03/24/2021 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

           HB 133-AK ED SAVINGS PROGRAMS/ELIGIBILITY                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:07:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  SPOHNHOLZ announced  that the  first order  of business                                                               
would  be HOUSE  BILL NO.  133, "An  Act relating  to the  Alaska                                                               
savings program  for eligible individuals; relating  to education                                                               
savings  programs; relating  to  the Education  Trust of  Alaska;                                                               
relating  to the  Alaska advance  college  tuition savings  fund;                                                               
relating to  the Alaska education  savings program  for children;                                                               
and  relating  to  the Governor's  Council  on  Disabilities  and                                                               
Special Education."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:07:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS moved to adopt  the proposed committee substitute                                                               
(CS) for HB 133, Version  32-LS0450\I, Bannister, 3/22/21, as the                                                               
working document.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:08:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at ease.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:08:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ objected  for the purpose of  discussion.  She                                                               
asked Co-Chair Fields to describe the changes in the CS.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:08:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  FIELDS explained  that  the substantive  change in  the                                                               
proposed CS is that following  discussions with the Department of                                                               
Revenue (DOR)  and the Department  of Health and  Social Services                                                               
(DHSS),  the  Achieving  a  Better  Life  Experience  (ABLE)  Act                                                               
program  will  remain under  the  management  of DOR  instead  of                                                               
moving it  to DHSS.   He shared  his understanding  that although                                                               
there may  not be a  perfect place for  the program, the  DOR has                                                               
done  well managing  it thus  far  and concluded  that it  should                                                               
remain under the jurisdiction of DOR.   He noted that DHSS sent a                                                               
long email  explaining why  it was preferable  to leave  it under                                                               
DOR and he is listening to that guidance.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:09:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ opened public testimony on HB 133.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:09:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MICHELE  GIRAULT, Key  Coalition  of Alaska,  explained that  the                                                               
coalition  is  a  statewide  advocacy  organization  representing                                                               
stakeholders experiencing disabilities,  their family members and                                                               
supporters, and service  providers.  She shared  that the passage                                                               
of   the  ABLE   Act   was  life-enhancing   for  Alaskans   with                                                               
disabilities  and  allowed  individuals  to  save  money  without                                                               
jeopardizing their  disability benefits.  She  concluded that the                                                               
coalition is in  support of HB 133, which as  she understands it,                                                               
aligns   state   implementation   and   language   with   federal                                                               
expectations, language, and intent.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:11:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ  announced that  HB 133 was  held over.   [The                                                               
bill  was  brought back  later  in  the  meeting to  address  the                                                               
pending objection to  the motion to adopt  the proposed committee                                                               
substitute.]                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
           HB 133-AK ED SAVINGS PROGRAMS/ELIGIBILITY                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
4:12:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  SPOHNHOLZ announced  that  the next  order of  business                                                               
would be a return to HOUSE BILL  NO. 133, "An Act relating to the                                                               
Alaska  savings program  for  eligible  individuals; relating  to                                                               
education savings  programs; relating  to the Education  Trust of                                                               
Alaska; relating  to the Alaska  advance college  tuition savings                                                               
fund;  relating  to  the Alaska  education  savings  program  for                                                               
children; and relating to the  Governor's Council on Disabilities                                                               
and Special Education."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ removed  her objection to the  motion to adopt                                                               
the  proposed  CS for  HB  133,  Version 32-LS0450\I,  Bannister,                                                               
3/22/21,  as  the  working  document.   There  being  no  further                                                               
objection, Version I was before the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
[HB 133 was set aside and addressed again later in the meeting.]                                                                
                                                                                                                                
            HB 133-AK ED SAVINGS PROGRAMS/ELIGIBILITY                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:27:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  SPOHNHOLZ announced  that  the next  order of  business                                                               
would be a return to HOUSE BILL  NO. 133, "An Act relating to the                                                               
Alaska  savings program  for  eligible  individuals; relating  to                                                               
education savings  programs; relating  to the Education  Trust of                                                               
Alaska; relating  to the Alaska  advance college  tuition savings                                                               
fund;  relating  to  the Alaska  education  savings  program  for                                                               
children; and relating to the  Governor's Council on Disabilities                                                               
and Special Education."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:27:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS  moved to report  CSHB 133,  Version 32-LS0450\I,                                                               
Bannister,   3/22/21,   out    of   committee   with   individual                                                               
recommendations and  the accompanying fiscal notes.   There being                                                               
no objection, CSHB  133(L&C) was reported out of  the House Labor                                                               
and Commerce Standing Committee.