04/24/2019 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB29 | |
| SB36 | |
| HB24 | |
| HB29 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 97 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 29 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 78 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 29 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 36 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
April 24, 2019
3:20 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, Co-Chair
Representative Adam Wool, Co-Chair
Representative Zack Fields
Representative Sara Hannan
Representative Louise Stutes
Representative Dave Talerico
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Josh Revak
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 29
"An Act extending the termination date of the Board of Marine
Pilots; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED SB 29 OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 36
"An Act extending the termination date of the Board of Nursing;
and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED SB 36 OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 24
"An Act relating to instruction in a language other than
English; and relating to limited teacher certificates."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 29
"An Act relating to insurance coverage for benefits provided
through telehealth; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 29
SHORT TITLE: EXTEND BOARD OF MARINE PILOTS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) STEDMAN
01/23/19 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/23/19 (S) L&C, FIN
02/07/19 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/07/19 (S) Moved SB 29 Out of Committee
02/07/19 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
02/08/19 (S) L&C RPT 5DP
02/08/19 (S) DP: REINBOLD, BIRCH, BISHOP, COSTELLO,
GRAY-JACKSON
03/01/19 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
03/01/19 (S) Heard & Held
03/01/19 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
03/08/19 (S) FIN RPT 8DP 1NR
03/08/19 (S) DP: STEDMAN, VON IMHOF, MICCICHE,
HOFFMAN, WIELECHOWSKI, OLSON, WILSON,
BISHOP
03/08/19 (S) NR: SHOWER
03/08/19 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
03/08/19 (S) Moved SB 29 Out of Committee
03/08/19 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
04/05/19 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
04/05/19 (S) VERSION: SB 29
04/08/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/08/19 (H) L&C, FIN
04/17/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/17/19 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/22/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/22/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/22/19 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
04/24/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
BILL: SB 36
SHORT TITLE: EXTEND BOARD OF NURSING
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) GIESSEL
01/25/19 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/25/19 (S) L&C, FIN
02/07/19 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/07/19 (S) Moved SB 36 Out of Committee
02/07/19 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
02/08/19 (S) L&C RPT 5DP
02/08/19 (S) DP: REINBOLD, COSTELLO, BISHOP, BIRCH,
GRAY-JACKSON
03/01/19 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
03/01/19 (S) Heard & Held
03/01/19 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
03/13/19 (S) FIN RPT 6DP 2NR
03/13/19 (S) DP: STEDMAN, VON IMHOF, MICCICHE,
OLSON, WILSON, BISHOP
03/13/19 (S) NR: SHOWER, WIELECHOWSKI
03/13/19 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
03/13/19 (S) Moved SB 36 Out of Committee
03/13/19 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
04/01/19 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
04/01/19 (S) VERSION: SB 36
04/03/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/03/19 (H) L&C, FIN
04/17/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/17/19 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/22/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/22/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/22/19 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
04/24/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 24
SHORT TITLE: LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KREISS-TOMKINS
02/20/19 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/7/19
02/20/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/20/19 (H) EDC, L&C
03/29/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/29/19 (H) Heard & Held
03/29/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/01/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/01/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/01/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/03/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/03/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/03/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/05/19 (H) EDC RPT 5DP 2NR
04/05/19 (H) DP: TUCK, ZULKOSKY, JOHNSON, STORY,
DRUMMOND
04/05/19 (H) NR: REVAK, HOPKINS
04/05/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/05/19 (H) Moved HB 24 Out of Committee
04/05/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/24/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 29
SHORT TITLE: INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR TELEHEALTH
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SPOHNHOLZ
02/20/19 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/11/19
02/20/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/20/19 (H) HSS, L&C
03/26/19 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
03/26/19 (H) Heard & Held
03/26/19 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
03/28/19 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
03/28/19 (H) Moved HB 29 Out of Committee
03/28/19 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
03/29/19 (H) HSS RPT 3DP 1NR
03/29/19 (H) DP: CLAMAN, DRUMMOND, SPOHNHOLZ
03/29/19 (H) NR: PRUITT
04/12/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/12/19 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/15/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/15/19 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/24/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
KAREN MORTON
Alaska Nurses Association
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 36.
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KRIESS-TOMKINS
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HB 24, as prime sponsor, and
answered questions from the committee.
