05/02/2003 06:00 PM House RLS
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE RULES STANDING COMMITTEE
May 2, 2003
6:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Norman Rokeberg, Chair
Representative Pete Kott
Representative John Coghill
Representative Carl Morgan
Representative Ethan Berkowitz
Representative Beth Kerttula
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Lesil McGuire
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 209
"An Act relating to municipal property tax adjustments for
property affected by a disaster."
- MOVED CSHB 209(RLS) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 234
"An Act relating to brewpubs, and continuing the existence of
the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board; and providing for an
effective date."
- MOVED CSHB 234(RLS) OUT OF COMMITTEE
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 25(FIN)
"An Act relating to the acquisition of teachers' housing by
regional educational attendance areas and to teachers' housing
loan programs in the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation; and
providing for an effective date."
- MOVED HCS CSSB 25(RLS) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 209
SHORT TITLE:MUNI.TAX: PROPERTY AFFECTED BY DISASTER
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S)CHENAULT
Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action
03/24/03 0617 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
03/24/03 0617 (H) CRA, FIN
04/07/03 0831 (H) COSPONSOR(S): WOLF
04/08/03 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 124
04/08/03 (H) Moved CSHB 209(CRA) Out of
Committee
04/08/03 (H) MINUTE(CRA)
04/09/03 0867 (H) CRA RPT CS(CRA) 7DP
04/09/03 0867 (H) DP: KOTT, ANDERSON, SAMUELS,
WOLF,
04/09/03 0867 (H) KOOKESH, CISSNA, MORGAN
04/09/03 0868 (H) FN1: ZERO(CED)
04/30/03 1216 (H) FIN REFERRAL WAIVED
04/30/03 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM HOUSE FINANCE
519
04/30/03 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
Waived out of cmt <Mtg.
Postponed to after Maj.
Caucus>
04/30/03 (H) MINUTE(FIN)
05/02/03 (H) RLS AT 6:00 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: HB 234
SHORT TITLE:BREWPUBS; ABC BOARD
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S)MCGUIRE
Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action
04/02/03 0739 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
04/02/03 0739 (H) L&C, FIN
04/09/03 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM CAPITOL 17
04/09/03 (H) Heard & Held
04/09/03 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
04/11/03 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM CAPITOL 17
04/11/03 (H) Moved CSHB 234(L&C) Out of
Committee
04/11/03 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
04/14/03 0963 (H) L&C RPT CS(L&C) NT 4DP 3NR
04/14/03 0963 (H) DP: CRAWFORD, DAHLSTROM,
ROKEBERG,
04/14/03 0963 (H) ANDERSON; NR: LYNN, GATTO,
GUTTENBERG
04/14/03 0963 (H) FN1: ZERO(REV)
04/23/03 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM HOUSE FINANCE
519
04/23/03 (H) Moved CSHB 234(FIN) Out of
Committee
04/23/03 (H) MINUTE(FIN)
04/28/03 1152 (H) FIN RPT CS(FIN) NT 3DP 3NR
04/28/03 1152 (H) DP: MEYER, HAWKER, HARRIS;
NR: STOLTZE,
04/28/03 1152 (H) CROFT, CHENAULT
04/28/03 1153 (H) FN1: ZERO(REV)
04/28/03 1153 (H) FN2: INDETERMINATE(DPS)
05/02/03 (H) RLS AT 6:00 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SB 25
SHORT TITLE:TEACHERS' HOUSING/AHFC LOANS
SPONSOR(S): SENATOR(S) WILKEN
Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action
01/21/03 0021 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/17/03
01/21/03 0021 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
01/21/03 0021 (S) HES, FIN
02/12/03 (S) HES AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
02/12/03 (S) Heard & Held
02/12/03 (S) MINUTE(HES)
02/24/03 (S) HES AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
02/24/03 (S) Moved Out of Committee
02/24/03 (S) MINUTE(HES)
02/26/03 0272 (S) HES RPT CS 3DP 1NR 1AM SAME
TITLE
02/26/03 0272 (S) DP: DYSON, DAVIS, WILKEN;
02/26/03 0272 (S) NR: GUESS; AM: GREEN
02/26/03 0272 (S) FN1: ZERO(REV)
02/26/03 (S) MINUTE(HES)
03/06/03 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE
532
03/06/03 (S) Heard & Held
03/06/03 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
03/11/03 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE
532
03/11/03 (S) Scheduled But Not Heard
03/12/03 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE
532
03/12/03 (S) Moved CSSB 25(FIN) Out of
Committee
03/12/03 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
