Legislature(2007 - 2008)SENATE FINANCE 532
02/26/2007 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB49 | |
| HB18 | |
| HB120 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 49 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 75 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 120 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 18 | TELECONFERENCED | |
MMINUTES
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
February 26, 2007
9:01 a.m.
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Bert Stedman convened the meeting at approximately
9:01:32 AM.
PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice Chair
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Joe Thomas
Senator Fred Dyson
Senator Kim Elton
Also Attending: REPRESENTATIVE ANNA FAIRCLOUGH; DOUG LETCH,
Staff to Senator Gary Stevens; MIKE PAWLOWSKI, Staff to
Representative Kevin Meyer; ROD BETIT, President and Chief
Executive Officer, Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home
Association; LEO BUSTAD, Cardiologist
Attending via Teleconference: From Anchorage: DUANE BANNOCK,
Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of
Administration; From an Offnet Location: GAIL PHILLIPS, Chair,
Statehood Celebration Commission
SUMMARY INFORMATION
SB 49-COMMEMORATIVE PLATES: STATEHOOD ANIV.
The Committee heard from the bill's sponsor, the Division of
Motor Vehicles, and the Statehood Celebration Commission. The
bill reported from Committee.
HB 18-POSTSECONDARY MEDICAL & OTHER EDUC. PROG.
The Committee heard from the bill's sponsor and representatives
of the medical profession including a member of the Physician
Supply Task Force. The bill was held in Committee.
HB 120-EXTENDING COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The Committee heard from the bill's sponsor. One amendment was
adopted and the bill reported from Committee.
SB 75-EXTENDING COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
This bill was scheduled but not heard.
9:03:00 AM
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 49(STA)
"An Act relating to commemorative license plates
celebrating Alaska's 50th anniversary as a state; and
providing for an effective date."
This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance
Committee.
DOUG LETCH, Staff to Senator Gary Stevens, the bill's sponsor on
behalf of the Statehood Celebration Commission (Commission),
communicated that this legislation would change the look of
Alaska's vehicle license plates to commemorate the 50th
anniversary of Statehood in 2009. This was one of several ideas
proposed by the Commission to honor the event.
Mr. Letch stated that the license plate design chosen by the
Commission [copy on file] would be the State's official license
plate for a few years beginning in January 2008.
Co-Chair Stedman asked for information about the 2017 date
referenced in the sectional analysis of the bill.
Mr. Letch deferred to the Division of Motor Vehicles, Department
of Administration.
9:06:19 AM
DUANE BANNOCK, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department
of Administration testified via teleconference from Anchorage
and advised the Committee that an earlier version of the bill
would have made these commemorative license plates available
through the year 2017. He speculated that the continuance of
that date in the most recent sectional analysis was an
oversight.
Mr. Letch concurred.
9:07:11 AM
Senator Huggins asked whether a collector's edition of the
license plate would be available.
Mr. Bannock stated that non-registered collector plates would be
available for five dollars.
9:08:04 AM
GAIL PHILLIPS, Chair, Statehood Celebration Commission,
testified via teleconference from an offnet location. The
Commission was formed to plan for the State's 50th anniversary
celebration. Events would begin in 2008 and culminate on January
3, 2009, the actual statehood anniversary date. Having an
"historic license plate" to honor the event during 2008 and 2009
was one component of the festivities.
Ms. Phillips reported that the Commission worked with DMV to
design the appropriate commemorative license plate. Sitka
artist, Dean Potter, designed the celebration logo and graphics
acknowledging Alaska as part of the United States were
incorporated with the logo on the plate.
Ms. Phillips expressed the Commission's enthusiasm for the
design and the prospect of the plate being available to the
public either as a vehicle license plate or a commemorative
item. She urged the Committee to support the legislation.
9:09:52 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman asked whether the sample provided to Members
was the final design. He also asked what other designs had been
considered.