JON SCANLAN, Staff
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 24 and answered questions from
the committee, on behalf of Representative Kreiss-Tompkins,
prime sponsor.
SONDRA MERIDITH, Teacher Certification Administration
Student Learning Division
Department of Education and Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
24.
REPRESENTATIVE IVY SPOHNHOLZ
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, introduced HB 29 and
answered questions from the committee.
BERNICE NISBETT, Staff
Representative Ivy Spohnholz
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the sectional analysis of HB 29,
on behalf of Representative Spohnholz, prime sponsor.
LORI WING-HEIER, Director
Division of Insurance
Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
29.
WADE ERICKSON, MD
Capstone Family Medicine
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
29.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:20:13 PM
CO-CHAIR ADAM WOOL called the House Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:20 p.m. Representatives Stutes,
Talerico, Fields, Hannan, LeDoux, and Wool were present at the
call to order.
SB 29-EXTEND BOARD OF MARINE PILOTS
3:21:40 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL announced that the first order of business would
be SENATE BILL NO. 29, "An Act extending the termination date of
the Board of Marine Pilots; and providing for an effective
date."
3:21:58 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL opened public testimony on SB 29. After
Ascertaining that no one wished to testify, he closed public
testimony.
3:22:31 PM
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX moved to report SB 29 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, SB 29 was reported out of the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.
SB 36-EXTEND BOARD OF NURSING
3:22:49 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL announced that the next order of business would be
SENATE BILL NO. 36, "An Act extending the termination date of
the Board of Nursing; and providing for an effective date."
CO-CHAIR WOOL opened public testimony.
3:23:18 PM
KAREN MORTON, Alaska Nurses Association, voiced support for
extending the Board of Nursing and the passage of SB 36.
3:24:00 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL closed public testimony.
3:24:07 PM
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX moved to report SB 36 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, SB 36 was reported out of the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.
3:24:31 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:24 to 3:26 p.m.
HB 24-LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
3:26:07 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 24, "An Act relating to instruction in a language
other than English; and relating to limited teacher
certificates."
3:26:20 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KRIESS-TOMKINS, Alaska State
Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 24, introduced the bill and
related its history. He said this is the second legislature in
which this legislation has been introduced. Last legislature,
the House passed the legislation and then it "died" in its last
committee of referral in the Senate. He stated that this
legislation has been broadly requested by school districts that
have immersion language programs. Under HB 24, the state Board
of Education and Early Development would expand the scope of the
existing "Type M" limited certificates to include immersion
language education.
3:27:43 PM
JON SCANLAN, Staff, Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,
Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of representative Kreiss-
Tompkins, prime sponsor, paraphrased parts of the sponsor
statement [included in the committee packet], which read in its
entirety as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Language immersion education is an increasingly
popular educational model that also produces
impressive academic outcomes. In an immersion program,
some of the academic subject matter is delivered in a
language other than English.
HB 24 provides needed flexibility to school districts
operating language immersion programs. HB 24 gives the
state board of education the tools necessary to tackle
one of the biggest challenges facing Alaska's
immersion programs: finding fully certified teachers
also fluent in an Alaska Native or foreign language.
Under HB 24, the state board could provide school
districts case-by-case flexibility to hire language
immersion teachers they know are qualified to lead a
classroom but who for reasons such as limited
English proficiency, advanced age, or familial
responsibilities are unable at the time to get a
full teacher certification. To do so, the state board
would have to create a new certificate along the lines
of the existing "Type M" or "Type I" limited
certificates.
Alaska already has a variety of successful and popular
immersion programs, including Wasilla's Fronteras,
Anchorage's Rilke Schule, and Anchorage School
District's highly regarded world languages program.
Immersion is also central to Alaska Native language
revitalization efforts. In Israel, New Zealand, and
Hawaii, immersion education was at the core of
indigenous language revival. At Ayaprun Elitnaurvik in
Bethel, instruction is done in Yup'ik, and interest in
Alaska Native language immersion education is growing
elsewhere in the state.
HB 24 will help Alaska's language immersion programs
continue to provide high-quality dual-language
education.
