Legislature(2015 - 2016)BILL RAY CENTER 208
06/04/2016 11:00 AM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB4002 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB4002 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 4002-INS. FOR DEPENDS. OF DECEASED FIRE/POLICE
11:05:11 AM
CHAIR OLSON announced that the only order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 4002, "An Act relating to major medical insurance
coverage under the Public Employees' Retirement System of Alaska
for certain surviving spouses and dependent children of peace
officers and firefighters; and providing for an effective date."
11:05:56 AM
BRANDY JOHNSON remarked:
My name is Brandy Johnson and I am representing
myself, my husband, and my three daughters as well as
current and past Alaska State Troopers, and all law
enforcement that's part of the Public Employees'
Retirement System. Scott's job was that of a sergeant
with the state troopers. He was shot to death by
Nathanial Kangas on May 1, 2014, in Tanana, Alaska,
while in the line of duty. Scott had worked twenty-
three years with the state when he was murdered, two
years shy of retiring and qualifying for major medical
coverage for our family. My first question to state
trooper representatives helping me after Scott was
killed was, "Do I and the girls have medical
benefits?" I was initially told that I was set for
life by one lieutenant. However, that was not the
case, I later was told that my family's benefits would
expire at the end of the month, May 31, 2014.
MS. JOHNSON continued as follows:
Finding this out, I was shocked, disappointed, and
angry. Scott was specifically still working to obtain
the health benefits for his family. I had thought the
medical coverage would have been similar to what we
were been getting prior to Scott's murder. I felt his
last three years of service were all for nothing since
he could have retired at his twenty-year mark with the
State of Alaska. Scott always took his
responsibilities very seriously to protect the people
of Alaska. I had believed upon his death, the state
would also take the responsibility to now take care of
his family. What is frustrating is that the person
who murdered my husband and his father who helped move
my husband's dead body, they have health benefit or
health coverage while they are incarcerated. I am
speaking today to ask for your support of HB 4002,
legislation that will help take care of the families
of those peace officers killed in the line of duty in
the State of Alaska. This legislation will ensure
that another wife or husband will not, will be allowed
to grieve, if they ever have to experience what I
have, instead of trying to ensure their family has
medical coverage. And if we could get a vote on this
bill it would be greatly appreciated. And I would
like to thank you for your time and consideration
today.
11:08:33 AM
NIKKI TOLL remarked:
For the record my name is Nikki Toll. I am testifying
in support of HB 4002 on behalf of myself, my three
sons, and my late husband and the families of the
Alaska State Troopers. My late husband was Alaska
State Trooper Tage Toll. He was killed in the line of
duty when Helo-1 crashed outside of Talkeetna during a
successful search and rescue mission on March 30,
2013. Tage is an Alaskan hero and deserves to be
honored. Tage had been an Alaska State Trooper for
ten years at the point of his death. Tage and I had
chosen Alaska as our home, my boys and I continue to
make that choice because, because it is a truly
marvelous place. Tage served Alaska with loyalty,
integrity, courage, compassion, leadership, and
accountability. As a family, we were well aware of
the dangers that faced Tage when he went on duty. I
had faith and confidence in his abilities to handle
himself, and in the training and skills he had as a
law enforcement officer. In reality, nothing prepared
me for the loss of my best friend, the father of my
three children, and the life I had invested nineteen
years. I was a proud Alaska State Trooper wife. I
was a homemaker. I was a home school mom. Now I am a
single mom. I have a fulltime job. My children are
in three different schools. The life I had known died
with Tage in that horrible crash.
