00 HOUSE BILL NO. 332 01 "An Act relating to microplastic testing; and relating to a microplastic strategy plan." 02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03  * Section 1. AS 46.03 is amended by adding a new section to read:  04 Sec. 46.03.042. Testing for microplastic. (a) The department shall, in 05 consultation with the Department of Health, develop and implement a statewide 06 schedule and plan to regularly test water, soil, fish, wildlife, and other environmental 07 media for the presence of microplastic, including microplastic that originated from 08 vehicle tires. When testing for the presence of microplastic, the department shall use 09 analytic methods that are consistent with the best available science. The department 10 shall update and publish the microplastic testing schedule and plan before July 1 in 11 even-numbered years. 12 (b) In this section, 13 (1) "microplastic" means a plastic particle or fiber that is smaller than 14 five millimeters; 15 (2) "plastic" has the meaning given in AS 46.06.095. 01  * Sec. 2. AS 47.05.010 is amended to read: 02 Sec. 47.05.010. Duties of Department of Health. The Department of Health 03 shall 04 (1) administer adult public assistance, the Alaska temporary assistance 05 program, and all other assistance programs, and receive and spend money made 06 available to it; 07 (2) adopt regulations necessary for the conduct of its business and for 08 carrying out federal and state laws granting adult public assistance, temporary cash 09 assistance, diversion payments, or self-sufficiency services for needy families under 10 the Alaska temporary assistance program, and other assistance; 11 (3) establish minimum standards for personnel employed by the 12 department and adopt necessary regulations to maintain those standards; 13 (4) require those bonds and undertakings from persons employed by it 14 that, in its judgment, are necessary, and pay the premiums on them; 15 (5) cooperate with the federal government in matters of mutual 16 concern pertaining to adult public assistance, the Alaska temporary assistance 17 program, and other forms of public assistance; 18 (6) make the reports, in the form and containing the information, that 19 the federal government from time to time requires; 20 (7) cooperate with the federal government in adopting state plans to 21 make the state eligible for federal matching in appropriate categories of assistance, and 22 in all matters of mutual concern, including adoption of the methods of administration 23 that are found by the federal government to be necessary for the efficient operation of 24 welfare programs; 25 (8) adopt regulations, not inconsistent with law, defining need, 26 prescribing the conditions of eligibility for assistance, and establishing standards for 27 determining the amount of assistance that an eligible person is entitled to receive; the 28 amount of the assistance is sufficient when, added to all other income and resources 29 available to an individual, it provides the individual with a reasonable subsistence 30 compatible with health and well-being; an individual who meets the requirements for 31 eligibility for assistance shall be granted the assistance promptly upon application for 01 it; 02 (9) grant to a person claiming or receiving assistance and who is 03 aggrieved because of the department's action or failure to act, reasonable notice and an 04 opportunity for a fair hearing by the office of administrative hearings (AS 44.64.010), 05 and the department shall adopt regulations relative to this; 06 (10) enter into reciprocal agreements with other states relative to 07 public assistance that are considered advisable; 08 (11) establish the requirements of residence for public assistance that 09 are considered advisable, subject to the limitations of other laws of the state, or law or 10 regulation imposed as conditions for federal financial participation; 11 (12) establish the divisions and local offices that are considered 12 necessary or expedient to carry out a duty or authority assigned to it and appoint and 13 employ the assistants and personnel that are necessary to carry on the work of the 14 divisions and offices, and fix the compensation of the assistants or employees, except 15 that a person engaged in business as a retail vendor of general merchandise, or a 16 member of the immediate family of a person who is so engaged, may not serve as an 17 acting, temporary, or permanent local agent of the department, unless the 18 commissioner of health certifies in writing to the governor, with relation to a particular 19 community, that no other qualified person is available in the community to serve as 20 local welfare agent; for the purposes of this paragraph, a "member of the immediate 21 family" includes a spouse, child, parent, brother, sister, parent-in-law, brother-in-law, 22 or sister-in-law; 23 (13) provide education and health-related services and referrals 24 designed to reduce the number of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and the number of 25 induced pregnancy terminations in the state; 26 (14) investigate reports of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of 27 property by certified nurse aides in facilities licensed by the department under 28 AS 47.32; 29 (15) establish state policy relating to and administer federal programs 30 subject to state control as provided under 42 U.S.C. 3001 - 3058ee (Older Americans 31 Act of 1965), as amended, and related federal regulations; 01 (16) administer the older Alaskans service grants under AS 47.65.010 - 02 47.65.050 and the adult day care and family respite care grants under AS 47.65.100; 03 (17) establish an electronic application process for all assistance 04 programs administered by the department and allow an applicant to submit either a 05 written or an electronic application; the electronic application must inform an 06 applicant that a false statement made on the application will be investigated and is 07 punishable under AS 11.56.210; in this paragraph, "electronic application" means an 08 application for benefits or renewal of benefits, whether the department exclusively 09 administers the benefits or administers the benefits in coordination with another state 10 agency or federal agency, electronically completed and submitted through the 11 department's Internet website; 12 (18) assist the Department of Environmental Conservation in  13 formulating and administering a statewide schedule and plan to test for  14 microplastic under AS 46.03.042. 15  * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 16 read: 17 REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. Not later than January 1, 2029, the Department of 18 Environmental Conservation shall provide a report to the legislature detailing a statewide 19 microplastic strategy plan. When preparing the report, the Department of Environmental 20 Conservation must consult with and seek input from tribes and the general public during a 21 public comment period. The Department of Environmental Conservation must provide 22 reasonable public notice of the comment period. The commissioner of environmental 23 conservation shall submit the report to the senate secretary and chief clerk of the house of 24 representatives and notify the legislature that the report is available. The report must include 25 (1) the results of microplastic testing conducted under AS 46.03.042, enacted 26 by sec. 1 of this Act; 27 (2) an analysis of the impacts that microplastic at the assessed ambient 28 concentration pose to human health and environmental health; 29 (3) an investigation into the primary sources and pathways of environmental 30 microplastic contamination; 31 (4) an assessment of peer-reviewed research on health and environmental 01 impacts of ambient microplastic concentrations; 02 (5) a summary of peer-reviewed research on methods to reduce the 03 introduction of microplastic into the environment; and 04 (6) recommended policy changes, including changes to statute, that will 05 reduce the introduction of microplastic into the environment. 06  * Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 07 read: 08 TRANSITION. The Department of Environmental Conservation shall make the first 09 microplastic testing schedule and plan required under AS 46.03.042 available to the public 10 before July 1, 2028.