Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106
04/18/2024 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB198 | |
| HB354 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 198 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 354 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
April 18, 2024
3:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Mike Prax, Chair
Representative Justin Ruffridge, Vice Chair
Representative CJ McCormick
Representative Zack Fields
Representative Genevieve Mina
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Dan Saddler
Representative Jesse Sumner
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 198
"An Act relating to the supplemental nutrition assistance
program; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 354
"An Act relating to the use of polystyrene foam and
biodegradable or compostable disposable food service ware; and
providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 198
SHORT TITLE: FOOD STAMP PROGRAM ELIGIBILTY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) GRAY
05/10/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
05/10/23 (H) HSS, FIN
04/18/24 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM DAVIS 106
BILL: HB 354
SHORT TITLE: RESTRICT RESTAURANT USE OF POLYSTYRENE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) JOSEPHSON
02/20/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/20/24 (H) HSS, L&C
04/18/24 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM DAVIS 106
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE ANDREW GRAY
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HB 198.
DAVID SONG, Staff
Representative Andrew Gray
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of Representative Andrew Gray,
prime sponsor, presented HB 198 to the committee.
RON MEEHAN, Director of Governmental Affairs
Food Bank of Alaska
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 198.
ERIN WALKER-TOLLES, Executive Director
Catholic Community Services
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 198.
GREG MEYER, Executive Director
Kenai Peninsula Food Bank
Kenai, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 198.
DUANE PATTERSON, Director
St. Francis House Food Pantry
Catholic Community Services
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 198.
RACHEL LORD, Advocacy and Policy Director
Alaska Food Policy Council
Homer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 198.
DEB ETHRIDGE, Director
Division of Public Assistance
Department of Health
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
198.
REPRESENTATIVE ANDY JOSEPHSON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HB 354.
LISA KELLER, Staff
Representative Andy Josephson
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave a PowerPoint presentation during the
hearing on HB 354, on behalf of Representative Josephson, prime
sponsor.
CRYSTAL KOENEMAN, Legislative Liaison
Department of Environmental Conservation
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions during the hearing
on HB 354.
PAMELA MILLER, Executive Director and Senior Scientist
Alaska Community Action on Toxics
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
354.
ASHLYN JOHNSON, representing self
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 354.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:05:03 PM
CHAIR PRAX called the House Health and Social Services Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. Representatives
Ruffridge, Fields, Mina, and Prax were present at the call to
order. Representative McCormick arrived as the meeting was in
progress.
HB 198-FOOD STAMP PROGRAM ELIGIBILTY
3:06:48 PM
CHAIR PRAX announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 198, "An Act relating to the supplemental
nutrition assistance program; and providing for an effective
date."
3:06:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ANDREW GRAY, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented HB 198. He said that in 2022, the Alaska
Department of Health (DOH) had an enormous backlog of
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants,
many of whom being children, the primary recipients of SNAP
benefits in Alaska. He pointed out that the USDA wrote a letter
to Governor Dunleavy on February 8th, 2024 that suggested Alaska
comply with the federal maximum timeline for SNAP benefit
recertification. He said that Alaska currently requires SNAP
recipients to recertify every 6 months, while to current federal
requirements outline a recertification every 12 months, 24
months for senior citizens. He emphasized that the
recertification process is an administrative burden on the DOH
that has potential to delay critical benefits to people in need.
3:11:00 PM
DAVID SONG, Staff, Representative Andrew Gray, Alaska State
Legislature, On behalf of Representative Andrew Gray, prime
sponsor, presented HB 198 to the committee. He began by reading
the sectional analysis to HB 198 [hardcopy included in committee
packet] which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
House Bill 198
Ver. A
Sectional Analysis
Section 1:
Amends AS 47.25.980(a) to require the Department of
Health to certify each eligible household for the
longest certification period permitted under federal
law.
Section 2:
Establishes an immediate effective date.
3:15:38 PM
RON MEEHAN, Director of Governmental Affairs, Food Bank of
Alaska, gave invited testimony on HB 198. He explained that SNAP
benefits supported around 1 in 8 Alaskans in 2022 and said that
a portion of SNAP recipients must complete an interview and
paperwork to ensure that they continue to receive their
benefits. He emphasized that HB 198 would reduce the chance of
any future backlog of SNAP applications forming and highlighted
the "enormous consequences" of the previous backlog that formed
in 2022.
3:19:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked what pending proposals could
immediately help with food insecurity.
MR. MEEHAN replied that the DOH is currently looking at
implementing the Elderly & Disabled Application Program (EDAP)
to aide people in their SNAP applications and added that the
legislature could add SNAP-related amendments in their annual
budget to aide the program as a whole.
