04/24/2025 10:00 AM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 23                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the definition of 'employer' for                                                                       
     the purposes of the State Commission for Human                                                                             
     Rights."                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:10:49 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster noted that the  bill had been heard twice in                                                                    
prior  meetings [March  27,  2025, and  April  9, 2025].  He                                                                    
asked the bill sponsor to address the committee.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ANDY JOSEPHSON,  SPONSOR,  provided a  brief                                                                    
recap of  the legislation.  He reported  that the  bill made                                                                    
four changes: renaming  the commission  to the  Alaska State                                                                  
Commission  for Civil  Rights, requiring  that commissioners                                                                    
may only  be removed for  just cause, and changing  the date                                                                    
and  method of  delivery (electronic)  for the  commission's                                                                    
annual report to  prior to the start  of legislative session                                                                    
and  granted  the  commission's jurisdiction  to  extend  to                                                                    
employees  of  Alaska's  many  nonprofit  organizations.  He                                                                    
considered the final change the  most important provision in                                                                    
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:12:28 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin  asked   for  confirmation  that  the                                                                    
commission's name  was changed in the  legislation. Co-Chair                                                                    
Josephson answered in the affirmative  and restated the name                                                                    
as the Alaska Commission for Civil Rights.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Schrage  MOVED  to  REPORT  CSHB  23(L&C)  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There being NO  OBJECTION, CSHB 23(L&C) was  REPORTED out of                                                                    
committee  with six  "do pass"  recommendations and  one "no                                                                    
recommendation"  and with  one new  fiscal impact  note from                                                                    
the Office of the Governor.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster noted that Mr.  Laffey was trying to call in                                                                    
from Kenya.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
^CONSIDERATION  OF  GOVERNOR'S  APPOINTEES:  SAMUEL  LAFFEY,                                                                  
STATE ASSESSMENT REVIEW BOARD                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
10:14:26 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster  asked Mr. Laffey  to introduce  himself and                                                                    
provide details on why he is up for the job.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SAMUEL  LAFFEY,   GOVERNOR'S  APPOINTEE,   STATE  ASSESSMENT                                                                    
REVIEW BOARD (via  teleconference), introduced himself. [The                                                                    
phone connection was lost.]                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:15:24 AM                                                                                                                   
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:15:54 AM                                                                                                                   
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster moved to the next item on the agenda.