03/13/03 0489 (S) FIN RPT CS 5DP 1DNP 1NR NEW
TITLE
03/13/03 0489 (S) DP: WILKEN, TAYLOR, HOFFMAN,
OLSON,
03/13/03 0489 (S) STEVENS B; DNP: GREEN; NR:
BUNDE
03/13/03 0489 (S) FN1: ZERO(REV)
03/17/03 0522 (S) COSPONSOR(S): STEVENS G,
DYSON, SEEKINS
03/31/03 0641 (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 3/31/2003
03/31/03 0641 (S) READ THE SECOND TIME
03/31/03 0642 (S) FIN CS ADOPTED UNAN CONSENT
03/31/03 0642 (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
UNAN CONSENT
03/31/03 0642 (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB
25(FIN)
03/31/03 0642 (S) COSPONSOR(S): LINCOLN
03/31/03 0642 (S) PASSED Y16 N1 E3
03/31/03 0643 (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS
PASSAGE
03/31/03 0648 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
03/31/03 0648 (S) VERSION: CSSB 25(FIN)
04/02/03 0729 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
04/02/03 0729 (H) HES, FIN
04/02/03 0751 (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): LYNN
04/11/03 0947 (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): ROKEBERG
04/15/03 (H) HES AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
04/15/03 (H) Heard & Held
04/15/03 (H) MINUTE(HES)
04/22/03 (H) HES AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
04/22/03 (H) Moved HCSSB 25(HES) Out of
Committee Meeting postponed
to after floor session
04/22/03 (H) MINUTE(HES)
04/23/03 1065 (H) HES RPT HCS(HES) NT 2DP 4NR
04/23/03 1065 (H) TITLE CHANGE: HCR 17
04/23/03 1065 (H) DP: SEATON, WILSON; NR:
CISSNA,
04/23/03 1065 (H) COGHILL, WOLF, GATTO
04/23/03 1066 (H) FN1: ZERO(REV)
04/29/03 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM HOUSE FINANCE
519
04/29/03 (H) Moved HCS CSSB 25(FIN) Out of
Committee
MINUTE(FIN)
04/30/03 1199 (H) FIN RPT HCS(HES) NT 9DP 2NR
04/30/03 1199 (H) TITLE CHANGE: HCR 17
04/30/03 1199 (H) DP: MEYER, HAWKER, JOULE,
CROFT,
04/30/03 1199 (H) CHENAULT, WHITAKER, FOSTER,
HARRIS,
04/30/03 1199 (H) WILLIAMS; NR: STOLTZE, MOSES
04/30/03 1200 (H) FN1: ZERO(REV)
04/30/03 1218 (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): MEYER
05/02/03 (H) RLS AT 6:00 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
LEONA OBERTS, Staff
to Representative Mike Chenault
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 209 on behalf of the sponsor,
Representative Chenault.
JUANITA HENSLEY, Special Assistant
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Public Safety
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: During the discussion of HB 234, answered
questions.
SENATOR GARY WILKEN
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Spoke as the sponsor of SB 25.
REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY WILSON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Spoke [as the sponsor of the portion of SB
25 dealing with nurses].
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 03-3, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIR NORMAN ROKEBERG called the House Rules Standing Committee
meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Representatives Rokeberg, Kott,
Coghill, Morgan, Berkowitz, and Kerttula were present at the
call to order.
HB 209-MUNI.TAX: PROPERTY AFFECTED BY DISASTER
CHAIR ROKEBERG announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 209, "An Act relating to municipal property
tax adjustments for property affected by a disaster."
[Due to technical difficulties, the first six minutes of tape
are blank. Therefore, the following was reconstructed from the
committee secretary's log notes.]
There was a motion to adopt CSHB 209, Version 23-LS0420\I, Cook,
4/30/03. There being no objection, Version I was before the
committee.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA related her understanding that this
legislation would apply to more than just a natural disaster.
LEONA OBERTS, Staff to Representative Mike Chenault, Alaska
State Legislature, presented HB 209 on behalf of the sponsor.
In response to Representative Kerttula, Ms. Oberts indicated
that this legislation would apply to a man-made [disaster] such
as pipes flooding a basement. In further response to
Representative Kerttula, Ms. Oberts confirmed that this
legislation would only refer to a reduction in municipal taxes.
[The recording begins at this point.]
Number 0498
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT moved to report [CSHB 209, Version 23-
LS0420\I, Cook, 4/30/03] out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being
no objection, [CSHB 209(RLS)] was reported from the House Rules
Standing Committee.
The committee took a brief at-ease.
