03/14/2024 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB287 | |
| HB101 | |
| HB228 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 234 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 287 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 101 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 228 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 14, 2024
3:07 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Laddie Shaw, Chair
Representative Stanley Wright, Vice Chair
Representative Ben Carpenter
Representative Craig Johnson
Representative Jamie Allard
Representative Ashley Carrick
Representative Andi Story
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 287
"An Act relating to public notice for certain state actions and
public hearings; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 101
"An Act relating to the use of campaign funds for dependent
care, protection, and supervision."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 228
"An Act establishing the Alaska mental health and psychedelic
medicine task force; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 234
"An Act relating to police officer training; establishing the
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Review Commission;
relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons; relating to
the duties of the Department of Public Safety; and providing for
an effective date."
- BILL HEARING CANCELED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 287
SHORT TITLE: PUBLIC NOTICE FOR DISPOSAL/LEASE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) RAUSCHER
01/24/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/24/24 (H) STA
03/14/24 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
BILL: HB 101
SHORT TITLE: CAMPAIGN FUNDS FOR DEPENDENT CARE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) ARMSTRONG
03/08/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/08/23 (H) HSS, STA, JUD
04/26/23 (H) HSS REFERRAL REMOVED
04/26/23 (H) BILL REPRINTED
03/14/24 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
BILL: HB 228
SHORT TITLE: MENTAL HEALTH/PSYCHEDELIC MED. TASK FORCE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) ARMSTRONG
01/16/24 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/8/24
01/16/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/24 (H) HSS, STA, FIN
02/02/24 (H) MLV REPLACES HSS REFERRAL
02/02/24 (H) BILL REPRINTED
02/13/24 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
02/13/24 (H) Heard & Held
02/13/24 (H) MINUTE(MLV)
02/29/24 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
02/29/24 (H) Heard & Held
02/29/24 (H) MINUTE(MLV)
03/05/24 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
03/05/24 (H) Moved CSHB 228(MLV) Out of Committee
03/05/24 (H) MINUTE(MLV)
03/06/24 (H) MLV RPT CS(MLV) 1DNP 4NR 1AM
03/06/24 (H) DNP: SADDLER
03/06/24 (H) NR: GROH, CARPENTER, SHAW, WRIGHT
03/06/24 (H) AM: GRAY
03/13/24 (H) FIN REFERRAL REMOVED
03/14/24 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE RAUSCHER
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 287, as prime sponsor.
CHRISTY COLLES, Director
Central Office
Division of Mining, Land and Water
Department of Natural Resources
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions and provided comments
about HB 287.
RYAN MCKEE, Staff
Representative George Rauscher
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
287, on behalf of Representative Rauscher, prime sponsor.
REPRESENTATIVE JENNIFER ARMSTRONG
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 101, as prime sponsor;
presented HB 228, as prime sponsor.
HEATHER HEBDON, Executive Director
Anchorage Office
Alaska Public Offices Commission
Department of Administration
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
101.
MICHAEL DEMOLINA, PhD, President
Wisdom Traditions Counseling Services
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided invited testimony for HB 228.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:07:32 PM
CHAIR LADDIE SHAW called the House State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:07 p.m. Representatives
Carrick, Allard, Story, Wright, and Shaw were present at the
call to order. Representatives C. Johnson and Carpenter arrived
as the meeting was in progress.
HB 287-PUBLIC NOTICE FOR DISPOSAL/LEASE
3:08:41 PM
CHAIR SHAW announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 287, "An Act relating to public notice for
certain state actions and public hearings; and providing for an
effective date."
3:09:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE RAUSCHER, Alaska State Legislature,
presented HB 287, as prime sponsor He provided the sponsor
statement for HB 287 [included in the committee packet], which
read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
HB 287 proposes changes to certain public notice
requirements relating to certain land and water
usages. The bill changes the requirement for public
notice by allowing an option to use the Alaska Online
Public Notice System. This would provide a new means
to the current requirement that notices be posted in a
newspaper of general circulation in an affected area.
The bill would update, but not substantively change,
other requirements for notice by the appropriate
commissioner to determine the rights of persons
regarding related issues.
By allowing for online public notice, it is possible
to save applicants money as opposed to newspaper
notice. The changes would utilize the state's online
public notice system, which is available to most
Alaskans to view at no cost. Public notices posted on
this system are permanently retained for future
reference, whereas newspaper notices are difficult to
retrieve. Utilizing the online public notice system
ensures that Alaskans have equal access to public
notices rather than just newspaper subscribers or
residents of certain areas. Finally, online public
notice would eliminate coordinating issues with
newspaper publications and reduce permit processing
timeframes.