MS. TOLL continued as follows:
When Tage was killed, I had one day of insurance
coverage before, under current policy, it expired at
the end of the month. Tage's body had not even been
positively identified yet, and my three boys and I
were without insurance. It was only after piles of
paperwork and corrections to an inaccurate death
certificate, four months later, that I was able to
have the coverage I have now through PERS, but at 100
percent of the cost coming out of Tage's earned
retirement benefits. Today, I would like to challenge
you to take a hard look at what it truly means to
honor a hero. Is honor simply empty words of
sympathy? Is it statues and plaques frozen in time
with feeble promises to "never forget"? Or is it real
action? Is it taking the necessary measures to ensure
that the individuals and families, who dedicate their
lives to fulltime service to the State of Alaska, are
genuinely cared for in tangible ways, like having the
medical, medical coverage they need? I challenge you
to discern what "in the line of duty" truly means. As
state troopers, both Scott and Tage were members of
the Special Emergency Reaction Team, SERT. Their
motto: "I will go into harm's way." Can you look at
the pictures of the charred wreckage of the Helo-1
crash site and tell me Tage didn't earn this coverage
and compensation? Can you consider the over twenty-
three and a half years of Scott's faithful service,
only to be gunned down in his final months before
retirement, and tell Brandy that he didn't earn this
coverage and compensation? This isn't a game. We
aren't middle schoolers asking for a new iPhone. This
isn't a handout motivated by some socialist agenda.
What it takes to earn this benefit, no one ever wants
to experience. This has been earned by the service
and sacrifice of six hundred pounds of flesh, bone,
and skin. Alaska State Troopers Gabe Rich, Scott
Johnson and Tage Toll went into harm's way and paid
with their lives for the wellbeing, protection, and
safety of fellow Alaskans. Of all the difficult
decisions you face in this session, this one is
simple. Of all the issues, concerns, and dollars that
might keep you up at night, this one you can feel good
about, without compromise. It is time to do the right
thing. It is time to put real, tangible, functional
action to the word honor. Provide the necessary
medical coverage for surviving families. Issue a
measure of peace of mind to those men and women who
continue to serve. Exhibit genuine, long-term honor
that will never be forgotten. I'm asking you to serve
the State of Alaska with loyalty, integrity, courage,
compassion, leadership, and accountability, by
supporting and voting in favor of HB 4002 and honor
our Alaska heroes.
CHAIR OLSON stated the bill would be out of committee next week
and to the House Finance Committee, whose members are familiar
with the bill.
11:14:08 AM
KIM RUDGE-KARIC, speaking for herself, expressed her support of
HB 4002 as currently written. Police officers, correctional
officers, and firefighters have no choice in facing dangerous
situations and are due compensation if they are killed in the
line of duty, and their families deserve compensation. Working
in dangerous occupations affects both the person and their
families, and she urged the committee to support the bill.
11:15:17 AM
CARL BERGER, speaking for himself, stated that he worked as a
correctional officer at one time. He expressed his support for
HB 4002, and opined that the need has been clearly expressed by
the surviving family members who previously testified, and he
also supported their ongoing efforts to get this legislation
passed in order to correct the situation. He questioned why it
has taken the legislature over 130 days to address this need
that has been brought to its attention "over and over," and to
correct the existing problem. The governor has again proposed
the legislation so the legislature can respond, although it
seems some members are blocking the bill, which is shameful.
Mr. Berger strongly urged for the committee to take action, and
he restated his support for HB 4002.
11:18:07 AM
MEGAN LITSTER said she was speaking for herself and her four
children. Ms. Litster said her husband is an Alaska State
Trooper and she expressed her support for those who have worked
tirelessly on all of the various versions of HB 4002. Law
enforcement officers and firefighters are regular people who do
extraordinary jobs with pride and courage, who take an oath to
serve and protect all Alaskans and visitors, and a few do not
come home. What happens next is up to the members of the
committee, whether their sacrifice is honored and their families
are supported. The response to those who ask why police
officers and firefighters are special, is that these men and
women are willing to lay down their lives for our safety and
freedom. These benefits are necessary, and she urged the
committee to pass this very important and overdue bill.
