03/03/2009 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB104 | |
| SB79 | |
| SB80 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 104 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 79 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 80 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
March 3, 2009
1:58 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Joe Paskvan, Chair
Senator Bettye Davis
Senator Kevin Meyer
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Joe Thomas, Vice Chair
Senator Con Bunde
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 104
"An Act adjusting certain fees for treatment or services under
the Alaska Workers' Compensation Act to reflect changes in the
Consumer Price Index; and providing for an effective date."
MOVED HB 104 OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 79
"An Act waiving payment of premiums for major medical insurance
under the defined benefit retirement plan for public employees
for disabled peace officers who have at least 20 years of
credited service as peace officers."
MOVED CSSB 79(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 80
"An Act extending the termination date of the Board of
Veterinary Examiners; and providing for an effective date."
MOVED SB 80 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 104
SHORT TITLE: WORKERS COMP. MEDICAL TREATMENT FEES
SPONSOR(s): LABOR & COMMERCE
01/30/09 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/30/09 (H) L&C
02/09/09 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
02/09/09 (H) Moved Out of Committee
02/09/09 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
02/11/09 (H) L&C RPT 4DP 2NR
02/11/09 (H) DP: BUCH, COGHILL, NEUMAN, OLSON
02/11/09 (H) NR: LYNN, CHENAULT
02/25/09 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
02/25/09 (H) VERSION: HB 104
02/26/09 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211
02/26/09 (S) <Pending Referral>
02/27/09 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/27/09 (S) L&C
03/03/09 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211
BILL: SB 79
SHORT TITLE: MED BENEFITS OF DISABLED PEACE OFFICERS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MCGUIRE
01/26/09 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/26/09 (S) STA, L&C, FIN
02/12/09 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BELTZ 211
02/12/09 (S) Heard & Held
02/12/09 (S) MINUTE(STA)
02/19/09 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BELTZ 211
02/19/09 (S) Moved CSSB 79(STA) Out of Committee
02/19/09 (S) MINUTE(STA)
02/20/09 (S) STA RPT CS 5DP NEW TITLE
02/20/09 (S) DP: MENARD, FRENCH, MEYER, PASKVAN,
KOOKESH
03/03/09 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211
BILL: SB 80
SHORT TITLE: EXTENDING VETERINARY BOARD
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MEYER
01/26/09 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/26/09 (S) L&C, FIN
03/03/09 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211
WITNESS REGISTER
CONRAD JACKSON
Staff to Representative Olson
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 104 for the sponsor.
LINDA HALL, Director
Division of Insurance
Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development (DCCED)
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 104.
TREVOR FULTON
Staff to Senator McGuire
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 79 for the sponsor.
MARK DRYGAS, President
Alaska Professional Firefighters Association
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 79.
SENATOR MEYER
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 80.
JENNIFER STRICKLER, Licensing Chief
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development (DCCED)
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 80.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:58:48 PM
CHAIR JOE PASKVAN called the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:58 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Davis, Meyer and Paskvan.
HB 104-WORKERS COMP. MEDICAL TREATMENT FEES
2:00:30 PM
CHAIR PASKVAN announced HB 104 to be up for consideration.
CONRAD JACKSON, staff to Representative Olson, sponsor of HB
104, explained that this bill has a zero fiscal note.
LINDA HALL, Director, Division of Insurance, Department of
Commerce, Community & Economic Development (DCCED), said that
this is a time-sensitive bill. On March 31 of this year the
medical fee schedule cap expires, which would mean there is a
potential for no limit on the medical fee portions of the
workers' compensation benefits.
The first item in their packets is a technical analysis of the
sunset done by the National Council on Compensation. She
referred them to the last page, which showed the impact of this
expiration. The Council is the statistical agent that does the
filings of the workers compensation loss costs with her
division. They have estimated a minimum impact of plus 5.2
percent. That is already in the filing that she has approved
effective January 1. She is hoping if they can pass this bill
and put this cap back, there can be some reduction in workers'
compensation premium.