Ms. Phillips affirmed the sample provided to the Committee was
the final design. The Commission contemplated numerous ideas and
coordinated with DMV to develop a design that would work within
the Department's strict license plate design specifications.
Co-Chair Stedman shared having heard support for a plate "with a
little bit more pizzazz".
Ms. Phillips acknowledged, but reiterated that the plate design
must adhere to DMV license plate regulations.
9:11:10 AM
Senator Olson asked whether people could purchase other
specialized license or vanity plates during this timeframe.
Ms. Phillips deferred to DMV.
Mr. Bannock affirmed that such plates would continue to be
available. The commemorative plate would "simply substitute" for
the standard issue license plate referred to as "the Last
Frontier" plate.
Senator Olson asked whether the commemorative plate's background
design would be used on vanity plates.
Mr. Bannock advised that a variety of background options,
including the commemorative plate background, would be available
for vanity plates.
'
Senator Thomas asked whether a bear or wolf image had been
considered for the design.
Mr. Bannock deferred to Ms. Phillips, as the Commission made the
final design determination. DMV's role had been advisory.
9:13:10 AM
Ms. Phillips elaborated on the extensive design effort the
Commission conducted before finally selecting the design before
the Committee.
Co-Chair Hoffman moved to report the bill from Committee with
individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note.
There being no objection, CSSB 49(STA) was REPORTED from
Committee with previous zero fiscal note #1 from the Department
of Administration.
9:14:29 AM
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 18(SED)
"An Act amending the functions and powers of the Alaska
Commission on Postsecondary Education; and relating to the
repayment provisions for medical education and
postsecondary degree program participants."
This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance
Committee.
AT EASE 9:15:18 AM / 9:15:38 AM
9:15:52 AM
MIKE PAWLOWSKI, Staff to Representative Kevin Meyer, the bill's
sponsor, characterized the State's continuing physician shortage
to be "at the edge of crisis". The situation has been a subject
of discussion for many years. The Alaska Physician Supply Task
Force has recommended that the State "should seriously look at
both recruiting more physicians and growing our own."
Mr. Pawlowski explained that this bill would further the effort
to solve the State's physician shortage by doubling the size of
the State's participation in the post secondary Washington,
Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho Biomedical Program (WWAMI).
9:17:05 AM
Mr. Pawlowski specified that each state's financial
participation in WWAMI, a program in which students from the
five aforementioned states are educated at the University of
Washington School of Medicine, is based upon the number of
students they have enrolled in the program. Historically, Alaska
has admitted ten new participants to the program annually.
Mr. Pawlowski announced that approximately one-third of the
physicians in Alaska could be retiring within the next ten
years. To that point, this legislation would increase the number
of new participants in the WWAMI program each year to 20.
Mr. Pawlowski detailed the particulars of the WWAMI program.
After being accepted to the University of Washington (UW) School
of Medicine, program participants attend the University of
Alaska Anchorage their first year and then transfer to UW. After
completing their UW training, they enter residency and work
toward becoming a full-fledged physician.
Mr. Pawlowski stated that, in addition to increasing the number
of students participating in the program, this bill would allow
participants to conduct their residency outside of Alaska. This
is because the only residency program in Alaska "is limited to
general family practice doctors" and the State is in need of
other types of physicians. Allowing students "to conduct their
residency out of state" would be beneficial to the program.
Mr. Pawlowski noted that the Senate Special Committee on
Education bill before the Committee changed language pertaining
to how interest accrues on a WWAMI student loan during the
participant's out-of-state residency period: it would not
require that "repayment" until the participant returned to the
State "to fulfill their obligation or leave their residency
program or assorted service."
Mr. Pawlowski deemed the actions proposed in this bill to be
"the first step in bridging our physician shortage; it is a long
time lead step" of perhaps seven to ten years. That timeframe
would be approximately when the State would require new
physicians to replace retiring ones. The effort to increase the
number of physicians is welcome as it would improve access to
care and perhaps assist in lowering the cost of medial care in
the State.
