Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532
03/01/2018 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB92 | |
| SB128 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 92 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 128 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 104 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SENATE BILL NO. 128
"An Act establishing the marijuana education and
treatment fund; and relating to the duties of the
Department of Health and Social Services to administer
a comprehensive marijuana use education and treatment
program."
10:32:34 AM
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to ADOPT the committee substitute
for SB 128, Work Draft 30-LS1069\U (Wallace/Martin,
2/26/18).
10:32:51 AM
Co-Chair MacKinnon OBJECTED for discussion.
10:33:06 AM
AT EASE
10:33:09 AM
RECONVENED
10:33:22 AM
JANE CONWAY, STAFF, SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL, discussed the
changes in the committee substitute. She shared that after
Senator Giessel had introduced the bill, Legislative
Finance Division (LFD) wanted to make a few changes to the
bill language. He felt that the fiscal note did not
particularly address the impact of the marijuana education
and treatment fund on the unrestricted general fund (UGF)
revenue. He indicated there would be work with the
governor's office to clarify the fiscal note. There was
also a suggestion for new language that may better reflect
the process of how the money would be deposited into the
fund, and how the legislature could use those funds. She
stated that Legislative Legal drafted new language on page
1, line 14 to page 2, line 5. She stated that the rewording
did not change the intent of the bill/
Co-Chair MacKinnon WITHDREW her objection. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
10:34:55 AM
SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL, SPONSOR, explained the legislation.
She stated that the bill established a marijuana education
and treatment fund using taxes from marijuana. The purpose
of the fund was to use a portion of those taxes for the
Division of Public Health to develop education materials
for the public. She stated that private sector nonprofits
would apply for grant money. The Alaskan youth would be the
target audience. She stated that the purpose was to educate
youth about marijuana and its implications, law, and health
impacts of commercialized marijuana. She stated that the
grants were intended to go to local nonprofit
organizations, and open to many different nonprofits that
particular target youth in after school programs.
10:36:38 AM
TREVOR STORRS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA CHILDREN'S TRUST
(via teleconference), spoke in support of the bill. He
stated that the legalization of marijuana came new
opportunities and challenges. He stated that it was
critical to use the lessons from similar industries like
alcohol and tobacco. He stressed that inappropriate us of
alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana led to a high cost to
society on a social and economic level. He remarked that
Alaska had faced two challenges related to alcohol and
tobacco, because prevention was an afterthought. He
remarked that it was important to not make similar mistakes
with marijuana.
10:40:06 AM
ALANA HUMPHREY, CEO, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SOUTHCENTRAL
ALASKA (via teleconference), stated that she understood the
importance of resources that continued to provide primary
and secondary prevention programs between 3pm and 6pm. She
stressed that children may be unsupervised during those
hours, and far more likely to engage in behavior that puts
them at risk for tobacco, alcohol, and drug use. The
importance of structured after school time was well
documented.
Senator Stevens wondered whether there was agreement with
the recommendations of Mr. Storrs about who would be
contracted to conduct the services. Ms. Humphrey agreed
that after school programs should be a focus area. She felt
that it might be more accessible for all after school
programs to work with an organization that could focus on
reaching out to programs that may be less proficient in
grant writing.
Co-Chair MacKinnon remarked that there would be a
presentation.
10:44:38 AM
AT EASE
10:45:33 AM
RECONVENED
10:46:07 AM
JILL LEWIS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH,
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, recognized the
importance of keeping the public informed of the potential
health impacts of marijuana legalization. She shared that
Oregon, Colorado, Washington, California, and Massachusetts
all had established funding for abuse prevention and
treatment purposes. She stressed that Alaska needed to be
counted among those states. She remarked that without the
funding provided by the bill, Alaska lacked the capacity to
create the evidence based public health, education,
prevention and treatment programming needed to address the
social and health consequences of a legalized marijuana
industry. She shared that the bill established a
comprehensive program supported by the new Marijuana
Education and Treatment Fund. She mentioned that the after
school programs were a required part of the committee
substitute, as part of the community based programs. She
stressed that Alaska monitor use and knowledge about
marijuana during the first years of legalized use to inform
the public of the specifics of the law; and about the
potential health effects as people begin to use the new
products. It was also important to provide resources to
prevent poisoning among harmful exposures. She felt that
establishing a sustainable and comprehensive public health
program aimed at marijuana misuse and addiction prevention
was vital to keeping all Alaskans healthy and safe.
10:48:28 AM
ELIZA MUSE, SPECIALIST, OFFICE OF SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND
ADDICTION PREVENTION, discussed the components of the
program. She stated that the idea for funding was supported
by a 2017 resolution from the American Medical Association.
She shared that there had been consultation with other
states for program design. The components of the program
were community based marijuana misuse prevention with a
focus on youth prevention, including support for after
school programming; assessment of knowledge and awareness
of the laws and use of marijuana products as well as
monitoring a public health impact related to marijuana use
and legalization; training and program develop in marijuana
education; and substance abuse screening, brief
intervention, and referral to treatment.
10:49:52 AM
THOMAS AZZARELLA, ALASKA AFTER SCHOOL NETWORK, ALASKA
CHILDREN'S TRUST (via teleconference), testified in support
of the bill. He stated that out-ot-school time was a
critical component in preventing youth substance abuse. He
supported the Senate version of the bill, with the
modifications recommended by the Alaska Children's Trust.
He stressed that after school time addressed a critical
safety piece for children during the hours of 3 to 6 pm.
Co-Chair MacKinnon CLOSED public testimony.
Co-Chair MacKinnon noted a critical difference, and asked
for more information about those differences. Ms. Conway
shared that during the redraft process there was a small
change on page 4, line 9, which changed the word "and" to
the word "to." She stated that it was a typo in the
original bill. The new committee substitute also included
language that specifically added community based youth
services programs, with criteria of promoting cessation and
reducing access to marijuana products. She noted that page
3, line 16 and 19 provided programs for after school hours.
She shared that lines 20 through 21 outlined the usage of
outcome-based curricula, mentoring, and opportunities for
positive activities.
10:55:40 AM
Senator Stevens expressed the change from DHSS to DEED to
be responsible for the program. Ms. Conway stated that she
had heard those concerns, and was confident that DHSS was
the correct place for the program.
Senator von Imhof stated that she would reserve her
questions for the following day.
SB 128 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.