MS. HALL said most of the rest of their packets are illustrative
of the fact that Alaska for the last three years has been number
one in the country in workers' compensation premiums. These
premiums are a burden on employers; they are dropping health
insurance and not doing wage increases. There are comparisons on
how Alaska is higher than the national average in the percentage
of benefits in the workers' compensation system that go to
medical cost. This bill is not a permanent solution; it is a
patch. It would cap the fee schedule with the consumer price
index (CPI), also in their packet.
CHAIR PASKVAN closed public testimony.
SENATOR MEYER thanked Ms. Hall for her work and said he is
comfortable with the bill.
2:06:01 PM
SENATOR MEYER moved to report HB 104 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. There were
no objections and it was so ordered.
CHAIR PASKVAN announced an at ease at approximately 2:06.
SB 79-MED BENEFITS OF DISABLED PEACE OFFICERS
2:07:51 PM
CHAIR PASKVAN called the meeting back to order at 2:07 and
announced SB 79 to be up for consideration. CSSB 79(STA) version
S was before the committee.
TREVOR FULTON, staff to Senator McGuire, sponsor of SB 79,
explained that it addresses an odd situation in statute where a
public safety employee who is disabled in their 20-25 years of
service does not receive major medical coverage. If they are
disabled between their 1-19 year, they do receive that coverage
th
and if they are disabled after that 25 year, they also receive
that coverage. So, they have been calling it a "PERS gap."
Public peace officers shouldn't have to deal with this because
of the service they give back to the state.
2:09:46 PM
He said the Alaska Professional Firefighters Association and the
Public Safety Employees Association have sent letters of support
for SB 79 and they are expecting one from the Correctional
Officers Association.
The State Affairs Committee made one change making the
provisions retroactive to make sure they included those who may
have slipped through that gap already.
SENATOR MEYER asked if village safety officers (VPSO) are
covered under the bill and if it had a definition of police
officer.
MR. FULTON answered that VPSOs are not covered in the bill; line
15 on page 2 references 20 years of credited service as a peace
officer under AS 39.35.360 and .370.
CHAIR PASKVAN noted that the definition is found in AS
39.35.680(30); that includes peace officers, correctional
officers, firefighters, as well as others, but not VPSOs.
MARK DRYGAS, President, Alaska Professional Firefighters
Association, supported SB 79 and offered to answer questions.
CHAIR PASKVAN closed public testimony.
SENATOR DAVIS said she had heard the bill before and supported
moving it from committee. She moved to report CSSB 79(STA) from
committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal
note(s). There being no objection, the motion carried.
At ease at 2:16 p.m.
SB 80-EXTENDING VETERINARY BOARD
2:16:55 PM
CHAIR PASKVAN announced SB 80 to be up for consideration.
SENATOR MEYER, sponsor of SB 80, said this bill extends the
sunset for the Board of Veterinary Examiners (BVE) to June 30,
2017. The board is responsible for controlling and regulating
the practice of veterinary medicine in Alaska, which is very
important to this state. They make sure that over 290 licensed
veterinarians and over 100 veterinarian technicians in the state
are competent, capable and maintain the high integrity of the
profession.
The Division of Legislative Audit recommends extending the BVE
termination date to June 30, 2017.
2:19:10 PM
JENNIFER STRICKLER, Licensing Chief, Division of Corporations,
Business and Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce,
Community & Economic Development (DCCED), said hers is the
centralized licensing agency responsible for providing support
to the BVE. She concurred with the Division of Legislative
Audit's report. This board has been very responsive to its
licensees, its applicants and to the division's concerns.
CHAIR PASKVAN closed public testimony.
2:20:38 PM
SENATOR DAVIS moved to report SB 80 from committee with
individual recommendations. There being no objection, the motion
carried.
2:21:18 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Paskvan adjourned the meeting at 2:21 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB104_Bill_Packet.pdf |
SL&C 3/3/2009 1:30:00 PM |
HB 104 |
| SB79_Bill_Packet.pdf |
SL&C 3/3/2009 1:30:00 PM |
SB 79 |
| SB80_Bill_Packet.pdf |
SL&C 3/3/2009 1:30:00 PM |
SB 80 |