04/01/2024 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB298 | |
| HB150 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 298 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 150 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
April 1, 2024
3:16 p.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Jesse Sumner, Chair
Representative Justin Ruffridge, Vice Chair
Representative Mike Prax
Representative Dan Saddler
Representative Stanley Wright
Representative Ashley Carrick
Representative Zack Fields
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 298
"An Act relating to the posting of warning signs for alcoholic
beverages."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 150
"An Act relating to residential building codes; relating to
construction contractors and residential contractor
endorsements; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 298
SHORT TITLE: ALCOHOL WARNING SIGNS ON LIC. PREMISES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) GRAY
01/29/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/29/24 (H) HSS, L&C
01/31/24 (H) SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE INTRODUCED
01/31/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/31/24 (H) HSS, L&C
03/12/24 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM DAVIS 106
03/12/24 (H) Heard & Held
03/12/24 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
03/21/24 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM DAVIS 106
03/21/24 (H) Moved CSSSHB 298(HSS) Out of Committee
03/21/24 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
03/25/24 (H) HSS RPT CS(HSS) 2DP 5NR
03/25/24 (H) DP: MCCORMICK, MINA
03/25/24 (H) NR: FIELDS, SUMNER, RUFFRIDGE, SADDLER,
PRAX
04/01/24 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 150
SHORT TITLE: RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CODE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SUMNER
03/31/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/31/23 (H) L&C
04/14/23 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/14/23 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
04/19/23 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/19/23 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/21/23 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/21/23 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
04/26/23 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/26/23 (H) Heard & Held
04/26/23 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
03/11/24 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
03/11/24 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
03/18/24 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
03/18/24 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
03/20/24 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
03/20/24 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
03/21/24 (H) L&C AT 10:30 AM BARNES 124
03/21/24 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
03/22/24 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
03/22/24 (H) Heard & Held
03/22/24 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
04/01/24 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE ANDREW GRAY
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, introduced and read the
sponsor statement for HB 298.
DAVID SONG, Staff
Representative Andrew Gray
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of Representative Gray, prime
sponsor, presented HB 298.
JOAN WILSON, Director
Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered committee questions on HB 298.
TIM NAIMI, M.D.
Brookline, Massachusetts
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered committee members' questions on HB
298.
THOMAS GREMILLION, Director
Food Policy, Consumer Federation of America
Washington, District of Columbia
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony on HB 298.
TIFFANY HALL, Chief Executive Officer
Recover Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony on HB 298.
ERIC VISSER, Past President
Alaska Home Builders Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 150.
DAVID BUNTS, President
Alaska Home Builders Association
Sterling, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 150.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:16:46 PM
CHAIR JESSE SUMNER called the House Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:16 p.m. Representatives Carrick,
Fields, Prax, Ruffridge, and Sumner were present at the call to
order. Representatives Wright and Saddler arrived as the meeting
was in progress.
HB 298-ALCOHOL WARNING SIGNS ON LIC. PREMISES
3:17:24 PM
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the first order of business would be
CS FOR SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 298(HSS), "An Act
relating to the posting of warning signs for alcoholic
beverages."
3:17:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ANDREW GRAY, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, read the sponsor statement for HB 298 [included in
committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
The Alcoholic Beverages and Cancer Act will
inform Alaskans that alcohol use can cause cancer,
including colon and breast cancers. There has been a
broad scientific consensus for decades that the
consumption of alcohol significantly increases the
risk of several types of cancer. This relationship
between alcohol and cancer was first documented by the
World Health Organization in 1987. Alcohol-related
cancers affect tens of thousands of Americans each
year. Alcohol is noted to be the third-highest
modifiable risk factor for cancer in women, and the
fourth-highest modifiable risk factor for cancer in
men. However, despite this long-standing scientific
consensus, there has not been an accompanying change
in public perception about the risks associated with
alcohol consumption.
Public perception about alcohol consumption is
skewed some surveys from the National Institutes of
Health even indicate that 10% of adults believe
alcohol consumption decreases risk for cancer, even
though for some types of cancer, even small amounts of
alcohol can increase risk.
House Bill 298 addresses this gap in public
health knowledge by changing the text on one of the
required warning signs at the point-of-sale for
alcohol. The new sign states: "Alcohol use can cause
cancer, including breast and colon cancers." This has
precedent in some US states, as well as in other
countries around the world. South Korea requires
cancer warning labels on alcoholic drink containers,
and Ireland passed legislation in 2023 requiring
cancer and liver disease warning labels on alcoholic
drink packaging.
This legislation does not restrict Alaskans'
ability to buy or consume alcohol but provides an
easy, low-cost way for Alaskans to make informed
decisions about alcohol consumption prior to purchase.
House Bill 298 is an effective and simple bill that
will improve public health awareness. I urge your
support.