3:21:55 PM
CHAIR PRAX opened public testimony on HB 198.
3:22:21 PM
ERIN WALKER-TOLLES, Executive Director, Catholic Community
Services, testified in support of HB 198. She began her
testimony by giving her background in community service and
spoke to the recent dramatic increase in need for senior meal
programs in Alaska. She said that there has been a serious
increase in need among folks with a fixed income and said that
public assistance has been vital in ensuring that they don't go
hungry
3:25:55 PM
CHAIR PRAX asked what grant funding for senior meals Ms. Walker-
Tolles was referring to.
MS. WALKER-TOLLES answered that she was referring to the
Division of Senior and Disability Service's Nutrition,
Transportation, and Support Services (NTS) grants.
3:27:08 PM
GREG MEYER, Executive Director, Kenai Peninsula Food Bank,
testified in support of HB 198. He said that the recertification
process for SNAP benefits is difficult and arduous for someone
experiencing a hunger crisis to go through. He said that any way
for someone to be relieved of the burden of paperwork and time
is an important thing to achieve.
3:29:10 PM
DUANE PATTERSON, Director, St. Francis House Food Pantry,
Catholic Community Services, testified in support of HB 198. He
shared his experience that the food pantry he works at is
experiencing increasing demands and said that the increase in
demand id due in part to the backlog of SNAP applications.
3:30:53 PM
RACHEL LORD, Advocacy and Policy Director, Alaska Food Policy
Council, testified in support of HB 198. She began her testimony
by explaining the role that the Alaska Food Policy Council plays
in ensuring food security for Alaskans alike and said that there
is an increasing need for SNAP benefits and their smooth
implementation.
3:32:01 PM
CHAIR PRAX, after ascertaining there was no one else who wished
to testify, closed public testimony on HB 198.
3:32:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked Deb Etheridge how long 6 months has
been the timeline for the SNAP benefit recertification process
and further questioned how long it would take to alter the
month-month eligibility via regulation.
3:32:44 PM
DEB ETHRIDGE, Director, Division of Public Assistance,
Department of Health, responded that the 6 month time period for
recertification of SNAP benefits has been the status quo since
the benefit's inception. She said that the process to change the
timeline from 6 to 12 months was not performed through Alaska's
regulatory structure, but rather through federal statute.
3:35:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked why the Commissioner of the DOH
couldn't just select their own timeline for the SNAP benefit
recertification period.
MS. ETHRIDGE said that the DOH extended the recertification
period without federal approval and said that the DOH performs
what is called an "interim report" to verify the necessity of a
recertification of SNAP benefits in the first place.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked if there would still need to be a
federal approval for a timeline change even if it is legal under
Alaska Statute.
MS. ETHRIDGE replied that if Alaska were to change from the
current period of 12 months to 24 months the DOH would have to
inquire with the federal government about the change.
3:40:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY said that the DOH was not doing the federal
maximum limit when he filed the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE questioned if the approved 12 months
was allowed to be changed by the DOH.
3:42:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA commented that the Legislature could work
collaboratively with the DOH to help set more productive
policies like online SNAP benefit applications and the 12 month
re-application timeline.
3:43:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked what the longest possible
recertification process was under federal law.
3:44:00 PM
MS. ETHRIDGE explained that the longest period is 24 months and
said that the period could be extended through a waiver called
the "Elderly Simplified" waiver that allows a person to wait up
to 36 months for recertification of their SNAP benefits.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked if someone could extend their
recertification period in any circumstance other than their old
age.
MS. ETHRIDGE said that the recertification period is currently
24 months for disabled and elderly individuals and 12 months for
non-disabled, non-elderly people.
3:44:41 PM
CHAIR PRAX asked if Alaska's food stamp program falls under the
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
MS. ETHRIDGE answered that TANF is a block grant that is
separate from SNAP or food stamp benefits.
CHAIR PRAX asked if someone utilizing food stamps is meant to
report any new employment to the DOH before their SNAP renewal
period. He asked if the DOH has any method of predicting how
long someone might utilize SNAP benefits.
MS. ETHRIDGE explained that the food stamp and SNAP programs
expect its recipients to work and answered that the DOH does not
have a method to predict how long a person will remain on food
stamps or SNAP benefits. She emphasized that the DOH has fraud
investigation units that take care of any fraud concerns within
Alaska's SNAP or food stamp programs.
CHAIR PRAX asked if the DOH's interim report helps to verify
data during a recertification period.
