02/12/2025 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                       SB  80-EXTEND BOARDS                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:37:36 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 80                                                                
"An  Act  extending   the  termination  date  of   the  Big  Game                                                               
Commercial Services Board; extending  the termination date of the                                                               
Board of  Massage Therapists; extending  the termination  date of                                                               
the  Marijuana  Control Board;  and  providing  for an  effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:38:08 PM                                                                                                                    
SAVAYA  BIEBER,  Staff,  Senator  Jesse  Bjorkman,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,  provided a brief recap on  SB 80 as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     The bill  before you  today, SB  80 extends  the sunset                                                                    
     date  of three  boards,  the  Marijuana Control  Board,                                                                    
     Board  of  Massage  Therapy, and  Big  Game  Commercial                                                                    
     Services Board.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     All three 2023 board audits concluded that the boards                                                                      
       have operated in the public's interest by actively                                                                       
     amending regulations and enhancing public safety.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:39:12 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN asked  for  a progress  update  of the  Marijuana                                                               
Control Board.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:40:18 PM                                                                                                                    
BAILEY STUART,  Chair, Marijuana Control Board,  Wasilla, Alaska,                                                               
answered questions regarding  SB 80. She stated that  at the last                                                               
meeting,  she covered  key issues  the  board is  working on  and                                                               
addressed concerns  from the audit,  including changes  made over                                                               
the past year  and a half. She said she  became chair on February                                                               
6, 2025, and  wanted to confirm that  documentation procedures on                                                               
how permits  are handled  have changed. She  stated that  the new                                                               
licensing  enforcement system  is  still in  progress and  wasn't                                                               
implemented last  year. She said  the alcohol related  issues are                                                               
being addressed first, before moving  to marijuana issues. As for                                                               
recommendation   three,   as   she   mentioned   previously   any                                                               
questionable items  should only be  voted on if a  board majority                                                               
is present.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:42:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN  opened public testimony  on SB 80;  finding none,                                                               
he closed public testimony.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:42:50 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:42:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON  moved to  report  SB  80, work  order  34-                                                               
LS0416\A,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:43:12 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN  found no  objection and SB  80 was  reported from                                                               
the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.