Legislature(1999 - 2000)
05/12/1999 02:24 PM Senate HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
Number 216
SB 170-CREDITED SERVICE FOR ON-THE-JOB INJURIES
JOHN CYR, President of NEA Alaska, thanked Chairman Miller and
Representative Coghill for introducing this legislation. NEA
believes SB 170 speaks to fairness. It allows a teacher who is
assaulted on the job and is forced to go on leave without pay
status to maintain their retirement benefits. It also allows
teachers who go on leave without pay for other reasons to
contribute to his/her retirement accounts. NEA hopes that no
teacher will ever have to rely on the provisions of this bill,
however assaults on the job do happen and create an extreme
hardship on teachers and their families at the time as well as at
retirement time.
SENATOR WILKEN asked if SB 170 will apply to a teacher hurt on the
job. MR. CYR said SB 170 only applies to teachers who are
assaulted on the job and the injury would have to be serious enough
to force the teacher to rely on workers' compensation. He explained
that a teacher is eligible to use sick leave for accidents or
illnesses that are not job related. While on sick leave, a teacher
remains on paid status and continues to contribute to his/her
retirement account. A teacher who is hurt on the job is eligible
for workers' compensation.
Number 267
GUY BELL, Director of the Division of Retirement and Benefits,
stated SB 170 is the Senate corollary to HB 226. Section 3(d)
effectively puts the teachers' retirement system (TRS) on par with
the public employees' retirement system (PERS) as it relates to on-
the-job injuries. With this change, a person on leave without pay
who receives workers' compensation benefits, due to an on-the-job
injury, can apply for service credit for that time and pay the
indebtedness. The remainder of the bill addresses assault issues.
The major change in CSHB 226, made by a House committee the
previous day, is that a teacher must have received a physical
injury from the assault.
CHAIRMAN MILLER asked where that change was made in the bill. MR.
BELL said that provision was inserted throughout the bill by the
legislative drafter.
MR. BELL added that other technical issues related to normal
retirement benefits and disabiity retirement in TRS were addressed,
in particular when a person is disabled as a result of the assault.
MR. BELL said the costs, from an actuarial point of view, are
immaterial to the system.
SENATOR ELTON noted other kinds of assault injuries, such as
emotional injuries, can be equally debilitating. He asked what
amount the fiscal note would contain if other types of injuries are
included.
MR. BELL said that would be very difficult to quantify and is the
reason the Division wanted the bill to specify physical injuries.
CHAIRMAN MILLER asked Rynnieva Moss to update the committee on HB
226.
Number 325
RYNNIEVA MOSS, legislative aide to Representative Coghill,
explained the latest House version specifies that the injury must
be physical. In addition, in Section 1, AS 14.25.140(a) was
inserted so that the benefit would terminate once the employee was
put on disability pension. Also, in Section 6, after AS 39.45.370,
language was added that terminates PERS eligibility when a
disability pension kicks in. The original version of HB 226
contained some drafting errors that were also corrected.
CHAIRMAN MILLER asked Mr. Bell if he had any objections to the
House HESS committee substitute to HB 226. MR. BELL said he did
not.
SENATOR WILKEN moved to incorporate the changes made in CSHB 226
into SB 170, and to moved SB 170 as amended out of committee with
individual recommendations. There being no objection, the motion
carried.
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