Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
03/12/2025 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB75 | |
| Overview(s): Unemployment Insurance | |
| HB121 | |
| HB123 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 121 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 75 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 123 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 75-PERM FUND; EMPLOYMENT; ELIGIBILITY
3:20:00 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 75, "An Act relating to national criminal
history record checks for certain employees of the Department of
Revenue; relating to allowable absences for eligibility for a
permanent fund dividend; relating to the confidentiality of
certain information provided on a permanent fund dividend
application; relating to electronic notice of debt collection
executed on a permanent fund dividend; and providing for an
effective date." [Before the committee was CSHB 75(STA).]
3:20:32 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JEREMY BYNUM, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented HB 75. He said HB 75 is an important bill,
particularly for mariners. He paraphrased the second and third
paragraphs of the sponsor statement [included in the committee
file], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
The Permanent Fund Dividend is a cornerstone of
economic stability for many residents, but outdated
regulations create unnecessary barriers for Alaskans
pursuing education, maritime careers, and medical
care.
House Bill 75 addresses these issues by modernizing
allowable absences, enhancing program security, and
improving administrative efficiency. HB 75 ensures
that time spent in a U.S. merchant marine academy is
treated the same as attending college, allowing
Alaskans to pursue this vital technical training
without losing their PFD eligibility. The bill also
provides relief for college students who cannot afford
to return home for winter or spring breaks, ensuring
that these short-term absences do not jeopardize their
qualification. Additionally, it simplifies the rules
governing out-of-state medical care, preventing
Alaskans with unexpected health emergencies from being
penalized.
To strengthen program security, HB 75 requires
fingerprint-based background checks for PFD Division
employees who handle sensitive personal data, reducing
the risk of fraud and identity theft. The bill also
makes the PFD applicant list confidential, further
protecting Alaskans from fraudulent claims and
identify theft. Additionally, it improves overall
administrative efficiency by allowing residents to
opt-in to electronic levy notices, cutting costs
associated with printing and mailing.
REPRESENATIVE BYNUM spoke to the updated sectional analysis,
stating that the previous committee of referral had changed
"armed services" to "uniform services".
3:23:25 PM
TREVOR SHAW, President & CEO, Alaska Society of Certified Public
Accountants (AKCPA), as invited testifier, presented a summary
of changes from the original bill version to CSHB 75(STA)
[included in the committee file], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
1. Changes all instances of "armed services to
"uniformed services".
2. Adds Section 3 defining "family members" by
relationship.
3. Adds to Section 3 defining Uniformed Services as
"Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard,
Space Force, and the Commissioned Corps of the
National 2 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
and Public Health Services".
4. Renumbers the following sections.
MR. SHAW noted that the major change was the addition of
merchant mariner training at the Merchant Marine Academy as an
allowable absence for permanent fund dividend (PFD) eligibility.
MR. SHAW further noted that HB 75 would not expand statutory
protections for voluntary out-of-state activities such as Peace
Corps or participation in the Olympic games, for example. He
clarified that CSHB 75(STA) "preserves and aligns protections
already granted to individuals whose careers require extensive
training and certification outside of Alaska." He explained
that existing statute already allows for eligible absence for
those "serving under foreign or coastal articles of employment
aboard an ocean-going vessel of the United States Merchant
Marine." He stated that HB 75 would clarify additional relevant
educational programs that should qualify as allowable absences.
He further stated that an individual who received necessary out-
of-state medical care would not be exempted from PFD
eligibility. He stated that HB 75 would protect students unable
to return home [to Alaska] during their spring or winter breaks,
"as long as they ... return to their educational program." He
stated that PFD Division employees would be required to provide
fingerprints under the proposed legislation, noting that many
professions are subject to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
background checks, such as nurses, hairdressers, massage
therapists, retail estate appraisers, et cetera. Additionally,
he stated that the PFD applicant list would be confidential
under CSHB 75(STA). He concluded that the proposed legislation
also would allow individuals to opt in to electronic
communications regarding their PFD.
MR. SHAW paraphrased the sectional analysis for CSHB 75(STA)
[included in the committee file], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Section 1. Requires the Permanent Fund Division to
conduct background checks on and fingerprint its
employees and applicants for employment within the
Division.
Section 2. Modifies the allowable absences for
Permanent Fund Dividend eligibility to include:
• Absences for school breaks and holiday, not
including summer break, during the academic year.
• Education (1) to become a merchant mariner, and (2)
through other vocational programs approved by the
United States Coast Guard.
• Prevents medical absences from limiting the length
of voluntary absences.
Section 3. Provides definitions relating to "family
members" and "uninformed services".
Section 4. Aligns to Sect 1., requiring the Permanent
Fund Division to conduct background checks on and
fingerprint its employees and applicants for
employment within the Division.
Section 5. Makes the names of Permanent Fund Dividend
applicants confidential.
Section 6. Allows an opt-in option for Permanent Fund
Dividend recipients to receive levy notices
electronically.
Section 7. Establishes an effective date of January 1,
2026.
3:27:28 PM
SENATOR JESSE KIEHL, Alaska State Legislature, began by stating
that HB 75 contains half of the elements originally proposed by
the governor in a previous legislature. He further surmised
that the proposed legislation contains "important tune-ups" to
allowable absences, and the safety and efficiency of the PFD.
He concluded that CSHB 75(STA) is not a PFD formula bill;
rather, it is a "clean-up bill," noting that it nearly passed in
the prior year.