HB 234-BREWPUBS; ABC BOARD
CHAIR ROKEBERG announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 234, "An Act relating to brewpubs, and
continuing the existence of the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board; and providing for an effective date."
Number 0613
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL moved to adopt CSHB 234, Version 23-
LS0862\X, Ford, 4/30/03, as the working document. There being
no objection, Version X was before the committee.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ objected and inquired as to the
difference between Version X and [CSHB 234(FIN)].
CHAIR ROKEBERG pointed out that Section 2 of CSHB 234(FIN)
regarding peace officer powers eliminated the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board's (ABC) authorization to investigate violations of
laws against prostitution and gambling on [premises licensed
under] Title 4. There seems to be some question with regard to
what the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the ABC Board
want. Although this matter was discussed at length in the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee, the language was taken
out in the House Finance Standing Committee. He explained his
belief that the law enforcement agencies of the state have
better things to do than enforce laws relating to prostitution
and gambling on licensed premises. The ABC investigators
should, in the course of their activity, be in a position to
enforce laws relating to prostitution and gambling in licensed
premises because there is a direct relation between the
aforementioned activities and the activities of a licensee under
Title 4.
CHAIR ROKEBERG, in response to Representative Berkowitz,
clarified that [under CSHB 234(FIN)] the activities the ABC
investigators can investigate are limited and thus he wanted to
return to the current statute under which ABC investigators are
able to [investigate/enforce prostitution and gambling].
Number 0792
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ withdrew his objection.
CHAIR ROKEBERG specified that the remainder of Version X
essentially remains the same.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA inquired as to the department's thoughts
on the matter.
Number 0856
JUANITA HENSLEY, Special Assistant, Office of the Commissioner,
Department of Public Safety, informed the committee that DPS
requested that the provision to take away [the ABC Board's
authority with regard to] prostitution and gambling be included
in the legislation. This was requested so that the ABC
investigators would refocus on alcohol investigation. If the
ABC investigators see prostitution or gambling going on in an
establishment, then they should contact local law enforcement
agencies. Ms. Hensley noted that DPS would continue to work
with the ABC investigators, even without the provision.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ related his understanding that DPS
wants the provision to be included in the legislation.
MS. HENSLEY clarified that DPS had requested that peace officer
powers of investigating gambling and prostitution be removed
from the ABC investigators. However, Version X allows the ABC
investigators to continue to investigate prostitution and
gambling. At this point, it doesn't matter to DPS, she said.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ asked if there are concerns with regard
to peace officer safety or is this a resource issue.
Number 0969
MS. HENSLEY pointed out that through one of the recent executive
orders the ABC Board is being placed in DPS. One of the
recommendations of the Joint Committee on Legislative Budget and
Audit's sunset audit of the ABC Board was that the ABC
investigator's work time should be refocused on enforcing
alcohol laws while enforcement of gambling and prostitution
should be left to the regular police powers of the state. The
DPS agreed with the aforementioned and if ABC investigators do
see prostitution and gambling in an establishment, DPS or any
other law enforcement agency in the area should assist in those
investigations. Version X gives the ABC investigators the power
to investigate prostitution and gambling, and DPS would continue
to work with them and further investigate. Ms. Hensley
mentioned that there will be times in which prostitution and
gambling are a vice issue that can be handled in conjunction
with the ABC investigators.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ inquired as to the percentage of an ABC
investigator's time spent investigating prostitution and
gambling as opposed to alcoholic (indisc.) infractions.
MS. HENSLEY said she couldn't answer that.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ said that he didn't recall prostitution
or gambling ever coming through the ABC Board. He expressed
curiosity as to why Chair Rokeberg wants Version X because the
audit, the department, and the governor want CSHB 234(FIN).
CHAIR ROKEBERG pointed out that the audit specifies that the ABC
Board [wants to maintain its powers with regard to prostitution
and gambling].
Number 1126
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA highlighted that the ABC Board didn't
obtain these powers until 1999. She also highlighted that the
audit says that the issue has been that the ABC investigators
"are ex-police officers who would like to carry guns and
investigate other crimes, in fact they seem to be intensively
preoccupied with the topic". Furthermore, the problem hasn't
really been alcohol control. She noted that there are already
officers that investigate prostitution and gambling in Alaska
and thus she characterized [DPS's authority to investigate
prostitution and gambling] as a duplication of services.