9:19:15 AM
In response to a request from Co-Chair Stedman, Mr. Pawlowski
explained that Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana participate
in the WWAMI program in partnership with the UW School of
Medicine because no medical school is available within their
state. UW essentially becomes the participating state's medical
school.
Co-Chair Hoffman recalled a recent discussion between Senator
Olson and Alaska's Congressional Senator Lisa Murkowski
regarding the challenge of attracting more physicians to the
State. To that point, Co-Chair Hoffman assessed the need to
increase the number of general practitioners to be greater than
the need to attract medical specialists, particularly in Rural
Alaska. Therefore, he suggested that consideration be given to
requiring graduates of the WWAMI program to provide general
practice service to the State.
Co-Chair Hoffman also asked the program's success rate in
respect to the number of graduates who return and practice in
Alaska.
Mr. Pawlowski stated that Alaska Statute B, which is not
addressed in this bill, specifies that a WWAMI student loan
should be repaid over a five year period. Statute B also
specifies that a student conducting their family practice
residency in the State would receive "credit towards my 100
percent payback for the three years that I'm in residency". This
provides an "implicit benefit to the student going into the
WWAMI program to come back" and practice general family medicine
in the State.
Mr. Pawlowski stressed how challenging it is, when a student
enters the program, to determine where they would conduct their
residency or what specialty they would pursue. Nonetheless, the
consensus is that the State is in need of both general
practitioners and specialists.
Mr. Pawlowski emphasized, however, that the number of students
who return and practice in the State exceeds 80 percent. The
bill's sponsor, Representative Meyer, believes this is
indicative of a successful program.
9:22:52 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman asked the timeframe pertaining to the 80
percent student return rate.
Mr. Pawlowski understood it was based on records for the past
five to seven years. This information should be verified by
either the UW or the WWAMI program coordinators.
Co-Chair Hoffman asked how many of those physicians have
practiced in the State more than ten years.
Mr. Pawlowski suggested that representatives of the UW and the
WWAMI program who were listening to the discussion via
teleconference could better address the question. He cautioned
however that such information might have been difficult to track
prior to the year 2000 when repayment provisions were added to
the program.
9:24:20 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman opined that both the success rate of the
program and the long term retention rate of its graduates should
be determined since consideration is being given to doubling the
number of students admitted and, thus, the State's financial
commitment, to the program.
9:24:38 AM
Senator Elton advised of a concern communicated to him that a
[unspecified] provision in the bill might "discourage a general
practice or a family practice because" it might "compel people
into a specialty that, in fact, paid more to deal with the loan
cost".
9:25:15 AM
Mr. Pawlowski had "heard the same characterization", but was
unsure of its fairness. Even though students in the program
could accumulate "a debt burden of $150,000 to $200,000",
conducting their residency in the State would reduce that
burden, and thus allow a student to go into general family
practice. This debt forgiveness factor could create "an adequate
hook to ensure" that a student would come back to the State. He
acknowledged however that the issue could be argued two ways and
therefore would be a policy call.
9:26:18 AM
Senator Elton suggested that the University of Alaska be
provided an opportunity to weigh in on whether this might be "a
potential problem" before the Committee took action on the bill.
Co-Chair Stedman communicated that the University would be
provided an opportunity to comment, as he intended to hold the
bill in Committee.
9:26:40 AM
Senator Olson advised of having information that might address
Co-Chair Hoffman's earlier concern about medical care in Rural
Alaska.
Co-Chair Stedman asked that the information referenced by
Senator Olson be distributed to Members after today's hearing.
That would allow Members time to review it before the next
hearing on the bill.
Senator Olson agreed.