11:20:24 AM
CODY LITSTER, Alaska Wildlife Trooper, Division of Alaska
Wildlife Troopers, DPS, said he was representing his family and
himself. On April 1, 2013, he received a phone call about the
crash of Helo-1. In the tragic accident he lost two friends,
and later at the funeral services he was astounded to learn
their survivors were going to lose their health benefits.
Although providing health benefits for survivors of police
officers and firefighters - who lose their lives in the line of
duty - is a benefit seldom utilized, the fact remains that law
enforcement officers and firefighters die in the line of duty
every day, and he has lost other friends and mentors in these
professions. When these losses occur, the least we can do is
take care of those left behind.
11:22:04 AM
KEITH MALLARD, representing himself, said he has spent his
entire adult life in public service, as a corpsman in the U.S.
Navy and as a law enforcement officer in Alaska. He expressed
support of the bill, and as a public servant, and as someone who
has lost friends in the line of duty, after which their families
have lost benefits and after two years the mistake has not been
corrected.
[Due to technical difficulties, portions of audio are
indiscernible throughout.]
11:24:44 AM
ANDREW MERRILL, Captain, Division of Alaska State Troopers, DPS,
offered to answer questions related to HB 4002.
CHAIR OLSON asked how many VSPOs are on contract and how many
are employed by PERS employers.
CAPTAIN MERRILL responded that all but six are employed by
nonprofit corporations or associations; the only VPSOs with PERS
are those are employed by the Northwest Arctic Borough.
11:26:02 AM
[Due to technical difficulties, portions of audio are
indiscernible throughout.]
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX asked whether VPSOs, who are employed by
the Northwest Arctic Borough, are covered by the current version
of the bill.
CHAIR OLSON said that witnesses indicated by nodding their heads
that the six VPSOs employed by PERS employers would be covered.
CAPTAIN MERRILL encouraged the committee to support the bill.
11:28:00 AM
WALT MONEGAN, Commissioner, Department of Public Safety, said he
was representing himself and DPS. Commissioner Monegan learned
from over 33 years with the Anchorage Police Department that
police officers, troopers, and firefighters are rare
commodities. Police officers and firefighters are often tested
and cannot hesitate about danger, or dwell on their family.
Health insurance would make all feel more comfortable about
their families. Commissioner Monegan spoke further in support
of brave men and women, and urged for the support they deserve.
[Due to technical difficulties, portions of Commissioner
Monegan's testimony were reconstructed from the secretary's log
notes.]
11:30:46 AM
ANDY HOLLEMAN, President, Anchorage Education Association,
speaking on behalf of the members of the Anchorage Education
Association (AEA), who are over 3,000 educators who staff the
Anchorage School District, expressed support for HB 4002. He
said the members of AEA do not expect the benefits in the bill
to apply to all public employees in Alaska; men and women in
certain positions place themselves in dangerous situations as a
normal part of their daily job, which is not the situation faced
by many other public employees. As public safety officers and
firefighters provide a line of safety for residents, they need
to know that we will provide reasonable care for their families
if they do not go home again. Further, the relatively low cost
of the bill should be borne by all, and not by the surviving
families of those who serve. Mr. Holleman urged the committee
to do the right thing and report the bill out of committee. As
citizens, we have a collective honor to uphold, just as we ask
men and women in uniform to serve with honor as well.
11:32:26 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 11:32 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.
11:55:24 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 11:55 a.m. to 12:09 p.m.
12:09:20 PM
CHAIR OLSON, after ascertaining that no one further wished to
testify, closed public testimony.
[HB 4002 was held over.]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB4002 Opposing Documents-Email Ray Woodworth 06-04-16.pdf |
HL&C 6/4/2016 11:00:00 AM |
HB4002 |
| HB4002 Supporting Documents-Assorted emails and letters 06-04-16.pdf |
HL&C 6/4/2016 11:00:00 AM |
HB4002 |
| HB4002 Supporting Documents-Survivor Health Insurance-Public Safety Officers LODD.pdf |
HL&C 6/4/2016 11:00:00 AM |
HB4002 |