3:11:18 PM
CHRISTY COLLES, Director, Central Office, Division of Mining,
Land and Water, Department of Natural Resources, reported that
the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) supports HB 287. She
said that the bill addresses the current requirements for water
use applications to be posted in newspapers. She said that
these requirements take significant time to coordinate. Costs
to the applicant can range between $500-$1,500 per notice. The
amendments proposed for HB 287 would align with other public
notice requirements in statute, more widely distribute public
notices, save money for the applicant, and save time and
resources for the state.
3:12:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked about the current challenges in
creating print publications, especially in rural communities.
3:13:25 PM
RYAN MCKEE, Staff, Representative George Rauscher, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Rauscher, prime
sponsor, responded that some challenges include the time spent
coordinating with publications to determine which ones are
accessed in remote areas. Another challenge is the cost to the
applicant; a single newspaper advertisement can cost between
$500-$1,500 per day. A single day advertisement is a limited
window of time to provide notice. A public notice system on the
state website would make it easier to notify the public for
longer periods of time with no cost.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK referenced page 5, line 24 of the bill,
which read "published or broadcast", and asked if this bill
helps to provide notice to communities who lack newspaper
coverage.
MS. COLLES responded that notices are put in the closest
newspaper available to the community. She said if there is not
a nearby newspaper, notices are put in conspicuous locations
such as post offices in addition to the online public notice
website. The newspaper requirement is difficult to coordinate.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked what efforts will be made by the
department for communities without access to online resources.
MS. COLLES answered that an assessment would need to be made
based on community information.
3:18:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON asked if the notice would still need
to be in a newspaper of usual circulation.
MS. COLLES affirmed that there is currently a requirement to put
a notice in a newspaper of general circulation. The bill is
written to say that the department must put a notice on the
Alaska public notice system and may also choose to include it in
a newspaper of circulation.
REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON asked for a definition of a "newspaper
of general circulation".
MS. COLLES responded with her understanding that a "newspaper of
general circulation" would be a newspaper within a delivery
area.
3:19:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER referred to page 7, lines 22-24, which
stated that notices may be published in "other appropriate
information media".
REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON offered his understanding as a former
newspaper publisher that a "newspaper of general circulation"
indicates certified circulation of over 5,000, which eliminates
many small-town newspapers. He expressed his concern that
perhaps the only way to reach some small communities is through
online resources.
3:20:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY expressed her concern for areas with
limited or no broadband. She asked how the department ensures
that notices are adequately posted in rural communities without
Internet access. She asked for a list of areas in the state
that are without broadband.
MS. COLLES responded that the department doesn't have a list of
areas without broadband service. She noted other options of
notifying the public such as posting notices in community
centers, libraries, and post offices.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked how notices are documented to ensure
community members have received adequate notice.
MS. COLLES stated that the department does its best, though she
noted the difficulty of reaching the entire community. She
stated her belief that the online notification system can help
to close the gaps.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY requested a list of areas that lack
broadband access for the purpose of receiving notifications from
the department.
3:23:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked if areas with limited broadband also
have limited newspaper delivery.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER suggested that it may be more difficult
to find a newspaper in an area that lacks broadband. He echoed
Ms. Colles' statement that post offices are an option for
posting notices.
MS. COLLES responded that there are plenty of areas that lack
general circulation newspapers. In those cases the department
takes extra measures to post notices in post offices and
community centers.
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD offered her support for HB 287. She
commented that many folks in Alaska are isolated for personal
reasons and prefer not to be contacted.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK noted that the flexibility of the
legislation is valuable and reiterated the challenge with
reaching out with notices to communities that lack broadband and
newspaper circulation. She asked if DNR has reached out to
other departments that experience similar challenges and may
benefit from similar legislation.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER responded with his expectation that
other departments would find this bill of interest.
MR. MCKEE noted that the Department of Environmental
Conservation is looking into electronic notice requirement
flexibility.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK said there are entities aside from state
departments that also have notice requirements that could
benefit from the type of flexibility offered in HB 287.
3:27:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON acknowledged that there are several
statewide newspapers but asked if publishing notices in
newspapers with low circulation would qualify as notification.
MS. COLLES responded that if it is the only newspaper available,
it would be used to fulfill the statutory requirement.
REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON stated that there are more people with
broadband access than people who subscribe to larger state-wide
newspapers. He offered his support for HB 287.
3:29:16 PM
CHAIR SHAW announced that HB 287 was held over.
HB 101-CAMPAIGN FUNDS FOR DEPENDENT CARE
3:29:27 PM
CHAIR SHAW announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 101, "An Act relating to the use of campaign
funds for dependent care, protection, and supervision."