3:28:58 PM
KARI NORE, External Affairs Director, Alaska Chamber, gave
invited testimony in support of HB 75. She gave prepared
testimony [included in the committee file], which read as
follows [original punctuation provided]:
The Alaska Chamber was founded in 1953 and is Alaska's
largest statewide business advocacy organization. Our
mission is to promote a healthy business environment
in Alaska. The Chamber has more than 700 members and
represents businesses of all sizes and industries from
across the state, representing 58,000 Alaskan workers
and $4.6 billion in wages.
The Chamber has a formal policy position to support
clarifying vocational training absences for purposes
of receiving PFD benefits. We support the enactment
of clarifying changes to the PFD statute in order to
assure Alaskans who are members of the uniformed
services or those attending merchant marine training
programs remain eligible to obtain their PFD, provided
they have met all other eligibility criteria.
Since 1997, over 700 Alaskans have been recruited,
trained, and placed in deep-sea maritime employment by
attending the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training
and Education. Many of these candidates were youth,
Alaskan Natives, displaced workers, and veterans who
attended an apprentice program paid for through a
labor-management training trust fund. In so doing,
management can be assured the individuals they hire to
crew their vessels are thoroughly trained to USCG
[United States Coast Guard] standards and uniformly
meet their security, safety, and competency standards.
Furthermore, by recruiting Alaskans for this
apprenticeship opportunity companies in the Alaska
maritime trade, like Alaska Tanker Company, Crowley
Maritime, Matson Navigation, and TOTE Maritime Alaska,
continue to meet their commitment to hire local.
Denying PFD benefits to Alaskans, particularly younger
Alaskans, while engaged in this required training,
discourages them from considering this pathway as a
career opportunity. The purpose for the local hire
effort is for these individuals to be trained outside
and to return to Alaska to spend their earned wages
and enjoy their benefits on their time off.
In closing, the Chamber supports [HB 75] and
encourages swift passage of this straightforward and
good for business bill. Thank you for considering the
Alaska Chamber's comments.
3:31:37 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS noted that a transportation company has an
apprenticeship program due to efforts by both former Congressman
Don Young and former Senator Ted Stevens to develop local
workforce. He explained that CSHB 75(STA) was a multi-decade
piece of legislation. He stated that swift passage was his
goal.
3:32:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE stated that she is in support of
legislation that aids in developing Alaska's workforce. She
noted there is a zero fiscal note. She queried whether current
employees, future employees, or both would be fingerprinted
under CSHB 75(STA).
REPRESENATIVE BYNUM deferred to Ms. Wojtusik.
3:33:14 PM
GENEVIEVE WOJTUSIK, Director, Permanent Fund Dividend Division,
Department of Revenue, replied that, were CSHB 75(STA) to pass,
the division would take six months to develop regulations for
background checks.
3:33:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE asked whether the exemption for
emergency medical leave was a new exemption.
3:33:58 PM
MS. WOJTUSIK replied that an emergency-related exemption would
be a new piece of statute. She explained that, currently, there
are 16 different allowable absences in Alaska Statute (AS) that
qualify as an emergency. She further explained that there are
exemptions for medical leave and family medical leave, but not
for emergency medical leave.
3:34:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON queried the reason for changing armed
services to uniform services in the proposed legislation,
thereby including the National Oceanic and Atmosphere
Administration (NOAA).
3:34:48 PM
REPRESENATIVE BYNUM replied that the change occurred in the
previous committee of referral, House State Affairs Standing
Committee. He explained that the chair of the committee
requested that change be included.
MR. SHAW responded that the change was proposed by
Representative Andi Story in House State Affairs Standing
Committee. He explained that it was technical change that would
create allowable absences for an additional 50 people or less.
3:36:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON asserted that NOAA was not militarized.
He stated that he would like to see NOAA removed from the
proposed legislation.
3:36:52 PM
MR. SHAW noted that the Peace Corps also fall under allowable
absences, because of their service as commissioned officers
through a federal agency. He stated their office was open to
refinement of CSHB 75(STA).
3:37:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER echoed concerns about changing the
exemption from "armed services" to "uniformed services". He
shared additional concerns that exemptions are "always expanded,
never contracted."
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER noted that members of armed services
cannot decline assignments and asked whether members of NOAA or
the public health service could decline moves.
3:39:10 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS thanked the various speakers for CSHB 75(STA).
REPRESENATIVE BYNUM thanked the committee members for their time
and stated that his office was always open to questions.
[HB 75 was held over.]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 2025_03_12_HL&C_UI_101_Presentation.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
Overview: Unemployment Insurance |
| HB 121 presentation 3.12.24.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 121 |
| HB 121 - Sectional Analysis.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 121 |
| HB 121 - Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 121 |
| HB0121A.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 121 |
| HB0123A.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 123 |
| HB123.VerA.SectionalAnalysis.3.5.25.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 123 |
| HB123.VerA.SponsorStatement.3.5.25.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 123 |
| HB123.VerA.FiscalNote.DOR.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 123 |
| HB 75 Version B Text.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 75 |
| HB 75 Sponsor Statement Version B.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 75 |
| HB 75 Sectional Analysis Version B.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 75 |
| Hb 75 Version B Summary of Changes .pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 75 |
| HB 75 Companion Bill - SB 77 Support Letter from Tote Maritime.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 75 SB 77 |
| HB 75 Companion Bill - SB 77 Support Letter from Alaska Chamber.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 75 SB 77 |
| HB 75 Companion Bill - SB 77 Support Letter from Matson.pdf |
HL&C 3/12/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 75 SB 77 |