3:20:57 PM
DAVID SONG, Staff, Representative Andrew Gray, Alaska State
Legislature, On behalf of Representative Gray, prime sponsor,
presented HB 298. He began by reading the sectional analysis for
HB 298 [included in committee packet], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Section 1: Amends AS 04.21.065(b) to require that
vendors of alcohol replace their sign that reads:
"WARNING: Drinking alcoholic beverages such as beer,
wine, wine coolers, and distilled spirits or smoking
cigarettes during pregnancy can cause birth defects."
with a new sign that reads:
"WARNING: Alcohol use during pregnancy can cause birth
defects. Alcohol use can cause cancer, including
breast and colon cancers."
MR. SONG detailed the summary of changes [included in committee
packet] made from HB 298, Version S to HB 298, Version U, which
read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
HB 298 Summary of Changes
Ver. S to Ver. U
The following changes were added in the House Health
and Social Services Committee:
Section 1: Amends AS 04.21.065(a) to change the total
number of warning signs vendors of
alcohol are required to display on their premises from
three to two.
Section 2: Amends AS 04.21.065(b) to consolidate two
currently required alcohol warning signs
into one sign.
Currently, one sign reads:
WARNING: A person who provides alcoholic beverages to
a person under 21 years of age, if
convicted under AS 04.16.051, could be imprisoned for
up to five years and fined up to $50,000.
and the other reads:
WARNING: An unaccompanied person under 21 years of age
who enters these premises in
violation of law may, under AS 04.16.049(e), be
civilly liable for damages of $1,500.
These two signs will be consolidated into one sign
reading:
WARNING: An unaccompanied person under 21 years of age
who enters these premises in
violation of law may, under AS 04.16.049(e), be
civilly liable for damages of $1,500. A person
who provides alcoholic beverages to a person under 21
years of age, if convicted under AS
04.16.051, could be imprisoned for up to five years
and fined up to $50,000.
3:22:46 PM
MR. SONG began the associated PowerPoint presentation on HB 298
[hardcopy included in committee packet]. He began on slide 2,
which gave background information to the link between alcohol
and cancer. He cited a 2017 Surgeon General's report that
claimed even a moderate amount of drinking increases someone's
risk for breast cancer and added that alcohol is the third-
highest modifiable cancer risk factor.
3:23:36 PM
MR. SONG proceeded to slide 3, which provided the World Health
Organization (WHO)'s data on cancers attributable to alcohol
consumption. He said according to the WHO, at least 60,000 cases
of cancer in 2020 were attributed to alcohol consumption in
America.
3:24:15 PM
MR. SONG moved to slide 4 to detail the information gap around
liquor consumption and the fact that alcohol is a carcinogen. He
continued to slide 5 to explain what HB 298 would do if put into
law and went on to slide 6 to show examples of warning labels in
other countries, which he said HB 298 is trying to emulate.
3:26:00 PM
MR. SONG concluded the presentation on slide 7. He said HB 298
would be an effective way to reduce the information gap
surrounding alcohol and would cost the state or alcohol-selling
businesses next to nothing.
3:26:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked Joan Wilson about the associated
fiscal note to HB 298.
3:27:26 PM
JOAN WILSON, Director, Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office,
answered that the cost of two new signs across the state is near
a total of $20,000, and she explained that the remote nature of
shipping in Alaska carries an expected cost of $5,000 extra for
postage.
3:28:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked if the proposed bill's signs are
something that the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC) could
require through regulation or whether this issue would have to
be a statutory change.
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY responded that often there are things that
could be done by an associated board or regulatory body, but the
legislature helps to give statutory guidance.
MS. WILSON added that the ABC Board is not able to make any
changes to alcohol signage as Alaska law currently read and
would need statutory change to put up new signs.
3:30:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER clarified Mr. Song's earlier remarks
about a connection linking alcohol and cancer and asked that if
there has been a link between the two for decades, why more
people don't know about it.
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY deferred the question to the invited
testifiers.
3:31:26 PM
TIM NAIMI, M.D., in responding to Representative Saddler's
question, answered that people aren't aware of the link between
alcohol and cancer because there hasn't been enough popular
awareness and signage drawing comparison to the awareness
surrounding tobacco and its warning labels. He explained that
alcohol is classified as a class 1 carcinogen because it
unequivocally causes cancer. He said the purpose of HB 298
should be to keep people informed so they can make decisions for
themselves. He said there is more warning labelling for
cigarettes than alcohol, and that it is a commonsense effort to
let people be aware of the health risks associated with alcohol.
3:35:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked when alcohol was first classified
as a class 1 carcinogen.
DR. NAIMI said it was first classified in the 1980s.
3:36:00 PM
THOMAS GREMILLION, Director, Food Policy, Consumer Federation of
America, gave invited testimony on HB 298. He gave context to
his interest in cancer warning signs with alcohol and said fewer
than half of consumers see alcohol as a cancer threat. He said
that current warnings of alcohol aren't effective and offered
support for updating warning labels on alcohol. He touched on
the belief that small amounts of drinking may show benefits and
said that the cancer risk in the long term outweighs the
potential benefits of alcohol. He cited evidence that reduced
alcohol sales translate to less domestic abuse and stressed that
point-of-sale warning signs are attributed to lower drinking
during pregnancy. He urged passage of HB 298.
3:41:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked how much alcohol is sold in bars
versus retail sales.