MR. SCANLAN added that limited certificates are issued on a
"case-by-case" basis, only by request of the school district,
for teachers with a specific subject area expertise for which
there are few fully certified teachers. HB 24 would authorize
the Board of Education to create a new type of limited
certificate specifically geared towards language immersion
programs. Furthermore, the bill would permit the board to write
regulations to ensure "the certificate holder demonstrates
instructional skills in subject matter expertise sufficient to
assure the public that the person is competent as a teacher."
Additionally, the certificate would only be valid for the
language of instruction to be taught in specific subject areas,
and only to the school district that requested it. Lastly, the
certificate is initially issued for one year as a probationary
period.
3:33:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS questioned whether HB 24 would allow the
"TEACH program" and the "Type I" certification to continue
unimpeded for the certified associate teachers who are not in an
immersion school.
MR. SCANLAN confirmed that. He noted that the bill would not
affect the "Type I" certificate aside from changing the initial
certification period to one year.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS expressed hope for future conversations
with the Department of Education and Early Development (EED)
about making technical assistance available to school districts
so that the Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD) model could
be implemented elsewhere if desired. He noted that the LKSD
model has been successful at attaining local teachers, which
improves tenure, reduces turnover, and thereby improves quality
of instruction by having culturally fluent teachers in the
classroom.
3:34:39 PM
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX asked why there needs to be a separate
"credential" for language immersion education.
MR. SCANLAN acknowledged that under current statute, an educator
could receive an Alaska Native language certificate to teach
Yup'ik; however, HB 24 would allow them to teach different
subjects in Yup'ik. Currently, it is difficult to find fully
certified teachers also fluent in an Alaska Native language for
reasons such as limited English proficiency, advanced age, or
familial responsibilities. This bill would address this problem
by providing a certificate that allows these educators to get
into classrooms and teach in programs and subject areas beyond a
strictly culture or language course.
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX surmised that there are enough certified
teachers who are fluent in the "European languages" or "major
Asian languages" and fewer that are fluent in languages like
Farsi or Afghan.
MR. SCANLAN said that is what language immersion operators in
Alaska have confirmed. He offered his understanding that it's
also challenging to find fully certificated Spanish teachers who
have the requisite level of fluency to be effective in language
immersion programs.
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX expressed her enthusiasm for the bill and asked
if there is any pushback.
3:38:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS clarified that this bill sets up a
process - it doesn't guarantee that people get [teaching]
certificates. He acknowledged that there have been some
concerns.
MR. SCANLAN directed attention to section D of the current bill.
He said one change would be that the Board of Education wouldn't
be able to require English competency exams in their
regulations, as that has been relayed as a major limiting factor
in the ability for fluent speakers to teach and help these
programs thrive.
3:43:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS noted that Anchorage's immersion programs
have helped set its school district apart in a positive way. He
opined that these programs would help attract and retain high-
earning, professional families, and ultimately play a role in
the economic competitiveness of Alaska's respective communities.
3:44:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES sought clarification on how the [new]
certificates would be issued.
3:44:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS explained that the certificates
are issued by the EED. Under the process established by HB 24,
local districts would identify qualified educators who wouldn't
otherwise qualify for a traditional certificate and they would
apply for their limited teachers' certificate. The board would
then vote to forward the applications on to the state Board of
Education who would then review them based on a set of criteria
and approve or deny them.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked if the approved certificate would be
limited to one language as well as to a specific school.
MR. SCANLAN acknowledged that the certificate would be limited
to the language that it was applied for, as well as the specific
subjects that the candidate demonstrated subject area expertise
in. He added that it would also be limited to a district.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked if it applies for any school within
the district.
MR. SCANLAN affirmed that.
3:47:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN pointed out that the state already grants
"Type M" certificates to speak and teach indigenous Alaskan
languages and certain vocational skills, like military science.
She expressed concern that HB 24 conjoins world language
skillsets into that same "Type M" certification, which is
designed around subjects you couldn't traditionally learn in
academic training. She noted that there are 11 types of teacher
certificates in Alaska. One of which, the subject-matter expert
[limited] teacher certificate, allows individuals who are
knowledgeable in a specific subject area to temporarily teach in
a classroom while completing their teacher certificate education
requirements. She shared her belief that the current bill would
place teachers in schools "with no caveat of how long before you
need to reach competency that other people had to meet to come
through the door." Indigenous language teachers in Alaska, she
said, have already been successfully credentialled in teaching
across the state for over 20 years.