3:29:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented HB 101. She provided a sponsor statement for
HB 101 [included in the committee packet], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Political campaigns are incredibly demanding and time-
consuming. Having support to manage family
responsibilities can be central to a candidate's
decision to run for office and their ability to
successfully campaign. However, under current law,
it's unclear whether campaign funds can be used by
candidates for dependent care. This bill would
explicitly permit candidates to use campaign funds to
provide for the care of dependent children, as well as
elderly and disabled dependents. To date, sixteen
other states have enacted similar legislation. By
passing this bill, we can take a meaningful step
towards making Alaska a truly pro-family state, at the
ballot box and beyond.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG explained that campaigning for office
is unpaid, hard work and occurs after work on evenings and
weekends. Working full-time, campaigning for office, and paying
for supplemental childcare on top of existing childcare costs
can be prohibitive for many who hope to run for office. There
are fewer parents with young children who run for office and
thus the perspectives of those parents are underrepresented.
She noted the outmigration of young families from Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG said that she is the only mother in the
legislature who has a toddler or an infant. She described long
waitlists for childcare. She explained that she is not
presenting this bill for herself as she is not running for
reelection. This legislation has widespread bipartisan support.
In 2018, the Federal Election Commission approved spending
campaign funds on child and dependent care for federal
candidates with unanimous bipartisan support.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG said that HB 101 has a zero fiscal note
and is regulated and monitored like any other campaign
expenditure. She noted some of the ways that campaign funds are
utilized including gala tickets, car and private plane
maintenance, wine, fancy food, professional photos, and more.
She argued that childcare is aligned with the intended use of
campaign funds. She said HB 101 would put Alaska in line with
campaign regulations in 31 other states.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG, regarding the proposed use of campaign
funds and the definition of "dependent" directed attention to
the language on page 1, lines 5-11, which read as follows:
A candidate who requires assistance with the care,
protection, and supervision of a dependent because of
the demands of the candidate's campaign activities may
use campaign contributions for the direct care,
protection, and supervision of the dependent. In this
subsection, "dependent" means
(1) the candidate's minor child;
(2) a person with a disability or medical condition
for whom the candidate has direct caregiving
responsibility.
3:35:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked how many fathers in the legislature
have toddlers.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG responded that there are several.
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked if any fathers in the legislature
have wanted to utilize campaign money to be used for childcare.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG said that she didn't think it would be
appropriate to share information about other representatives'
childcare situations on the record.
3:36:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY expressed her appreciation of the inclusion
of "persons with disabilities or medical condition" in the bill.
3:36:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD expressed her concern about "faulty"
candidates who may take advantage of campaign funds.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG responded that abuse of expenditures is
a common concern regarding all campaign fund uses. She
explained that there is a robust public process with ethics
standards that would be applied just as with any other use of
campaign funds. She made note of the Alaska Public Offices
Commission (APOC).
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD expressed her dislike of APOC.
CHAIR SHAW asked Representative Allard to adhere to the bill
discussion.
3:38:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked if there is a current prohibition
on the use of campaign funds for dependent care or if it is not
explicitly stated as an acceptable use of campaign funds.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG said that current statute does not
explicitly state that campaign funds can be used for dependent
care and is ambiguous.
3:38:56 PM
HEATHER HEBDON, Executive Director, Anchorage Office, Alaska
Public Offices Commission, Department of Administration,
confirmed that there is not a prohibition on utilizing campaign
funds for dependent care. She said that current statute is
written broadly and only requires that the expenses be
reasonably related to campaign activities.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK expressed her appreciation of the intent
of HB 101. She mentioned many major financial challenges that
may prevent a person from running for office. She asked if
there are other life circumstances that could prevent someone
from running besides strictly their salary, for example high
energy costs.
CHAIR SHAW asked Representative Carrick to stay focused on the
subject of the bill, which is campaign money use for dependent
care.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG emphasized the global struggle with
representation. She explained that HB 101 is targeted for
people who wouldn't be able to attend a campaign event or
fundraiser without dependent care.
3:41:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER commented that he finds HB 101 to be
intriguing.
REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON asked about the chair's intention with
the bill.
3:42:18 PM
CHAIR SHAW announced that HB 101 was held over.
HB 228-MENTAL HEALTH/PSYCHEDELIC MED. TASK FORCE
3:42:32 PM
CHAIR SHAW announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 228, "An Act establishing the Alaska mental
health and psychedelic medicine task force; and providing for an
effective date." [Before the committee was CSHB 228(MLV).]
3:42:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented HB 228. She presented a sponsor statement
for HB 228 [included in the committee packet], which read as
follows [original punctuation provided]:
HB 228 seeks to create a task force to consider
barriers to the implementation of and equitable access
to certain psychedelic medicines ahead of the expected
FDA authorization of prescription drugs that would
fall under this category.
The task force will report to the Legislature by
December 31, 2024 what regulations or other changes
are necessary in the state for Alaskans to safely
benefit from these new treatments for mental health
issues such as treatment-resistant depression, post-
traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder and
other mental health issues common in Alaska.
Alaska has the highest share of veterans per capita
and one of the highest suicide rates in the nation.
