2005-04-08                     Senate Journal                      Page 0843
SB 130                                                                                            
The Judiciary Committee considered SENATE BILL NO. 130 "An                                          
Act relating to a special deposit for workers' compensation and                                     
employers' liability insurers; relating to assigned risk pools; relating to                         
workers' compensation insurers; stating the intent of the legislature,                              
and setting out limitations, concerning the interpretation, construction,                           
and implementation of workers' compensation laws; relating to the                                   
Alaska Workers' Compensation Board; assigning certain Alaska                                        
Workers' Compensation Board functions to the division of workers'                                   
compensation in the Department of Labor and Workforce                                               
Development and to that department, and authorizing the board to                                    
delegate administrative and enforcement duties to the division;                                     
establishing a Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission;                                            
providing for workers' compensation hearing officers in workers'                                    
compensation proceedings; relating to workers' compensation medical                                 
benefits and to charges for and payment of fees for the medical                                     
benefits; relating to agreements that discharge workers' compensation                               
liability; relating to workers' compensation awards; relating to                                    
reemployment benefits and job dislocation benefits; relating to                                     
coordination of workers' compensation and certain disability benefits;                              
relating to division of workers' compensation records; relating to                                  
release of treatment records; relating to an employer's failure to insure                           

2005-04-08                     Senate Journal                      Page 0844
and keep insured or provide security; providing for appeals from                                    
compensation orders; relating to workers' compensation proceedings;                                 
providing for supreme court jurisdiction of appeals from the Workers'                               
Compensation Appeals Commission; providing for a maximum                                            
amount for the cost-of-living adjustment for workers' compensation                                  
benefits; relating to attorney fees; providing for the department to                                
enter into contracts with nonprofit organizations to provide                                        
information services and legal representation to injured employees;                                 
providing for administrative penalties for employers uninsured or                                   
without adequate security for workers' compensation; relating to                                    
fraudulent acts or false or misleading statements in workers'                                       
compensation and penalties for the acts or statements; providing for                                
members of a limited liability company to be included as an employee                                
for purposes of workers' compensation; establishing a workers'                                      
compensation benefits guaranty fund; relating to the second injury                                  
fund; making conforming amendments; providing for a study and                                       
report by the medical services review committee; and providing for an                               
effective date" and recommended it be replaced with                                                 
                                                                                                    
          CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 130(JUD)                                                           
          (forthcoming)                                                                             
                                                                                                    
Signing do pass: Senator Seekins, Chair. Signing no recommendation:                                 
Senators French, Guess, Therriault, Huggins.                                                        
                                                                                                    
The following fiscal information was published today:                                               
 Fiscal Note No. 7, zero, Department of Commerce, Community,                                        
       and Economic Development                                                                     
                                                                                                    
The following previously published fiscal information applies:                                      
 Fiscal Note No. 5, zero, Alaska Court System                                                       
 Fiscal Note No. 6, Department of Labor and Workforce                                               
       Development                                                                                  
                                                                                                    
The bill was referred to the Finance Committee.