, will provide an optional check off in the amount of $25 on the Permanent Fund Dividend Application. If an applicant exercises this option, their donation would be taken out of their dividend and deposited into the corpus of the Children's Trust Fund.

Alaskans are a generous people. I believe that many PFD recipients would welcome the opportunity to share a small portion of their PFD to help reduce the untold human suffering that results from the alarmingly high rate of child abuse and neglect in Alaska.