03/20/2024 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

          HB 218-FIREFIGHTER WORKERS COMP REQUIREMENTS                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:21:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the  final order of business would be                                                               
HB  218 HOUSE  BILL NO.  218, "An  Act relating  to coverage  for                                                               
disability from diseases for  certain firefighters; and providing                                                               
for an effective date."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:21:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER opened public testimony on HB 218.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:21:3 PM                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JOHN DELLACROCE,  Former Assistant Chief, Chugiak  Volunteer Fire                                                               
Department, gave testimony  on HB 218. He said that  HB 218 would                                                               
affect  all fire  departments  in Alaska.  He  said reducing  the                                                               
current requirement for benefits from  seven years to three years                                                               
would  improve retention.  He concluded  his testimony  by adding                                                               
that reducing the  number of medical exams to one  upon entry and                                                               
one  every  five   years  would  be  more   palatable  for  small                                                               
departments with financial constraints.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:23:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX  asked Mr. Dellacroce  if he has  checked his                                                               
specific city's  policy on  worker's compensation  to see  if the                                                               
city would  sell the fire  department an insurance policy,  if he                                                               
is [Mr. Dellarcore] self-insured.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. DELLACROCE answered that his  fire department has not checked                                                               
with its provider regarding insurance premiums.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:23:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS asked  for clarification  relating to  the                                                               
language  change  on  page  2, line  16,  asking  the  difference                                                               
between  becoming a  firefighter  and becoming  a certified  fire                                                               
fighter.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:24:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SUMNER,  after ascertaining  there  was  no one  else  who                                                               
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 218.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:24:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADONIS BUZARD,  Staff, Representative  Dan Saddler,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, On  behalf of Representative Saddler,  prime sponsor                                                               
of HB  218, said  he does  not have  an answer  to Representative                                                               
Field's question at this time and will follow up later.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS said  he likes  the language  that reduces                                                               
required  exams  but asked  for  more  explanation regarding  the                                                               
frequency of exams proposed in the bill.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:26:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  said the intent  of HB 218 is  to provide                                                               
more  flexibility  so  that coverage  and  worker's  compensation                                                               
aren't lost because of a time requirement.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:26:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX  said he  would like  to hear  from insurance                                                               
carriers about  the financial risk  for their companies.  He said                                                               
that if a  carrier cannot determine the risk, it  could refuse to                                                               
provide  coverage. He  asked  if it  is known  how  HB 218  would                                                               
affect coverage.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER answered  that the  risk doesn't  change,                                                               
and  said  he can  confirm  with  insurance companies  about  the                                                               
question of coverage.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:28:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE    RUFFRIDGE    gave    his    understanding    of                                                               
Representative Prax's  question that  he is  speaking not  of the                                                               
risk to  the fire fighter but  the risk to the  insurance company                                                               
and whether it would have to  pay out benefits more frequently if                                                               
HB 218 were to become law.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX confirmed that's correct.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:29:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   SADDLER   said   he   would   follow   up   with                                                               
Representative   Fields    about   the    current   credentialing                                                               
organizations and processes.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:29:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked Representative Saddler if someone                                                                
would be delayed in working as  a firefighter if they haven't yet                                                               
become certified.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER responded that while  there might be a gap                                                               
between  certification  and   employment,  the  examinations  are                                                               
spaced out accordingly to the certification programs.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:31:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee was recessed at                                                                 
3:31 p.m. to a call of the chair.  [The meeting never                                                                           
reconvened.]