03/25/2019 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

        HB  79-PEACE OFFICER/FIREFIGHTER RETIRE BENEFITS                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:54:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR WOOL  announced that the  final order of  business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO.  79,  "An Act  relating  to participation  of                                                               
certain peace  officers and firefighters  in the  defined benefit                                                               
and  defined   contribution  plans   of  the   Public  Employees'                                                               
Retirement  System of  Alaska; relating  to eligibility  of peace                                                               
officers  and firefighters  for  medical,  disability, and  death                                                               
benefits;  relating   to  liability  of  the   Public  Employees'                                                               
Retirement  System  of Alaska;  and  providing  for an  effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:54:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CHUCK KOPP,  Alaska State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor, stated  HB 79 is  a new  defined benefits bill  that was                                                               
modeled after  some of the  most successful pension plans  in the                                                               
nation.   He opined  advancing the current  bill would  provoke a                                                               
discussion that  is long overdue.   He continued  by highlighting                                                               
testimony  from public  safety agencies  that addressed  a divide                                                               
between  Tier 3  and Tier  4  employees.   Essentially, he  said,                                                               
Alaska  has  become  a   "five-and-out"  training  ground  that's                                                               
costing  agencies  and the  state  millions  of dollars  in  lost                                                               
training  expenses.     Representative  Kopp  implored  committee                                                               
members to  consider if the legislature  is adequately addressing                                                               
public  safety  concerns.   He  offered  his  understanding  from                                                               
hearing  previous testimony  that the  primary issue  driving the                                                               
recruitment and retention problems  within public safety agencies                                                               
is the  current Tier 4  system, adding HB  79 is a  solution that                                                               
doesn't  increase the  liability to  the  state.   He shared  his                                                               
belief that if HB 79 advances  and turns out to be successful, it                                                               
would improve employee retention as  well as the public safety of                                                               
Alaskans and  ultimately, the state  could apply it to  a broader                                                               
group of employees.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:59:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease at 3:59 p.m.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:00:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  WOOL acknowledged  that the  previous public  testimony                                                               
was persuasive and compelling.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HANNAN expressed  concern that  the current  bill                                                               
does not go  far enough, adding she would like  to see a stronger                                                               
health plan and more employees  covered.  She mentioned she would                                                               
like to  see young Alaskans  stay in  Alaska.  She  further noted                                                               
that she  intends on supporting HB  79 but would have  hoped that                                                               
it went further to incorporate more employees.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:03:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX stated  she was around during  the former defined                                                               
contributions bill  and that she  was one of the  few Republicans                                                               
in  the   House  that  voted   against  it.    She   agreed  with                                                               
Representative  Hannan that  she would  also  like to  see HB  79                                                               
cover  more employees.    Nonetheless, she  said  she viewed  the                                                               
current bill as  a "pilot project" and encouraged  others to give                                                               
it a chance to work.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:04:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS  shared his  support  and  stated that  he                                                               
would  be curious  to  see  what would  happen  if  there were  a                                                               
broader pool of public employees.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR WOOL thanked Representative Kopp  and said he shared the                                                               
sentiments  of his  colleagues.   He  offered his  belief that  a                                                               
smaller "pilot  project" like  this might  be more  palatable and                                                               
then changes could be made later.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:06:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP  acknowledged the importance of  proving that                                                               
this  model works  in  order  to demonstrate  a  path "towards  a                                                               
better tomorrow" for other employees.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:07:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease at 4:07 p.m.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:08:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR WOOL announced that HB 79 was held over.