Number 1173
CHAIR ROKEBERG noted his disagreement with the audit and
recommended maintaining the status quo while reviewing how the
transition [of the ABC Board to DPS] goes.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ mentioned the duplication of service
issue. He related his experience that when law enforcement
officers make decisions about how they want their organization
organized it's best to defer to their wishes. He noted his
willingness to return the peace officer power provision in the
legislation and indicated that perhaps the discussion would be
held on the House floor.
CHAIR ROKEBERG inquired as to the department's position on
Version X.
Number 1273
MS. HENSLEY reiterated that DPS made the recommendation, jointly
with the governor's office, for this provision. However, DPS is
willing to work with the ABC investigators to fulfill the
provisions under Title 4 whether gambling and prostitution is
included or not. With regard to the notion of there being a
duplication of service, Ms. Hensley pointed out that the ABC
investigators would be in a position to notify the local law
enforcement agency and work jointly with it with regard to
gambling and prostitution.
CHAIR ROKEBERG requested that Ms. Hensley provide information
with regard to the amount of time that DPS allocates to gambling
and prostitution investigation in the context of their entire
scope of work. Chair Rokeberg suggested that the time would be
small.
CHAIR ROKEBERG, upon determining no one else wished to testify,
closed public testimony.
Number 1403
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to report CSHB 234(FIN), Version
W, out of committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal notes.
CHAIR ROKEBERG objected.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Kott, Morgan,
Berkowitz, and Kerttula voted in favor of reporting CSHB
234(FIN) from committee. Representatives Coghill and Rokeberg
voted against it.
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT, upon the announcement that the vote was 4-
2, said that he wanted to change his vote to be against
reporting CSHB 234(FIN) from committee.
The committee took an at-ease.
[Due to technical difficulties the following motion wasn't
recorded on tape.]
Number 1504
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to report CSHB 234, Version 23-
LS0862\X, Ford, 4/30/03, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being
no objection, CSHB 234(RLS) was reported from the House Rules
Standing Committee.
SB 25-TEACHERS' HOUSING/AHFC LOANS
CHAIR ROKEBERG announced that the final order of business would
be CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 25(FIN), "An Act relating to the
acquisition of teachers' housing by regional educational
attendance areas and to teachers' housing loan programs in the
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation; and providing for an
effective date."
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to adopt HCS CSSB 25, Version W,
as the working document.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ objected for discussion purposes.
Number 1542
CHAIR ROKEBERG pointed out that Version W on page 2, line 10,
has deleted "administrator" and inserted "principal". He
explained that the prior version included a provision requiring
that nurses working at least 80 hours a month would qualify for
this loan program. However, [Version W] requires that the
[nurses] would have to be full-time employees.
CHAIR ROKEBERG related that the idea behind this legislation is
to provide incentives for hiring new teachers, counselors,
principals, and nurses. The rationale behind changing
"administrator" to "principal" is that many administrators have
very high salaries and thus don't need the additional benefit
provided by this legislation. Furthermore, the change helps
restrict the scope of eligible people. He acknowledged that
there was an issue regarding whether a nurse could work on a
part-time basis and qualify for this program. However, Chair
Rokeberg reminded the committee that the legislation intends to
recruit and retain teachers and nurses, and therefore he didn't
believe the legislation would be best served by including part-
time employment. By allowing AHFC to develop the eligibility
regulations, the nurses association could provide information
with regard to peculiar work hours [that need to be
accommodated].
Number 1704
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ asked if "principal" and
"administrator" are defined terms. He inquired as to what would
happen if someone was an acting principal or a vice principal.
He then turned to the language on page 2, line 14, which
specifies that only one loan per borrower can be made, and asked
if that means once in a lifetime. He pointed out that teachers
and principals in rural Alaska may move from one district to
another.
CHAIR ROKEBERG related his belief that the intention is [for the
program] to be similar to the VA loan program in which there is
a one-time use.
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL interjected that when the Alaska Housing
and Finance Corporation (AHFC) was before the House Health,
Education and Social Services Standing Committee the indication
was that this offer could only be used once.
CHAIR ROKEBERG returned to the change from "administrator" to
"principal" and explained that the intent was to narrow the
field of eligible people. He wasn't aware of a statutory
definition for either.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA pointed out that vice principals
wouldn't be included and she noted her discomfort with that.
CHAIR ROKEBERG suggested that the term "principals" could be
used or "vice principals" could be specified.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ recalled that schools have a peculiar
situation in which people providing support for a principal
might not be eligible for one of these loans, although the
principal would.
CHAIR ROKEBERG reminded everyone that the original intent is to
help the recruitment of teachers and thus the scope should be
narrowed because those receiving high levels of compensation
don't need help. Chair Rokeberg said that he wouldn't object to
including "assistant principals".
