03/12/2019 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 37                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the statewide immunization                                                                             
     program."                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:03:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop MOVED to ADOPT the committee substitute for                                                                      
SB 37, Work Draft 31-LS0162\U (Marx, 3/9/19).                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:03:49 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JULI LUCKY, STAFF, SENATOR NATASHA VON IMHOF, explained                                                                         
that the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS)                                                                        
switch the account to a fund.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Lucky discussed the Sectional Analysis (copy on file):                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1:                                                                                                                 
     Amends AS 18.09.200(b)(1) by removing the "phase in"                                                                       
     language from statute as the Alaska Vaccine Assessment                                                                     
     Program is now fully implemented.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2:                                                                                                                 
     Amends  AS  18.09.220(a)  by removing  the  "phase  in"                                                                    
     language from statute as  the Alaska Vaccine Assessment                                                                    
     Program is now fully implemented.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3:                                                                                                                 
     Amends  18.09.230 by  creating  the vaccine  assessment                                                                    
     "fund"  in   the  general  fund  for   the  purpose  of                                                                    
     providing   funds  for   the  program   that  will   be                                                                    
     appropriated by the legislature,  that can also include                                                                    
     program receipts,  penalties, money from  other sources                                                                    
     along  with  interest  earned   from  the  fund.  These                                                                    
     appropriations to the fund will not lapse.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4:                                                                                                                 
     Repeals   and   reenacts  AS.18.09.230   allowing   the                                                                    
     commissioner to  administer the  fund in  accordance to                                                                    
     the provisions of the statewide immunization program.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5:                                                                                                                 
     Amends 37.05.146(c)(75) changing  the word "account" to                                                                    
     "fund"                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 6:                                                                                                                 
     Repeals  AS  18.09.220(e)  by removing  the  "opt  out"                                                                    
     option for assessees since the  program is no longer in                                                                    
     the "phase-in" stage.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 7:                                                                                                                 
     Repeals the  sunset provisions  (to repeal  the program                                                                    
     in 2021) that  were in section 5 of  the original bill,                                                                    
     SB 169 in 2014.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson queried an affect on some of the rural                                                                            
hospitals.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Lucky deferred to Ms. Lewis. She understood that it was                                                                     
only a renaming of a fund, and would not affect how the                                                                         
fund works.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:06:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JILL LEWIS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH,                                                                         
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, agreed with Ms.                                                                       
Lucky.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson wondered whether there was any opposition                                                                         
from the rural hospitals.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Lewis replied  that  the bill  had  no opposition  from                                                                    
anyone.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Lucky  assured  the   committee  that  Senator  Giessel                                                                    
approved of the CS.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  von  Imhof  wondered whether  there  were  further                                                                    
comments.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Lewis stated  that she did not have  anything further to                                                                    
add.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof WITHDREW the OBJECTION.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
There  being NO  further OBJECTION,  the proposed  committee                                                                    
substitute was ADOPTED.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:08:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID   TEAL,   DIRECTOR,  LEGISLATIVE   FINANCE   DIVISION,                                                                    
explained the fiscal notes.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von Imhof stated that there was an amendment.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair von  Imhof MOVED to  ADOPT Conceptual  Amendment 1.                                                                    
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  von  Imhof  felt  that  it  might  make  sense  to                                                                    
capitalize  the fund,  should there  be  emergencies in  the                                                                    
state.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:14:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wielechowski wondered  how  it was  not creating  a                                                                    
dedicated fund.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Teal  replied that a  dedicated fund was  something that                                                                    
must occur under  the constitution. He stated  that the bill                                                                    
created a fund that was designated, but not dedicated.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  wondered  whether there  was  concern  about                                                                    
giving more power to the administration.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Teal replied that the  bill provided the commissioner to                                                                    
rapidly respond.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:20:52 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop  MOVED to REPORT CSSB  37(FIN) from committee                                                                    
with individual  recommendations and attached  fiscal notes.                                                                    
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 37(FIN) was REPORTED out  of committee with a "do pass"                                                                    
recommendation and  with three new fiscal  impact notes from                                                                    
the Senate  Finance Committee for  Department of  Health and                                                                    
Social Services, Fund Transfer, and Fund Capitalization.