03/17/2014 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 135                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Alaska                                                                       
     Health Care Commission; and providing for an effective                                                                     
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:55:53 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer  noted that  the only  prior concern  was the                                                                    
bill's cost.  The committee  had been  unable to  reduce the                                                                    
cost  of the  legisaltion,  but had  added  a 3-year  sunset                                                                    
date.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  related that  the Alaska  Health Commissioner                                                                    
was originally put  in place by Governor Palin  and had been                                                                    
into statute. The commission had  been looking at healthcare                                                                    
issues, particularly with  costs in the state  of Alaska. He                                                                    
asserted  that  Kris  Kurtis,  who   was  the  auditor,  had                                                                    
indicated that  the Alaska Healthcare Commission  was indeed                                                                    
serving  the   public's  interest,   which  was   why  there                                                                    
recommendation to go to a 3-year sunset.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer recalled  that his  concern  was that  there                                                                    
were  two staff  people dedicated  to board  with a  cost of                                                                    
$500,000; however, a  lot of it was  federal matching money,                                                                    
which made it difficult to reduce the bill's cost.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Kelly MOVED to REPORT  SB 135 out of committee with                                                                    
individual  recommendations  and   the  accompanying  fiscal                                                                    
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SB  135 was  REPORTED  out  of committee  with  a "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation and  with a previously published  zero fiscal                                                                    
note: FN1 (DHS).                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:58:03 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:00:39 AM                                                                                                                   
RECONVENED