Legislature(2005 - 2006)

2005-04-01 Senate Journal

Full Journal pdf

2005-04-01                     Senate Journal                      Page 0755
SB 130                                                                                            
The Labor and Commerce Committee considered SENATE BILL NO.                                         
130 "An Act relating to a special deposit for workers' compensation                                 
and employers' liability insurers; relating to assigned risk pools;                                 
relating to workers' compensation insurers; stating the intent of the                               
legislature, and setting out limitations, concerning the interpretation,                            
construction, and implementation of workers' compensation laws;                                     
relating to the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board; assigning certain                               
Alaska Workers' Compensation Board functions to the division of                                     
workers' compensation in the Department of Labor and Workforce                                      
Development and to that department, and authorizing the board to                                    
delegate administrative and enforcement duties to the division;                                     
establishing a Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission;                                            
providing for workers' compensation hearing officers in workers'                                    
compensation proceedings; relating to workers' compensation medical                                 
benefits and to charges for and payment of fees for the medical                                     
benefits; relating to agreements that discharge workers' compensation                               
liability; relating to workers' compensation awards; relating to                                    
reemployment benefits and job dislocation benefits; relating to                                     
coordination of workers' compensation and certain disability benefits;                              
relating to division of workers' compensation records; relating to                                  
release of treatment records; relating to an employer's failure to insure                           
and keep insured or provide security; providing for appeals from                                    
compensation orders; relating to workers' compensation proceedings;                                 
providing for supreme court jurisdiction of appeals from the Workers'                               
Compensation Appeals Commission; providing for a maximum                                            
amount for the cost-of-living adjustment for workers' compensation                                  
benefits; relating to attorney fees; providing for the department to                                
enter into contracts with nonprofit organizations to provide                                        
information services and legal representation to injured employees;                                 
providing for administrative penalties for employers uninsured or                                   
without adequate security for workers' compensation; relating to                                    
fraudulent acts or false or misleading statements in workers'                                       
compensation and penalties for the acts or statements; providing for                                
members of a limited liability company to be included as an employee                                
for purposes of workers' compensation; establishing a workers'                                      
compensation benefits guaranty fund; relating to the second injury                                  
fund; making conforming amendments; providing for a study and                                       
report by the medical services review committee; and providing for an                               
effective date" and recommended it be replaced with                                                 

2005-04-01                     Senate Journal                      Page 0756
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 130(L&C) "An Act relating to a special                                       
deposit for workers' compensation and employers' liability insurers;                                
relating to assigned risk pools; relating to workers' compensation                                  
insurers; stating the intent of the legislature, and setting out limitations,                       
concerning the interpretation, construction, and implementation of                                  
workers' compensation laws; relating to the Alaska Workers'                                         
Compensation Board; assigning certain Alaska Workers' Compensation                                  
Board functions to the division of workers' compensation in the                                     
Department of Labor and Workforce Development and to that                                           
department, and authorizing the board to delegate administrative and                                
enforcement duties to the division; providing for workers'                                          
compensation hearing officers in workers' compensation proceedings;                                 
relating to workers' compensation medical benefits and to charges for                               
and payment of fees for the medical benefits; relating to agreements                                
that discharge workers' compensation liability; relating to workers'                                
compensation awards; relating to reemployment benefits and job                                      
dislocation benefits; relating to coordination of workers' compensation                             
and certain disability benefits; relating to division of workers'                                   
compensation records; relating to release of treatment records; relating                            
to an employer's failure to insure and keep insured or provide security;                            
relating to workers' compensation proceedings; providing for a                                      
maximum amount for the cost-of-living adjustment for workers'                                       
compensation benefits; relating to attorney fees with respect to                                    
workers' compensation; providing for the department to enter into                                   
contracts with nonprofit organizations to provide information services                              
and legal representation to injured employees; providing for                                        
administrative penalties for employers uninsured or without adequate                                
security for workers' compensation; relating to fraudulent acts or false                            
or misleading statements in workers' compensation and penalties for                                 
the acts or statements; providing for members of a limited liability                                
company to be included as an employee for purposes of workers'                                      
compensation; establishing a workers' compensation benefits guaranty                                
fund; relating to the second injury fund; making conforming                                         
amendments; providing for a study and report by the medical services                                
review committee; and providing for an effective date." Signing do                                  
pass: Senator Bunde, Chair; Senator Ben Stevens. Signing no                                         
recommendation: Senator Seekins. Signing amend: Senators Davis,                                     
Ellis.                                                                                              
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    

2005-04-01                     Senate Journal                      Page 0757
Fiscal information forthcoming.                                                                     
                                                                                                    
The following previously published fiscal information applies:                                      
 Fiscal Note No. 2, zero, Department of Commerce, Community,                                        
       and Economic Development                                                                     
                                                                                                    
President Stevens added a Judiciary Committee referral to the bill.                                 
                                                                                                    
The bill was referred to the Judiciary, then Finance Committees.