Coupled with also being a state where 43.3% of women
and 30.2% of men in Alaska experience domestic
violence and related crimes in their lifetimes and
where 84% of American Indian/Alaska Native women
experience violence, there is a potential for these
medicines to have a profoundly positive impact on the
mental health crises we see statewide. This task force
is an opportunity to ensure we are prepared for the
potential federal medicalization of these life-saving
and life-changing medicines.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG added that the task force will not
consider or take a position on the medicalization,
decriminalization, or legalization of psychedelic medicines.
The purpose of the task force is to craft a set of policy
recommendations for the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature
to consider in advance of the potential medicalization of
certain psychedelic medicines by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). Licensing and insurance will be
considered by the task force for policy recommendations. She
reported that in 2021, Texas became the first state to enact a
psychedelic research bill to study veterans with post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). She mentioned that there are many
states with similar task forces to the one proposed in HB 228.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG emphasized the importance of the task
force and said that the FDA approves about 43 novel drugs each
year, but not all of them have the potential to make as big of
an impact as psychedelic medicines. She reported that Alaska is
suffering from an acute mental health and addiction crisis, has
the third highest suicide rate in the country, and 35.6 drug
overdoses per 100,000 people in state. She said that trauma can
exacerbate mental health issues, which can lead to violence.
She reported the high rate of women killed by men in Alaska and
the high rate of women who have experienced intimate partner
and/or sexual violence.
3:45:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG reported that Alaska has the largest
share of veterans per capita in the United States and that
veterans have a 57 percent higher suicide rate than non-
veterans. She said that two out of ten veterans with PTSD also
have a substance use disorder. In November 2023, the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) stated its commitment to
studying psychedelics for PTSD treatment.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG described the Multidisciplinary
Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), which has conducted
20 years of clinical trials for 3,4-
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for PTSD;
in 2017 this therapy was deemed a "breakthrough therapy" by the
FDA. Clinical trials showed that patients had "clinically
significant improvements" in PTSD symptoms and that 71 percent
of participants receiving the MDMA therapy no longer met the
diagnostic criteria for PTSD at the end of the study. She
emphasized the potential impact of these new treatments for
Alaskans struggling with mental health. She reported that there
are no adverse side effects to the treatments. Later this year,
the FDA is expected to announce its determination.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG mentioned that the FDA has also granted
two "breakthrough therapy" designations for psilocybin for
treatment resistant depression and major depressive disorder.
She listed other conditions that are being studied, including
cancer-related anxiety, depression, anorexia, PTSD, substance
use disorders, and chronic pain.
3:50:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG described the MDMA therapy in greater
detail. She emphasized the importance of licensing. The FDA
has provided clinical guidance on the six credentials needed to
be a licensed administrator of MDMA. She advised that the state
should work to be prepared for when the FDA approval comes into
effect.
3:52:07 PM
MICHAEL DEMOLINA, PhD, Wisdom Traditions Counseling Services,
provided invited testimony for HB 228. He introduced himself as
a veteran with three decades of experience as a substance-abuse
counselor and trauma-informed therapist. He described his first
clients as veterans who served in Vietnam.
DR. DEMOLINA expressed his strong support for HB 228. Through
his work at the California Institute of Integral Studies
graduate level program on the topic of psychedelic
certification, he will be certified. He remarked that he has
gained valuable insight into the transformative power of
psychedelic assisted therapy. He emphasized the importance of
convening a task force to be ahead of the curve in creating
guidelines. He emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive
approaches to mental healthcare. He said that HB 228 creates a
significant opportunity to expand the understanding and
implementation of trauma-based interventions.
3:55:43 PM
CHAIR SHAW after ascertaining that there were no questions from
the committee, announced that HB 228 was held over.
3:56:47 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at [3:57]
p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 287 Sectional Analysis .pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM HSTA 4/4/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 287 |
| HB 287 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM HSTA 4/4/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 287 |
| HB0287A.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM HSTA 4/4/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 287 |
| HB0101A Full Text 011524.PDF |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 101 |
| HB 101A Supporting Document - the 19th.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 101 |
| HB101 Sectional Analysis 01152024.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 101 |
| HB101 Sponsor Statement 01152024.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 101 |
| HB101 Ver A Supporting Document - Time.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 101 |
| HB101 Ver A Supporting Document-Vox Media 5.11.2018.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 101 |
| HB 228 Sponsor Statement Version P.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM HSTA 4/2/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 228 |
| HB 228 Version P.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 228 |
| HB228 Fiscal Note - DCCED.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM HSTA 4/2/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 228 |
| HB 228 Sectional Analysis Version P.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM HSTA 4/2/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 228 |
| HB228 Presentation - STA.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM HSTA 4/2/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 228 |
| HB101 Support Doc - Campaign Funds for Childcare Report.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 101 |