9:27:43 AM
ROD BETIT, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alaska State
Hospital and Nursing Home Association, spoke on behalf of the
organization's 37 members which included "all of the military,
State, tribal, and private facilities in the State with the
exception of one". This legislation is the "number one priority"
of the Association. Members' packets include a January 16, 2007
letter [copy on file] to Representative Kevin Meyer from the
Association to that effect.
Mr. Betit spoke to the effort Association members exert to
attract physicians to meet the needs of the State. Also, being a
member of the aforementioned Task Force, he shared their
conclusion that the State must experience an annual net gain of
59 physicians rather than the current net gain of 38 in order to
adequately address the State's physician shortage, which
currently exceeds 300. The Task Force considered this
legislation "a very significant step" toward addressing the
problem.
Mr. Betit advised that annually, approximately half of the
students who participated in the WWAMI program return to the
State to practice. Another three or four students from the
partnering states who were exposed to Alaska as part of their
clinical training also chose to practice in the State. "That's a
pretty healthy return rate."
Mr. Betit considered this legislation to be "one of the most
cost beneficial things that the State could do to help close
that gap" in the State's physician shortage.
Mr. Betit urged prompt action on the bill as the goal is to
expand the State's WWAMI class size this year.
9:30:47 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman revisited his earlier concern about the number
of program graduates who return to the State; specifically that
he could not recall any WWAMI graduate having practiced in the
Yukon-Kuskokwim region of the State. He also inquired about the
tenure of those who did practice in the State.
Mr. Betit expressed that this information was available and
would be provided. He agreed that the Yukon-Kuskokwim area "is
particularly stressed as far as having enough physicians to meet
the needs of the people" there. The experience at any given time
last year was that approximately 21 more physicians were needed
to cover the clinics and serve the area's residents. The Yukon-
Kuskokwim medical facility had only 11 or 12 staff physicians;
the balance consisted of traveling physicians who would stay
approximately two or two weeks. This is detrimental to
continuity of patient care.
Mr. Betit informed the Committee that rural representation in
the WWAMI program was strong. Candidates were well prepared and
had the ability to compete well for placement in the program.
9:32:28 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman asked whether the proposal to increase the
State's participation in the WWAMI program had been discussed
with the UW to verify the increase could be accommodated.
Mr. Betit assured that UW had committed to accommodating ten
additional program participants from Alaska. UW had also
requested that the State make a decision in this regard by early
March as the selection process for the next medical school class
was underway.
9:33:24 AM
Senator Olson asked Mr. Betit how the decision to increase
program participants to 20 rather than 25 or 30 had been
reached, considering the high demand for physicians in the
State.
9:34:04 AM
Mr. Betit responded that the Task Force recognized that the
physician shortage could not be rectified in short order. Thus,
the Task Force's goal was "to get our physician capacity to
where it needed to be by the year 2025." A net gain of 21
additional physicians per year would be required to achieve that
goal. The shortage in the short term would continue since the
impact of the first graduates of the 20-student Alaska WWAMI
class would not be felt for approximately seven years.
Regardless, this legislation was considered "good strategy".
Mr. Betit opined that, until then, it would be "unrealistic to
think that" the State would attract 30 or 40 new physicians
annually, as the competition, nationally, is high. A goal of 20
is considered realistic.
9:35:09 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman asked whether housing and medical facility
conditions were considered in the effort to recruit physicians,
as improved housing and school facility conditions enhanced the
effort to address teacher shortages in rural areas of the State.
Mr. Pawlowski affirmed that "the physician practice environment"
had been reviewed in the effort to make practicing in Alaska
attractive, particularly in the more remote areas of the State.
While further attention should be devoted to the physician
practice environment, enlarging the WWAMI program and educating
and encouraging Alaskan students to practice in the State made
"more sense" than concentrating on recruiting physicians from
outside the State.
9:36:42 AM
Senator Dyson communicated that "physician friends …. who have
practiced in Rural communities say there are some professional
trade-offs". For example, doing so provided them the opportunity
to practice a wider range of medical procedures than they might
have experienced in an urban community setting. He asked Mr.
