02/03/2012 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 70                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act establishing the Alaska Health Benefit                                                                             
     Exchange; and providing for an effective date."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:04:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman relayed  that  SB 70  had previously  been                                                                    
heard twice by the Senate Finance Committee.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Hoffman  MOVED   to   ADOPT  proposed   committee                                                                    
substitute  for  SB  70,  Work  Draft  27-LS0286\E  (Bailey,                                                                    
2/1/12).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for  discussion. He explained that                                                                    
the effective  dates had been  updated on page 19,  lines 21                                                                    
and 23  and on page  20, line  9. He removed  his OBJECTION.                                                                    
There  being NO  further OBJECTION,  Work Draft  27-LS0286\E                                                                    
was ADOPTED.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hollis  French,  Sponsor explained  that  the  bill                                                                    
established  an exchange  or website  that  would allow  the                                                                    
115,000   uninsured  Alaskans   to  select   a  viable   and                                                                    
worthwhile  insurance policy;  it did  not impact  residents                                                                    
who had existing insurance coverage.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  directed  attention to  the  four  fiscal                                                                    
notes:   one   fiscal   note    from   the   Department   of                                                                    
Administration in the amount of  $3 million in general funds                                                                    
for bandwidth, hardware, software,  and maintenance costs; a                                                                    
fiscal note  from the Department of  Commerce, Community and                                                                    
Economic Development (DCCED) in  the amount of $1,824,700 in                                                                    
general funds  for 12  new positions,  and board  and supply                                                                    
costs  (the  note had  been  increased  by $162,600  due  to                                                                    
increased personal  service costs);  a fiscal note  from the                                                                    
Department of  Health and Social  Services in the  amount of                                                                    
$182,700 in  general funds and $182,700  in matching federal                                                                    
funds  for three  part-time analyst  positions;  and a  zero                                                                    
fiscal note from DCCED.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  MOVED  to  report  CSSB  70(FIN)  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal notes. There  being NO OBJECTION, it was                                                                    
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 70(FIN) was REPORTED out  of committee with a "do pass"                                                                    
recommendation  and  with  three new  fiscal  impact  notes:                                                                    
DHSS,  DOA, and  DCCED; and  one new  zero fiscal  note from                                                                    
DCCED.