MR. SCANLAN noted that the aforementioned subject-matter expert
certificate [AS 14.20.022] statutorily requires a baccalaureate
degree, which would be a limiting factor for many of the fluent
Alaska Native language speakers. He continued by saying that HB
24 would operate under AS 14.20.25, the limited teacher
certificates, which does not require a bachelor's degree.
Nonetheless, the "Type I" limited certificate does require
enrollment in a bachelor's degree program, a mentored teacher,
and a number of other competency checks.
3:56:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS added that under current law, the
"Type M" limited certificate doesn't allow for adequate language
immersion education because the Alaska Native language provision
only refers to instruction of the language itself, rather than
teaching different subjects in that specific language. He
opined that the "Type M" Alaska Native language provision is
narrow and restrictive in a manner that preempts the possibility
of an immersion language program.
3:58:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS addressed the "Type I" certificate and the
LKSD, which to his understanding is the only district with that
kind of certification. He stated that their "Type I"
certification exists within the TEACH program, which is designed
to get local teachers in the classroom. He explained that most
"Type I" associate teachers are working towards completing their
4-year degree while working in the school district and gaining
experience. He said it's a marriage of both the university
degree program and a registered apprenticeship program that
regulates under the U.S. Department of Labor. He expressed his
support of retaining the flexibility to have teachers who don't
have their bachelor's degree who are nonetheless working towards
becoming fully certified teachers, adding that it's a great way
to have local teachers who are culturally fluent and committed
to their communities.
CO-CHAIR WOOL requested a chart of the 11 different teacher
certificates with their respective requirements.
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX asked if under the current bill, the teachers
would be eligible for tenure.
4:02:09 PM
MR. SCANLAN noted that the certificate would be initially
eligible for one year with specific requirements of renewal
written by the department.
4:02:36 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS added that the application process
would be a "rigmarole." He stated that the intent is to create
a stepping-stone for teachers on their way to full and
traditional certification. He further noted that tenure, under
Alaska law, is attained after four years, adding that it would
be difficult to get tenured under a "Type M" certificate.
4:05:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES questioned the broad scope of the current
bill, expressing concern that it covers "any language that is
not English."
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS noted that when talking about
subjects taught in language immersion programs, they are almost
exclusively subjects taught at the earliest age levels. He
further stated that the only way to create a generation of
fluent speakers in a world language is through immersion
language education.
4:09:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO expressed his support for the bill and
thanked the sponsor for the effort he put into this legislation
and for bringing it forward.
4:10:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN stated that she is not opposed to the goal
of the bill; however, across the state there are currently
people with Type M certificates in the classroom who don't have
traditional academic degrees available to them. She opined that
"Type M" certificates already allow teachers to teach language
immersion in an indigenous language. She offered her
understanding that the existing obstacle is with the Native
language speakers at immersion schools being able to pass the
competency exam. She expressed concern about the true intent of
the bill and whether it concerned world languages or Native
languages. She opined that there should be caveats that address
the downstream effects of the current bill.
4:13:42 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS clarified that HB 24 is for both
world languages and Native languages. Regarding downstream
effects, he said, it's important to emphasize that the bill sets
up a process and not a guarantee of certification. He added
that the state board and the department will promulgate
regulations that include protections and vetting to avoid
aforementioned concerns.
4:14:46 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL questioned whether this bill would create a new
type of certification or fall under the "Type I" certificate.
MR. SCANLAN clarified that if the bill passes, the department
would create a new type of certificate.
CO-CHAIR WOOL asked if the renewal process would be less
rigorous than the initial application.
MR. SCANLAN explained that under HB 24, the certificate would be
valid for one year and the department would have to certify that
the candidate has demonstrated skills in classroom instruction
and student assessment.
CO-CHAIR WOOL asked how many immersion schools exist in Alaska.
MR. SCANLAN answered 8 immersion schools in Anchorage and
various others across the state - some that are tribally
operated, and others operated by charter schools or public
schools.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS, in response to Co-Chair Wool,
replied that there are at least 10 immersion schools in Alaska.
CO-CHAIR WOOL asked how many of those 10 teach Native languages.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS answered four.