Betit to expand on the different "professional development"
opportunities one might experience in a small verses large
medical environment; specifically whether such opportunities
might attract physicians.
9:37:37 AM
Mr. Betit responded that some physicians like the challenges a
small rural clinic might present while others do not. It is
importance to prevent physicians in more remote areas from
feeling "isolated" and without any professional support. To that
point, he applauded previous Legislative action which provided
one million dollars toward a tele-radiology system for hospitals
and clinics in rural communities. The response to this system
has been very positive, and it has enhanced patient care by
allowing medical personnel to send film to and teleconference
with larger medical resources.
Mr. Betit stated that further efforts should be made to ensure
that the practice environment in remote areas makes a physician
feel comfortable.
9:38:53 AM
Senator Dyson acknowledged, but clarified that his question was
to the benefits physicians might experience by being in rural
environments.
9:39:28 AM
Mr. Betit expressed that the lifestyle, size and feel of a
community, and having to cope with a lack of managed care might
be "on the positive side" of working in a rural area.
9:39:59 AM
Senator Thomas asked whether Alaska's physician recruitment
experiences differed from those experienced by other rural
states.
9:40:24 AM
Mr. Betit replied that Alaska's experiences were not unusual;
the physician shortage is widespread and many small states are
required to vigorously recruit. Nonetheless, living in Alaska
has "additional challenges". In addition, "managing a patient
population in this size state isn't as efficient as it would be
in bigger settings."
Mr. Betit disclosed that Wyoming is expanding its number of
WWAMI program participants in order to increase its opportunity
to hire in-state students. Alaska must be aggressive in keeping
up with the efforts of other WWAMI states.
9:41:15 AM
Senator Thomas inquired to other measures the State might
undertake to address the physician shortage beyond increasing
the number of WWAMI participants.
Mr. Betit stated that the Task Force's report "Securing an
Adequate Number of Physicians for Alaska's Needs "[copy on file]
includes several recommendations regarding how to improve the
practice environment.
Mr. Betit credited previous Legislative action that improved the
State's tort reform provisions for "a significant drop in the
liability" facing physicians. That has been "a big factor in
terms of being able to attract the physicians that are coming to
the State".
Mr. Betit noted that other Task Force recommendations address
such things as the loan repayment program, the physician
recruitment process, and other practice environment issues.
While no formal strategies have yet been developed, his
organization and others have committed to assisting in the
endeavor.
9:42:42 AM
Senator Olson understood that a recent trend in health care
treatment has been toward utilizing mid-level health care
professionals such as physician assistants and nurse
practitioners, particularly in treating Medicare and Medicaid
patients. He had not noticed much emphasis placed on this in the
Task Force report.
Mr. Betit clarified that the focus of the report was to
physician needs in the State. However, the Task Force had
discussed mid-level providers and included a notation in the
report that Alaska had "a higher proportion" of mid level care
givers than most states. "The relationship between mid-levels
and physicians in Alaska is much stronger than it is in most
states…." The desire would be for that relationship to continue
and that more mid-level providers be available to fill some of
the gaps in the State's health care system.
9:44:14 AM
Senator Huggins questioned whether the language in Section 1
subsection (d), page 1 line 9, that specified that the program
would "accommodate at least 20 new program participants each
year" meant that the program could be expanded beyond 20 were
there a large field of qualified candidates.
Mr. Betit understood the verbiage to allow for more than 20
program participants provided additional funding was authorized.
The goal this year was to receive funding authorization for an
additional ten program participants. This would, in effect,
increase the program size to 20.
9:45:01 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman, referring to language in Section 2 subsection
(a), page 2 lines 3 and 4 of the bill which outlined student
obligations, asked whether it "would be wise to" require program
participants returning to the State to practice "in some of the
most deprived areas of the State".
9:45:36 AM
Mr. Betit expressed being unqualified to speak to that issue.
