02/23/2010 02:30 PM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 163                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An   Act  increasing   the   allowances  for   injury,                                                                    
     disability,   or   heart   attack  payable   from   the                                                                    
     fisherman's  fund;  and   providing  for  an  effective                                                                    
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:34:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman provided an overview  of the legislation in                                                                    
committee. Additional information  requested at the February                                                                    
8 hearing  was in the packet.  He referred to the  zero note                                                                    
from  the Department  of Fish  and Game,  and a  fiscal note                                                                    
from  the  Department  of Labor  and  Workforce  Development                                                                    
estimating an  additional $63.7 thousand in  claims from the                                                                    
Fisherman's Fund. He noted that  the fund was able to absorb                                                                    
the increase.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson expressed  concerns  regarding Alaska  Native                                                                    
health system  beneficiaries, who  pay into  the Fisherman's                                                                    
Fund but are unable to take advantage of it.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOE  PASKVAN, SPONSOR, replied that  the fund helped                                                                    
those  without   other  coverage   available  to   them.  He                                                                    
acknowledged an  inherent unfairness  but reported  that the                                                                    
measure  was  intended  to  cover  people  with  no  medical                                                                    
coverage.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman  MOVED to  report SB  163 out  of Committee                                                                    
with individual recommendations  and the accompanying fiscal                                                                    
notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SB  163 was  REPORTED  out  of Committee  with  a "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation and with a new  fiscal note by the Department                                                                    
of Labor  and Workforce Development  and a new zero  note by                                                                    
the Department of Fish and Game.