Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

03/03/2026 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

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Audio Topic
03:32:26 PM Start
03:32:58 PM SB237
03:40:14 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= SB 237 DATA SHARING; SOCIAL SECURITY TELECONFERENCED
Moved SB 237 Out of Committee
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
              SB 237-DATA SHARING; SOCIAL SECURITY                                                                          
3:32:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI announced  the consideration  of SENATE  BILL NO.                                                               
237  "An  Act relating  to  data  sharing  by the  Department  of                                                               
Administration for  driver's license data  verification purposes;                                                               
and providing for an effective date."                                                                                           
3:33:21 PM                                                                                                                    
JENNA  COLQUHOUN, Staff,  Senator  Scott  Kawasaki, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,  provided a brief recap  for SB 237.                                                               
She  stated  that the  legislation  would  allow the  sharing  of                                                               
driver's   license   information   with   the   Social   Security                                                               
Administration, enabling Alaskans to  apply for a Social Security                                                               
card online  and have their documents  verified without appearing                                                               
in person.                                                                                                                      
3:34:14 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked  Senator Bjorkman if he  wanted to introduce                                                               
the amendment.                                                                                                                  
3:34:18 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BJORKMAN  replied   he  would  like  to   speak  to  the                                                               
amendment.                                                                                                                      
3:34:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited a motion.                                                                                              
3:34:44 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BJORKMAN moved  to  adopt Amendment  1,  work order  34-                                                               
LS1428\A.1:                                                                                                                     
                                                      34-LS1428\A.1                                                             
                                                        C. Radford                                                              
                                                            3/2/26                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                          A M E N D M E N T 1                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE                  BY SENATOR BJORKMAN                                                                 
          TO:  SB 237                                                                                                           
     Page 2, line 2, following "only":                                                                                      
          Insert "(1)  to confirm the information or verify the                                                             
     identity of an individual who has voluntarily provided the                                                             
     individual's driver's license or identification card to the                                                            
     private entity; or                                                                                                     
               (2)"                                                                                                         
3:34:48 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI objected for purposes of discussion.                                                                             
3:35:05 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN stated that Amendment  1 would allow a person to                                                               
voluntarily opt into a service called  CLEAR. He said CLEAR is an                                                               
additional  fast  screening  service  someone would  find  at  an                                                               
airport. He  read the amendment  then commented that  many states                                                               
successfully use CLEAR, and the  data is only shared voluntarily,                                                               
as verified by a legal team.                                                                                                    
3:36:28 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON asked  for clarification,  noting that  the                                                               
amendment would  allow a person  to apply for  CLEAR voluntarily,                                                               
which is already possible.                                                                                                      
3:36:48 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN replied that he did not have an answer.                                                                        
3:36:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI   noted  that  CLEAR  is   a  for-profit  company                                                               
providing expedited lines for frequent  travelers. People who pay                                                               
the $209 annual subscription and  complete verification can use a                                                               
faster line  alongside TSA  Pre-Check. He  explained that  SB 237                                                               
only  allows a  single  transaction between  the Social  Security                                                               
Administration and the state to  issue a Social Security card. He                                                               
stated that he would not support Senator Bjorkman's amendment.                                                                  
3:38:38 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked  if Senator Bjorkman would  like to withdraw                                                               
his amendment.                                                                                                                  
3:38:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN withdrew Amendment A.1.                                                                                          
3:38:46 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI stated Amendment A.1 was withdrawn.                                                                              
3:38:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
3:39:00 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN moved to report SB 237, work order 34-LS1428\A,                                                                
from committee with individual recommendations and attached                                                                     
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
3:39:19 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI found no objection and SB 237 was reported from                                                                  
the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.                                                                                    

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