However, he noted that academics have voiced concern "about
imposing" such a condition.
9:45:54 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman was concerned that even though program
participants return to the State to practice, "the services
aren't getting out to the areas that are most underserved…."
9:46:31 AM
LEO BUSTAD, Cardiologist with the Alaska Heart Institute in
Anchorage testified in Juneau on behalf of Alaska physicians and
surgeons. His background included being a member of the
University of Alaska's chancellor advisory board and previous
service as a clinical professor at the University of North
Carolina.
Dr. Bustad spoke about the opportunities the State's WWAMI
program has provided to program participants for 20 years.
However, even thought the State's population and medical needs
have risen, the number of participants in the program has not
been increased. Approximately 40 "well-qualified" Alaskan
students are denied admittance to the program's ten slots each
year despite the increased need.
Dr. Bustad informed the Committee that his medical practice has
had to contract with a recruitment search company for many years
in spite of the fact that cardiology is an attractive field. It
would be easier to recruit from an Alaskan pool of applicants as
they are familiar with the State and typically have family
nearby rather than 3,000 miles away as could be the experience
when hiring people from outside the State.
Dr. Bustad elaborated that the WWAMI program provides Alaska
students an opportunity to attend medical school. It is a
successful program, and rather than solely focusing on the costs
associated with increasing the program, the cost of not
increasing program funding should be considered. The physician
shortage in Anchorage is the price being paid now.
Dr. Bustad acknowledged the physician shortage in Rural Alaska
and noted that many students in the WWAMI program "have come
from western Alaska". It is much easier to recruit those people
"to come back and practice in western Alaska than it would be to
recruit someone from New York City." The State has "an
obligation to our young people to give them an opportunity to go
to medical school". The program "is one of the few workforce
development programs that has been very successful. The dropout
rate is near zero."
Dr. Bustad asserted that a large group of qualified students who
desire to become doctors are denied admittance to the program
each year "despite at the end of the pipeline there's a large
number of jobs that go unfulfilled. The university is the
bottleneck."
Dr. Bustad concluded that the cost of the program would be more
attractive were it viewed in terms of the number of "students
completing the program as opposed to the cost of the students"
going into it.
Co-Chair Hoffman believed in the program, but contended that
there were other opportunities through which students could
receive a medical education.
Dr. Bustad stated that, were the State-supported WWAMI program
eliminated, students would be forced to attend private medical
schools. They would, most likely, incur huge debt and thereby,
might not be prone to return to Alaska. In addition, the
opportunity to attend a private medical school is limited.
9:51:52 AM
Senator Elton asked the types of medical residency programs
available in the State.
Dr. Bustad advised that the family practice residency at
Providence Hospital in Anchorage had the capacity to train 12
physicians a year. That program, which "is the only self-
contained residency program in the State" is successful in terms
of retaining physicians in the State. Other residency physicians
"rotate through Alaska hospitals in certain situations." For
example, the Navy hospital provides some surgeon and perhaps
some internal medicine opportunities. There are no residency
programs for cardiologists. Third and fourth year UW medical
students also have the opportunity to rotate through Alaska.
Such exposure might encourage students from other states to
consider practicing here.
9:53:10 AM
Senator Elton declared that residency programs should be
encouraged as there is a connection between residency and
physicians deciding to stay and practice in the State.
Dr. Bustad specified that simply adding ten students a year to
the WWAMI program should not be lauded as the complete solution.
Alaska's current physician force is aging and while enlarging
the WWAMI class this year is encouraged, graduates of the
program might not be available to replace retiring physicians,
including his fellow cardiologists, until perhaps the year 2017.
Dr. Bustad reiterated that "the cost of doing nothing is very
high".
Senator Olson observed that allowing Alaskan students to be
educated closer to home and to their support group was a benefit
to them and the State.