MS. ETHRIDGE explained that part of the interim report includes
things like residency verification and the usage of one's SNAP
benefits.
3:49:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked what percentage of fraud was
legitimate and what was agency error.
MS. ETHRIDGE explained that a very high rate of errors occurring
were agency errors.
3:51:20 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked if there are other things that the
State can do to reduce food insecurity in Alaska and further
questioned if there was any way that the SNAP application
process could be streamlined.
MS. ETHRIDGE answered that the DOH is looking at a multitude of
options for the state to utilize in its efforts to reduce food
insecurity and said that transitory SNAP benefits are one of the
clearest ways to improve food insecurity in Alaska. She answered
that the SNAP application could be dynamically leveraged over
other SNAP applications with robotic, automated processing of
applicants.
3:54:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY commented that the DOH had remarked in the
past that they were rushed and overburdened and said that HB 198
could help reduce such an administrative burden.
3:55:48 PM
CHAIR PRAX announced that HB 198 was held over.
HB 354-RESTRICT RESTAURANT USE OF POLYSTYRENE
3:56:16 PM
CHAIR PRAX announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 354, "An Act relating to the use of polystyrene
foam and biodegradable or compostable disposable food service
ware; and providing for an effective date."
3:56:41 PM
}REPRESENTATIVE ANDY JOSEPHSON* Alaska State Legislature*
Juneau, Alaska* As prime sponsor, introduced HB 354 to the
committee.{ as prime sponsor, introduced HB 354 to the
committee. He began his introduction by explaining the history
of the use of polystyrene foam in Alaska and shared information
about his own involvement in environmental legislation that had
previously come before the legislature. He explained that the
impetus of the idea to ban polystyrene foam in Alaska originally
came from the Alaska Community Action on Toxins group who had
put forward recommendations on environmental legislative action
to be taken. He highlighted that Bethel, Cordova, and Seward,
Alaska have all already banned the use of polystyrene foam
within their boroughs and explained that the term "Styrofoam" is
often used in place of the term polystyrene. He said that the
United States Plastic Pact has conceded the fact that
polystyrene is non-recyclable.
4:04:44 PM
}LISA KELLER, Staff* Representative Andy Josephson* Alaska State
Legislature* Juneau, Alaska* On behalf of Representative
Josephson, prime sponsor of HB 354, gave a PowerPoint
presentation on HB 354.{ On behalf of Representative Josephson,
prime sponsor of HB 354, gave a PowerPoint presentation on HB
354. She began the presentation on slide 2, which explained the
definition of the polystyrene chemical itself. She continued to
slide 3, which gave examples of polystyrene as one might know in
its average use. She moved to slide 4, highlighted the main
issues that are associated with the use of polystyrene. She
moved to slide 5, which displayed a list of other countries and
states that have banned the use of polystyrene and other related
chemicals. She pointed to Bethel, Cordova, and Seward as
communities in Alaska that have banned the use of polystyrene
themselves and emphasized that public sentiment is in agreement
with the proposed legislation.
4:11:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS requested data related to the
bioaccumulation of polystyrene in marine mammals and asked if
there are any studies that confirm the harmful effects of
polystyrene.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON directed his answer to the second
question to Pamela Miller and answered that indigenous
communities in the arctic are at a higher risk of adverse health
effects of polystyrene, like bioaccumulation, due to the nature
of ocean currents that congregate the waste along the arctic
coast.
4:13:27 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked if HB 354 would cover the use of
polystyrene in food trucks.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON said that HB 354 would limit the use of
polystyrene in food trucks and said that the trucking companies
would be able to propose an alternative with the DOH.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked how the term "undue hardship" would be
interpreted by the DOH or the Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC).
4:15:02 PM
}CRYSTAL KOENEMAN* Legislative Liaison* Department of
Environmental Conservation* Juneau, Alaska* Answered committee
questions on HB 354.{ answered committee questions on HB 354.
She said that the Division on Environmental Health would oversee
the implementation of section 17 HB 354.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked for a definition of the term "undue
hardship" as mentioned in section 17 of HB 354.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON explained how the term "undue hardship"
would be defined and interpreted by both executive agencies and
the judicial branch of the Alaska State Government.
4:16:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE commented that the banning of plastic
bags in Soldotna had no consequence on the use of plastic bags
in the borough.
4:18:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK shared his experience that the banning
of polystyrene in Bethel has never been enforced and the
products have been allowed to be used regardless of the law that
was passed to limit their use.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked what alternative options for
polystyrene could be utilized.
4:19:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON said that a specific hard plastic
container would be recyclable, while polystyrene is impossible
to recycle in any situation.