4:18:10 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL questioned weather this certificate would also
allow individuals to teach certain subjects in English in
addition the foreign language.
MR. SCANLAN stated that the certificate would only be valid for
the non-English language it was issued in. He noted that
immersion schools aim to teach 50-100 percent of their program
in that non-English language.
CO-CHAIR WOOL sought clarification on whether the certificate
would be subject-specific.
MR. SCANLAN reiterated that the certificate would specify a
specific subject area and language.
4:20:45 PM
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX asked for clarification on what grades the
certificate would cover. She noted that in the higher grades,
like high school, the issue of the candidate's competency in
certain subjects would be relevant.
4:21:30 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS answered, "Almost exclusively
lower grades." He noted that most immersion programs discharge
their students into "normal" middle school and high school
tracks by 5th or 6th grade.
MR. SCANLAN, in response to Co-Chair LeDoux, added that under
this bill, the department would be permitted to create separate
certificates to target both the upper and lower grades if
necessary.
4:23:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked future invited testifiers to address
how multi-lingual learning helps kids reach their full cognitive
capacity in the same way that different languages teach people
to see the world in different ways by structure of the language
itself.
CO-CHAIR WOOL asked how to resolve the shortage of foreign
language teachers in traditional school districts.
MR. SCANLAN said he was unsure of the answer.
CO-CHAIR WOOL reflected on his own experience helping his
daughter with advanced math in elementary school. He observed
that word problems are more prevalent now, indicating that a
math teacher would need to be skilled in both linguistics and
mathematics.
4:26:50 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL questioned whether English is also taught in non-
English immersion programs.
4:28:20 PM
SONDRA MERIDITH, Teacher Certification Administration, Student
Learning Division, Department of Education and Early
Development, replied that she was familiar with a 50/50
proposition, where half the day is taught in English and the
other half in the non-English language.
4:30:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked how many "Type M" certificated
language teachers currently work in Alaska.
MS. MERIDITH answered less than 50.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN questioned whether that number has
decreased over the last 10 years as more academic programs that
lead to traditional certification have become available.
MS. MERIDITH said she would follow up with that answer.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked if there are any restrictions on
what [subject areas] "Type M" language teachers in a k-1
classroom can instruct.
MS. MERIDITH stated that the statute limits that type of
certification to teach language and cultural aspects; therefore,
there would need to be a [fully] certified teacher to oversee
math lessons, for example.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked if "Type I" and "Type M" teachers
could work together to complete a curriculum load.
MS. MERIDITH replied that the "Type I" teacher could provide
some instruction, but they would also be working in conjunction
with a [fully] certified teacher and would not be provided the
autonomy to teach without his or her oversight and supervision.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked how many fully certified world
language teachers are licensed in Alaska and under which type of
certification.
MS. MERIDITH stated that there are approximately 12 teachers
certified under the "Type W" limited certificate for individuals
with language expertise. Across the state, she said, there are
at least 100 people that are certified in a foreign language.
CO-CHAIR WOOL sought clarification on how "Type M" certified
teachers become tenured.
4:35:09 PM
MS. MERIDITH explained that it varies from district to district
and how they choose to renew the certification.
CO-CHAIR WOOL restated his question, asking if a "Type M"
teacher automatically gets tenured after teaching for three or
four years, and whether they must continue to renew their
certification.
MS. MERIDITH said she did not know how districts are extending
tenure to "Type M" certificates.
4:37:28 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL announced that HB 24 was held over.
4:37:45 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:37 to 3:42 p.m.
[Co-Chair Wool passed the gavel to Co-Chair LeDoux.]
HB 29-INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR TELEHEALTH
4:42:12 PM
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 29, "An Act relating to insurance coverage for
benefits provided through telehealth; and providing for an
effective date."
4:43:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE IVY SPOHNHOLZ, Alaska State Legislature,
introduced HB 29, as prime sponsor, and paraphrased parts of the
sponsor statement [included in the committee packet], which read
in its entirety as follows [original punctuation provided]:
HB 29 will enhance access to healthcare services,
primarily mental health and primary care, for Alaskans
who have insurance plans regulated by the state of
Alaska. HB 29 does this by allowing providers who
contract with insurers regulated by the state of
Alaska to reimburse for services delivered through
telehealth. Healthcare services are currently being
delivered through telehealth all over the country, and
Alaska is at the forefront of providing telehealth
services for urban, rural, aging, and the underserved
communities across the state, primarily through
Medicaid and tribal health care.