Senator Olson also opined that, in addition to the need for
general family practitioners, there would be increasing demand
for cardiologists and other specialists as the State's
population aged. He asked Dr. Bustad's perspective on this.
9:56:22 AM
Dr. Bustad remarked that the number of specialists in the State
is not keeping pace with demand even now. He experienced
difficulty finding specialized treatment for some of his
patients, even in Anchorage. Providence Hospital, which is the
largest medical complex in the State, has only two internists.
The internist who would accept Medicaid patients was a WWAMI
student.
Dr. Bustad ranked the lack of primary care physicians as the
State's largest medical "deficit, however, there was also an
inadequate number of specialists. The State must do "something
dramatically different" or the situation would continue to
deteriorate.
9:57:39 AM
Senator Huggins asked the effect of tort reform on physicians.
9:58:01 AM
Dr. Bustad expressed that the State of Washington's current tort
reform measures resemble those of Alaska's before Alaska changed
theirs. Spokane Washington has experienced a net loss of
physicians: they moved out of state due to the state's tort
reform.
Dr. Bustad opined that Alaska's physician recruitment problems
were not attributable to its tort reform provisions but resulted
from the State's distance from other places. Medical
professionals and their families hesitate to come here because
they would be far from family.
9:58:50 AM
Senator Olson asked whether the medical climate in the State
might shift toward managed care organizations, commonly referred
to as Health Management Organizations (HMOs).
Dr. Bustad did not think that shift would occur because of the
State's remoteness, its limited opportunities, and its small
population base.
9:59:51 AM
After consulting with Co-Chair Stedman, Mr. Pawlowski agreed to
work with Finance staff to develop a list of Committee questions
to be addressed by WWAMI program managers in Alaska and at UW.
The responses would be provided in writing.
Co-Chair Stedman ordered the bill HELD in Committee.
AT EASE 10:01:07 AM / 10:01:42 AM
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 120(FIN)
"An Act extending the Council on Domestic Violence and
Sexual Assault; and providing for an effective date."
This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance
Committee.
10:02:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ANNA FAIRCLOUGH, the bill's sponsor, explained
that this bill would extend the Council on Domestic Violence and
Sexual Assault (CDVSA) until the year 2014. The CDVSA plays a
vital role in addressing Alaska's "dishonorable distinction" of
being ranked third nationally in domestic violence and sexual
assaults for the past decade. She urged the Committee to support
the bill.
Co-Chair Stedman, noting that SB 75, HB 120's Senate companion
bill, specified an extension date of 2011, asked whether
Representative Fairclough would support an amendment changing
the 2014 date proposed in HB 120 to 2011.
Representative Fairclough voiced no objection.
Amendment #1: This amendment changes the Council's termination
date of June 30, 2014, as specified in Section 1, line 6 page 1,
to June 30, 2011.
Senator Elton moved Amendment #1.
There being no objection, Amendment #1 was ADOPTED.
Senator Huggins pointed out that the amendment aligned the bill
with the extension date specified in its accompanying fiscal
notes.
Co-Chair Stedman appreciated Senator Huggins' observation. The
Committee would endeavor to insure that bills and their
accompanying fiscal notes were in alignment.
No further testimony was forthcoming.
Senator Elton moved to report the bill, as amended, from
Committee with individual recommendations and accompanying
fiscal notes.
Without objection, SCS HB 120(FIN) was REPORTED from Committee
with two previous zero fiscal notes: fiscal note #3 from the
House Finance Committee for the Department of Public Safety's
Batterers Intervention Program, and fiscal note #4 from the
House Finance Committee pertaining to the CDVSA.
Representative Fairclough thanked the Committee for their action
in support of extending the life of the Council, as otherwise it
would have terminated this year.
10:06:14 AM
Co-Chair Stedman reviewed the bill schedule for the Committee's
next hearing.
ADJOURNMENT
Co-Chair Bert Stedman adjourned the meeting at 10:06:39 AM.
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