03/31/2014 04:31 PM House L&C

          HB 149-WORKERS' COMP FOR STATE FIREFIGHTERS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:56:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OLSON announced  that the final order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO.  149, "An Act making firefighters  employed by the                                                               
state  eligible for  the presumption  of coverage  under workers'                                                               
compensation for disability due to certain diseases."                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:56:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GABRIELLE   LEDOUX,  Alaska   State  Legislature,                                                               
speaking as  prime sponsor,  characterized HB  149 as  a "fix-it"                                                               
bill.  It would correct an  oversight in AS 23.30.121, which gave                                                               
firefighters  presumptive  coverage  for various  illnesses  they                                                               
many have  contracted while working  as firefighters.   The prior                                                               
bill  inadvertently did  not  cover state-employed  firefighters.                                                               
This  bill  would  amend  AS   23.30.121  to  add  paragraph  (3)                                                               
pertaining  to  a  firefighter  employed  by  the  state.    This                                                               
provision would  cover about 70  people.  She offered  her belief                                                               
that these  brave men and  women should have the  same protection                                                               
as all other firefighters.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:57:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON recalled a  former legislator had a case                                                               
in which  a firefighter  died from chemical  exposure.   He asked                                                               
whether that  person was a  state firefighter.  He  further asked                                                               
if she was familiar with the case.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LEDOUX  said  she  did not  know  the  case,  but                                                               
basically the state firefighters are employed at the airport.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:58:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  referred to  new language in  section one                                                               
that  refers to  three definitions  of firefighters,  including a                                                               
municipal  volunteer,   a  person  registered  for   purposes  of                                                               
workers'  compensation, [and  a  person employed  by a  municipal                                                               
fire department].                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX  answered that  the other  three categories                                                               
of firefighters  are currently  covered by  the statute,  but the                                                               
statute has been redrafted.   The effect of HB 149  is to add the                                                               
fourth group of people.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LEDOUX  offered  to   distribute  a  copy  of  AS                                                               
09.65.205 for members.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
5:00:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CHENAULT  referred to the  fiscal notes.   He said                                                               
they are from  DOT&PF and the Department of Public  Safety at the                                                               
airports.  He noticed a fiscal  note in members' packets from the                                                               
University of Alaska (UA).   The fiscal analysis shows that there                                                               
were 36  claims by UAF firefighters  over the past five  years or                                                               
an average  of 7.2  claims per  year.  He  was curious  where the                                                               
firefighters were located.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OLSON  also noted that  the committee is awaiting  a fiscal                                                               
note from the risk manager as well.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX said she stands  corrected, that this would                                                               
apply to the airport and the university.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:02:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CHENAULT wanted  to ensure  that state  employees                                                               
working as firefighters are protected.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  OLSON  said  it  was   not  the  intent  of  the  enabling                                                               
legislation to exclude the state firefighters.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
[HB 149 was held over.]