MR. GREMILLION said he did not know at this time.
3:41:39 PM
TIFFANY HALL, Chief Executive Officer, Recover Alaska, gave
invited testimony in support of HB 298. She said cancer is the
leading cause of death in Alaska, and alcohol is the third
leading modifiable cause of cancer related to 9 of the top 10
causes of death in Alaska. She opined that the signage proposed
under HB 298 would save lives in Alaska. She pointed out that
less than half the population knows that alcohol causes cancer,
and this fact is not even well-known among medical
professionals. She stressed that knowledge is power. She said
alcohol is different from other commodities because it is
addictive and is a class 1 carcinogen. She emphasized that HB
298 would not restrict alcohol sales in any way, that it is
about freedom of information. She noted the low cost reflected
in the fiscal note, and she encouraged a robust campaign to
correlate with the sign change. Ms. Hall reported that
taxpayers are losing money on alcohol, which brings in $111
million a year but costs Alaska $2.4 billion in healthcare
costs, absenteeism from work, and "lost productivity from early
death." She concluded her remarks by saying that cancer is one
of the many related harms of alcohol, and reduced consumption
will always lower the rate of [all] harms caused by alcohol.
3:45:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER cited alcohol in Alaska's previously
mentioned revenue of $111 million and its cost of $2.4 billion,
asking if the $111 million was based solely on taxation.
MS. HALL responded that $40 million of the $111 million figure
is taxation, and almost $72 million is from private sector job
wages, and clarified that the numbers came from a 2018 study. In
response to follow-up questions, she answered that alcohol
contributes to cancer, heart disease, accidents, strokes,
suicides, and liver disease. She said she would follow up on
whether or not there was a link between diabetes and Alzheimer's
disease.
3:47:19 PM
CHAIR SUMNER asked for information regarding the link between
alcohol consumption and COVID-19.
3:47:49 PM
DR. NAIMI, confirmed there is a strong relationship between
alcohol and COVID-19. He asserted that those who drink more are
more susceptible to COVID-19. He said that one reason for
alcohol being linked with COVID-19 is because it brought people
together, which allowed the disease to spread. He clarified Ms.
Hall's earlier remarks, saying that alcohol is a cause of
dementia and diabetes.
3:49:30 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK emphasized that alcohol is the third
highest modifiable cancer risk factor and postulated that the
first is smoking and the second is excess weight.
3:50:23 PM
DR. NAIMI said there is plausible connection between alcohol and
cancer, though not every case of cancer is directly correlated
to alcohol consumption. He said people who are drinking more are
at a higher risk to have an alcohol-induced cancer.
3:51:20 PM6
CHAIR SUMNER announced HB 298 was held over.
3:51:27 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:51 p.m. to 3:56 p.m.
HB 150-RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CODE
3:56:21 PM
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 150, "An Act relating to residential building
codes; relating to construction contractors and residential
contractor endorsements; and providing for an effective date."
3:56:30 PM
CHAIR SUMNER opened public testimony on HB 150.
3:56:50 PM
ERIC VISSER, Past President, Alaska Home Builders Association,
testified in support of HB 150. He said that establishing a
statewide code has been a goal for a while and HB 150 is the
best way to do that. He said the bill strikes a balance between
personal freedom and regulation in the construction industry. He
pointed out that HB 150 would establish an Alaska state building
code council, which would be comprised of 11 public members, 6
of them being required to have residential endorsements. He said
the council established by HB 150 would be the best way to
review updates to national code, create local amendments, and
prioritize safety and locality in the development of building
codes.
3:58:45 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked if it is possible to quantify what
adoption of HB 150 would mean in terms of expenses to homes that
meet building codes and homes that don't meet building codes.
MR. VISSER answered that cost modeling is done at the national
level and cited certain differences between 2020 building code
and 2021 building code is a 5 percent increase in energy
efficiency. He said that Alaska Housing Finance Corporation
(AHFC) would be the organization that would adopt any new codes
established by HB 150.
4:00:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked Mr. Visser to give a general
overview of building codes in Alaska.
MR. VISSER responded that there are no residential building
codes. In response to follow-up questions, he advised that there
is no state-adopted building code, which is what HB 150 would
establish. He said a municipality can adopt their own building
codes, but there is not yet currently a statewide code. He noted
that the Municipality of Anchorage is currently operating under
the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC).
4:02:22 PM
DAVID BUNTS, President, Alaska Home Builders Association,
testified in support of HB 150. He urged members to pass HB 150
and explained the history of residential code and contractor's
requirements to operate in Alaska. He said HB 150 would protect
the consumer and the contractor.
4:03:40 PM
CHAIR SUMNER, after ascertaining there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 150.
[HB 150 was held over.]
4:03:57 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at
4:04 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 298 Consumer Federation of America.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 Fiscal Note.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 Graphic.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 Letter of Support.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 National Cancer Institute.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 Presentation.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 World Health Organization.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 Summary of Changes.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 Sectional Analysis.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| SS HB 298.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298.pdf |
HL&C 4/1/2024 3:15:00 PM |
HB 298 |