Some of the advantages of telehealth include:
? Better access and privacy in rural, remote, and
urban areas of Alaska.
? Early intervention which can lead to savings.
? Greater access for referrals to providers who
specialize in treating specific health issues.
? Better, and potentially quicker, access means a
potential reduction in suicides, domestic
violence and other serious events.
? Zero impact on state budget.
? Reduces the need for expensive medical travel.
Under HB 29, telehealth benefits for covered
healthcare services, including mental health benefits,
will be reimbursable for health care providers
licensed in the state without an initial in-person
appointment. Depending on the patient's needs, a
telehealth appointment can provide education,
reviewing of prescriptions and checking symptoms, all
at a distance on a secure system.
Expanding access to healthcare delivered through
telehealth will help to address some of Alaska's
unique challenges due to our large geography, rural
and aging communities, and statewide addiction
epidemic. Telehealth can help Alaska improve access to
healthcare, improve clinical outcomes and reduce
health care costs.
4:45:29 PM
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX sought clarification on what it means for a
patient to be "monitored."
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ related a personal anecdote to
illustrate "self-monitoring" via telehealth. She explained that
it's a method of transmitting information to a doctor without
having to be there in person, adding that it's a way to use
technology to improve access to care and reduce some of the
burden of time and travel that comes with monitoring healthcare.
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX asked if insurance would cover a consultation
via telehealth.
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ answered yes, consultations could be
covered under insurance if this bill were to pass. She noted
that some insurers in Alaska already cover telehealth, like
Medicaid and tribal health, but not all private insurers do.
4:50:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ returned to her introduction of the
bill. She stated that HB 29 would increase access to healthcare
in Alaska, especially for rural communities, without having to
travel for it. Referencing SB 74, she said one of the main
reasons that telehealth coverage was included was to increase
access to substance abuse and behavioral health treatment for
individuals in rural Alaska. She said not every community can
have their own behavioral healthcare provider; however, they
could get access to telehealth care to speak with a substance
abuse counselor, for example. She noted that Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance is the
reason special technology is used in telehealth communication.
She offered her belief that HB 29 will reduce unnecessary
medical travel, as well as unnecessary emergency room visits.
She opined that even in urban communities where access to a
doctor is readily available, telehealth is a better option than
going in person.
4:53:29 PM
BERNICE NISBETT, Staff, Representative Ivy Spohnholz, Alaska
State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Spohnholz, prime
sponsor of HB 29, presented the sectional analysis. She
informed the committee that section 1 amends AS 21.42.422 to
require insurance coverage for health benefits provided through
telehealth technology. Section 2 provides the definitions for
health care insurer and telehealth. Finally, sections 3 through
4, she said, speak to the insurance plans and the effective
date, which is July 1, 2020.
4:55:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked if the state of Alaska has
quantified the amount of money spent on weekend ER or urgent
care visits and how much money could be saved by using
telehealth instead.
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ replied that the state has not been
able to quantify cost-savings, adding that there is cost
avoidance, but there's no analysis that tracks the reduction in
ER visits with the introduction of new telehealth services. She
clarified that HB 29 is not covered by the Alaska Care plan
because it's federally regulated.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked what the potential savings are for
plans covered by this bill.
4:58:31 PM
LORI WING-HEIER, Director, Division of Insurance, Department of
Commerce, Community & Economic Development, replied she did not
have that answer right now.
4:58:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked if any "strictly telehealth medical
facilities" currently exist.
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ confirmed that they do, including
Capstone Express and Teladoc.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES questioned whether these facilities use
FaceTime.
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ replied that they don't use FaceTime
because it's not HIPAA compliant; however, there are several
similar video conferencing technologies that are readily
available to them.
5:01:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked how many insurance companies
currently use telehealth in Alaska.
MS. WING-HEIER offered her understanding that currently,
insurance companies are split on offering this as a benefit,
adding that the reimbursement is what's in question.
5:03:01 PM
MS. WING-HEIER, responding to a follow-up question from
Representative Hannan, said she sees telehealth as an excellent
way to allow innovation and reduce the cost of healthcare in
Alaska, while increasing access to it.
