03/06/2024 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

                 HB 204-OVERTIME PAY EXEMPTION                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:44:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced  that the next order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL NO.  204  "An Act  exempting  certain employees  from                                                               
overtime pay requirements; and providing for an effective date."                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:44:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER opened public testimony on HB 204.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:44:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRIAN  BERG,  Vice  President   of  Operations,  HCA  Healthcare,                                                               
testified during the  hearing on HB 204.  He  said the bill seeks                                                               
to expand the voluntary flexible  work hours plan to allow nurses                                                               
to work a 12-hour shift by  choice.  He noted that 10-hour shifts                                                               
are  already  available  to  nurses   in  many  other  healthcare                                                               
settings, and the goal is to expand it to 12.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:46:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHANNON   DAVENPORT,  President,   Alaska  Nursing   Association,                                                               
testified in opposition to HB 204.   She said she currently works                                                               
a 40-hour  workweek at  8 hours  per day,  which allows  her more                                                               
flexibility and  a better  work/life balance  to spend  time with                                                               
family.    She  said  the   problem  arises  when  surgeries  are                                                               
scheduled,  which  only  covers  8  hours,  and  the  nurses  are                                                               
assigned to  a 12-hour  shift.  In  these instances,  nurses must                                                               
use their  own paid time  off (PTO) to get  paid for the  extra 4                                                               
hours.   Another  aspect is  that  unless a  12-hour contract  is                                                               
signed, nurses lose their job, she  said.  She added that hospice                                                               
nurses  often  work  much  longer   than  12-hour  shifts.    She                                                               
maintained her strong opposition to HB 204.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:48:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER closed public testimony and announced that HB 204                                                                  
would be held over.