02/21/2024 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

          SB 183-WORKERS' COMP BENEFITS GUARANTY FUND                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:38:07 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN announced  the consideration  of SENATE  BILL NO.                                                               
183  "An  Act  relating  to the  workers'  compensation  benefits                                                               
guaranty fund; and providing for an effective date."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
He expressed that the intention of  the committee is to recap the                                                               
bill,  take  public  testimony  and  look  to  the  will  of  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:38:18 PM                                                                                                                    
LAURA  ACHEE,   staff,  Senator  Jesse  Bjorkman,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, gave a recap  of SB 183 on behalf of                                                               
the bill sponsor:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Senate  Bill 183  would move  the Workers  Compensation                                                                    
     Benefits  Guaranty Fund  from the  general fund  to the                                                                    
     state treasury. The  purpose of this move  is to remove                                                                    
     the fund  from those  funds that are  'sweepable' under                                                                    
     the constitutional CBR sweep  and to better ensure that                                                                    
     beneficiaries of the fund receive timely payments.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:39:21 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened  public testimony on SB  183; finding none,                                                               
he closed public testimony.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:39:54 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited a motion.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:39:55 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON moved  to  report SB  183,  work order  33-                                                               
LS1120\A,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
accompanying fiscal notes.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:40:10 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN  found no objection  and SB 183 was  reported from                                                               
the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.