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL pointed out that the legislation requires
that the individual be certificated and thus the individual
would have to be a teacher. He also pointed out that there will
be schools in which the administrators hold class. Therefore,
having the "certificated" language would seem to serve the
purpose.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA remarked that administrators in rural
Alaska often function as a teacher and administrator.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ returned to Representative Coghill's
point that this legislation seems to focus on those who are
certificated and work in the school. Therefore, a list wouldn't
be necessary, he said.
CHAIR ROKEBERG noted that there is a definition of teacher. He
expressed concern with people who earn $100,000 a year getting a
deal.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ reiterated that a list isn't necessary
and the problem could be addressed by inserting a period after
"certificated".
Number 1959
SENATOR GARY WILKEN, Alaska State Legislature, speaking as the
sponsor of SB 25, explained that the purpose of SB 25 was to
create something that Alaska could offer to attract teachers.
The ability to utilize this benefit is limited to someone in the
school. Senator Wilken expressed his preference for specifying
principal and vice principal. However, he agreed that merely
referring to certificated individuals would serve the same
purpose.
CHAIR ROKEBERG said that he didn't object to [including] vice
principals. However, he reiterated his concern with regard to
using the language "administrator" because of their high
salaries.
SENATOR WILKEN remarked that limiting this benefit to those
inside the school would seem to eliminate those he considered to
be an administrator. However, he noted his agreement with
deleting the "administrator" language.
CHAIR ROKEBERG agreed with Representative Kerttula's earlier
testimony that some school employees could wear more than one
hat.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA asked whether those wearing multiple
hats would clearly qualify for this when one of those hats is a
teacher in some capacity.
CHAIR ROKEBERG said he believes so.
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT interjected that those certificated as a
teacher would qualify.
CHAIR ROKEBERG said that he wouldn't object to adding the
"assistant principal" language.
SENATOR WILKEN suggested that "principal" could be defined in
regulation.
Number 2097
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA asked if all teachers are classified as
full-time.
CHAIR ROKEBERG said that there is a statutory definition of a
full-time teacher.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA related that she wanted to be sure that
[the definition] included regular teachers. She said that she
could double-check before the legislation goes to the floor.
CHAIR ROKEBERG remarked that the intent is for the statutory
definition of a full-time teacher to be controlling.
SENATOR WILKEN thanked Representative Wilson for making this
legislation better. He further thanked Chair Rokeberg from whom
he took this legislation.
CHAIR ROKEBERG informed the committee that AS 14.25.220
specifies:
(19) "full-time teacher" means a teacher occupying a
position requiring teaching on a regular basis for the
normal work period per day or week at a teaching
assignment, excluding teaching as an assistant or
graduate assistant or teaching on a substitute,
temporary, or per diem basis;
Number 2235
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT moved that the committee adopt Conceptual
Amendment 1 to page 2, line 10, after "or", insert "assistant
principal". There being no objection, Conceptual Amendment 1
was adopted.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA expressed concern with regard to
increasing the requirement from 80 hours to full-time. She
related her understanding that often in rural Alaska flexible
hours are allowed in order to [recruit and retain] nurses.
REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY WILSON, Alaska State Legislature, speaking
[as the sponsor of the portion of the legislation dealing with
nurses], noted that in several areas two people work part-time
to fill a full-time slot. In response to Chair Rokeberg,
Representative Wilson explained that such [job sharing] is done
because a parent wants to do so while in other instances an
individual might be retired [and only wants to work part-time].
CHAIR ROKEBERG pointed out that the intent of the legislation is
to provide a bonus in order to entice people into the nursing
profession.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA remarked that nursing is a stressful job
and many nurses are women, many of whom have families. Offering
flexible hours has helped get nurses into rural Alaska, she
said. She expressed concern with regard to increasing [the
requirement] to full-time.
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON said that she didn't want to lose the
inclusion of the nurses in this legislation [over the full-time
requirement].
Number 2360
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ related his understanding that there
isn't a requirement that the nurse work full-time but rather
that there are regulations determining [whether the nurse is
working full-time].
CHAIR ROKEBERG clarified that his intent was for the
determination to be developed such that it's flexible and
recognizes real life situations. Chair Rokeberg noted that the
House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee
changed the title and thus there is already a title resolution
for the legislation.
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to report HCS CSSB 25, Version W,
as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and
the accompanying fiscal notes.
TAPE 03-3, SIDE B
There being no objection, HCS CSSB 25(RLS) was reported from the
House Rules Standing Committee.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Rules Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 6:47 p.m.
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