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX sought clarification on how someone would reach
their doctor after hours via telehealth communication.
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ explained that it depends on the clinic
and the individual provider, noting that Teladoc, for example,
is available 24/7.
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX asked why FaceTime isn't HIPAA compliant.
5:07:08 PM
WADE ERICKSON, MD, Capstone Family Medicine, replied that HIPAA
compliance requires certain encryption standards that FaceTime
doesn't have.
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX asked if a regular telephone or cellphone can be
used.
DR. ERICKSON answered yes. He said it's the app on the phone
that makes the difference.
5:08:12 PM
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX announced that HB 29 was held over.
5:08:31 PM
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at
[5:08] p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 29 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HL&C 4/22/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
SB 29 |
| SB 29 Version A.pdf |
HL&C 4/22/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
SB 29 |
| SB 29 Fiscal Note.pdf |
HL&C 4/22/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
SB 29 |
| SB 29 Board of Marine Pilots Audit.pdf |
HL&C 4/22/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
SB 29 |
| SB 29 - Letter of Support SEAPA.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SL&C 2/7/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 29 |
| SB36 Sponsor Statement 1-28-19.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SFIN 3/1/2019 9:00:00 AM SL&C 2/7/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 36 |
| SB36 Ver. A.PDF |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SL&C 2/7/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 36 |
| SB36 Fiscal Note - SB036-DCCED-CBPL-02-01-19.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SL&C 2/7/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 36 |
| SB36 Supporting Document Division of Legislative Audit Sunset Review April 2017.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SFIN 3/1/2019 9:00:00 AM SL&C 2/7/2019 1:30:00 PM |
SB 36 |
| SB36 Letter of Support BON 2-14-19.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SFIN 3/1/2019 9:00:00 AM |
SB 36 |
| SB36 Letter of Support Farnstrom 2-26-19.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SFIN 3/1/2019 9:00:00 AM |
SB 36 |
| SB36 Letter of Support AK Nurses Assn 2-27-19.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SFIN 3/1/2019 9:00:00 AM |
SB 36 |
| SB 36 senate finance questions.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SFIN 3/1/2019 9:00:00 AM |
SB 36 |
| SB 36 Letter of Support APRN 3-4-19.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SFIN 3/13/2019 9:00:00 AM |
SB 36 |
| SB36 Supporting Document BON Roster 3-29-19.pdf |
HL&C 4/22/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
SB 36 |
| SB36 Bundled Letters of Support.pdf |
HL&C 4/22/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
SB 36 |
| HB 24.Sponsor.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Bill version A.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Sectional.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Fiscal Note DEED.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Backup Immersion Student Acheivement.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Backup Support Letter Leslie Harper.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Backup Additional Support Letter Margi Dashevsky.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Backup Updated Support Letters 4.24.19.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 97.Sponsor.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97.Bill Version U.PDF |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97.Fiscal DCCED.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97.Sectional.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97.Summary of Changes Version A to Version U.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97.Bill Version S CS for Adoption.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97. Summary of Changes Version U to Verison S.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97.Backup Support Letter ASHNHA.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 29.Sponsor.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SHSS 2/19/2020 1:30:00 PM |
HB 29 |
| HB 29.Bill Version A.PDF |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SHSS 2/14/2020 1:30:00 PM SHSS 2/19/2020 1:30:00 PM |
HB 29 |
| HB 29.Fiscal Note.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SHSS 2/14/2020 1:30:00 PM SHSS 2/19/2020 1:30:00 PM |
HB 29 |
| HB 29.Presentation.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SHSS 2/14/2020 1:30:00 PM SHSS 2/19/2020 1:30:00 PM |
HB 29 |
| HB 29.Sectional.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SHSS 2/14/2020 1:30:00 PM SHSS 2/19/2020 1:30:00 PM |
HB 29 |
| HB 29.Backup Letters of Support.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SHSS 2/14/2020 1:30:00 PM SHSS 2/19/2020 1:30:00 PM |
HB 29 |
| HB 29.Backup ADN Article.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM SHSS 2/14/2020 1:30:00 PM SHSS 2/19/2020 1:30:00 PM |
HB 29 |