4:20:25 PM
}PAMELA MILLER* Executive Director and Senior Scientist* Alaska
Community Action on Toxics* Anchorage, Alaska* Gave invited
testimony on HB 354.{ gave invited testimony on HB 354. She
explained that polystyrene is a hazardous material that should
not be used in food contact materials and said that it is
impossible to recycle. She highlighted that the styrene in a
polystyrene food container often leeches into the food or
beverage that of which it is holding and explained to the
committee a series of safer alternative options that could be
utilized. She opined that the proposed legislation is "common
sense" and urged the committee for their support of HB 354.
4:25:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked how HB 354 may be enforced when
companies might have work-arounds and ways to avoid bans such as
the one proposed in HB 354.
MS. MILLER explained that HB 354 aims to ban the use of
polystyrene in food containers, not any other sector of use, and
shared her belief that banning the use of polystyrene in food
containers was a good place to start in the banning of hazardous
materials in Alaska.
4:28:02 PM
CHAIR PRAX opened public testimony on HB 354.
4:28:26 PM
ASHLYN JOHNSON, representing self, testified in support of HB
354. She said that polystyrene foam is a significant
environmental pollutant in Alaska that doesn't biodegrade and
said that it breaks down into microplastics, which she said pose
a unique risk to public, environmental, and wildlife health. She
said that the regulation of polystyrene foam would be a step in
the right direction and urged the committee's support of HB 354.
4:30:57 PM
CHAIR PRAX, after ascertaining there was no one else who wished
to testify, closed public testimony on HB 354.
4:31:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked Ms. Koeneman if the definition of
"restaurant" as used in HB 354 would encompass food trucks as
well. He asked how an establishment that falls under the
"restaurant" definition would determine which is the safest
material to use in their food containers.
4:32:07 PM
MS. KOENEMAN answered that the definition of "restaurant" as
used in HB 354 would include food trucks and said that the DEC
and DOH would work together to develop guidelines for food
establishments to avoid the use of hazardous materials in their
food containers.
4:34:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK referred to his previous mention that
the ban on polystyrene foam in Bethel is unenforced and asked
how a law like HB 354 could be enforced.
4:34:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON replied that HB 354 has a section that
would allow a restaurant to seek out alternative and said that
his hope of HB 354 is to encourage food establishments to move
away from using hazardous food containers.
4:36:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS commented that polystyrene alternatives
are economically viable.
4:37:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked what a restaurant would do with their
current stock of polystyrene food containers if HB 354 were to
pass.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON said that the effective date of HB 354
would give food establishments time to "work through" their
current supply of hazardous materials while simultaneously
introducing safer options.
4:39:25 PM
CHAIR PRAX asked how big of a role food establishments play in
the use of polystyrene materials and their associated pollution.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON gave an example of a restaurant that
would not provide plastic utensils unless the customer
specifically asked for them and explained that HB 354 would be a
good place to start in the reduction of use of hazardous
materials in general.
4:42:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked if the Alaska State Legislature
should add a provision to HB 354 that would direct the DEC to
perform an outreach program to food establishments around the
State to ensure that they have a steady access to polystyrene
alternatives.
4:43:23 PM
MS. KOENEMAN replied that the DEC would be happy to look into
the prospect of an outreach program and said that she would
follow up with the committee later on the DEC's current workload
capacity.
4:45:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked for a breakdown of the use of
polystyrene between restaurants, retail, and other sectors.
4:45:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON replied that HB 354 could've included
language for delis in a grocery store and said that it was
simpler to target the use of polystyrene in restaurants only.
4:47:49 PM
CHAIR PRAX announced that HB 354 was held over.
4:48:11 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Health and Social Services Standing Committee meeting was
adjourned at 4:48 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 198 Columbian.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 198 |
| HB 198 Alaska Public Media.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 198 |
| HB 198 Research Memo.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 198 |
| HB 198 Sectional Analysis.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 198 |
| HB 198 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 198 |
| HB 198 Version A.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 198 |
| HB 354 Ocean Conservancy Report.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 Sectional Analysis.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 Selected Material from 2018 EPA Report.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 Version A.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 NCEL Zero Waste Roadmap-compressed.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 Fiscal Note DEC-EH.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 198 Fiscal Note DOH-PAFS.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 198 |
| HB 198 Presentation.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 198 |
| HB 354 Presentation.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 Arctic Plastics Climate Tetimony.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 Seguinot-Medina Support.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 Food Packaging Testimony.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |
| HB 354 Support Letter Compilation.pdf |
HHSS 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM |
HB 354 |