02/14/2025 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

            HB 20-PROHIBIT FEES FOR PAPER DOCUMENTS                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:37:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the  final order of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE  BILL NO.  20,  "An  Act  relating  to fees  for  paper                                                               
documents; and relating to unfair trade practices."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:37:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DAN  SADDLER, Alaska  State Legislature,  as prime                                                               
sponsor, presented HB 20.   He began that, historically, utility,                                                               
gas, or insurance  bills were typically bills paid  via mail with                                                               
a  paper check.    He  continued that,  with  the  advent of  the                                                               
Internet, many transactions have been  made online.  He described                                                               
some  advantages  of  online payment:    automation,  efficiency,                                                               
decreased costs, and increased profit margins.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER   continued  that  many   businesses  are                                                               
essentially requiring  transactions to  be done  online or  pay a                                                               
fee, which can be variable.   He provided an example, noting that                                                               
it is common to  pay a few hundred dollars annually  in fees.  He                                                               
asserted that older  individuals, who are less  likely to conduct                                                               
online transactions and  more likely to be on  fixed incomes, are                                                               
disproportionately  affected by  paper fees.   Further,  he noted                                                               
that  Internet connectivity  in Alaska  is unreliable,  and those                                                               
with inconsistent Internet access could face higher fees.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER   stated  that   HB  20   would  prohibit                                                               
businesses  from  charging  customers different  rates  based  on                                                               
paperless versus  paper transaction  statements.  He  stated that                                                               
it  poses  no  cost  to  the state  and  no  additional  cost  to                                                               
businesses.  He concluded by  asserting that HB 20 would generate                                                               
significant benefits to consumers/constituents.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:40:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
NOAH WILKINS,  Intern, Representative  Dan Saddler,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, as  intern to Representative Saddler,  prime sponsor                                                               
of HB 20, gave the  sectional analysis [included in the committee                                                               
file], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: Page 1, lines 3-11                                                                                            
     Section 1 amends AS 21.36 by adding a new section, AS                                                                      
     21.36.525, which prohibits insurers from                                                                                   
        charging an additional fee or different rate for                                                                        
       individuals who prefer to receive paper copies of                                                                        
     invoices,                                                                                                                  
     statements and other documents.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     This  section does  not,  however,  prevent an  insurer                                                                    
     from charging a fee for providing duplicate copies of                                                                      
     any documents previously provided.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2: Page 1, lines 12-15, & page 2, lines 1-4                                                                      
     Section 2 amends  AS 45.45 by adding a  new section, AS                                                                    
     45.45.940, which prohibits businesses from                                                                                 
     charging  an additional  fee or  a  different rate  for                                                                    
     individuals who prefer to receive paper copies of                                                                          
     invoices, statements and other documents.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     This  section does  not,  however,  prevent a  business                                                                    
     from charging a fee for providing duplicate copies of                                                                      
     any documents previously provided.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2  defines "business" by  the meaning  given in                                                                    
     AS 43.70.110, which states a business is "a for                                                                            
     profit  or nonprofit  entity  engaging  or offering  to                                                                    
     engage  in a  trade,  a service,  a  profession, or  an                                                                    
     activity                                                                                                                   
     with  the  goal of  receiving  a  financial benefit  in                                                                    
     exchange  for the  provision of  services, or  goods or                                                                    
     other                                                                                                                      
     property."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3: Page 2, lines 5-6                                                                                             
     Section 3  adds to the  list of unlawful  business acts                                                                    
     and practices in Title 45 to include violations of AS                                                                      
     45.45.940, established in Section 2 of this bill.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:42:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CARRICK   asked  whether  there  are   any  state                                                               
departments that charge for receiving  paper documents.  Further,                                                               
she  asked  whether state  departments,  should  they charge  for                                                               
receiving paper  documents, would  be covered under  the proposed                                                               
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:43:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER responded that HB 20 is narrowly focused                                                                 
on businesses, and the State of Alaska does not fall under that                                                                 
definition.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
[HB 20 was held over.]