Legislature(2007 - 2008)BUTROVICH 205
01/31/2007 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Committee Orientation and Introduction | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
January 31, 2007
1:31 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Bettye Davis, Chair
Senator Joe Thomas
Senator John Cowdery
Senator Kim Elton
Senator Fred Dyson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Committee Orientation
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No action to consider
WITNESS REGISTER
Tom Obermeyer, staff to Senator Davis
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented orientation
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS called the Senate Health, Education and
Social Services Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:31:23
PM. Present were Senators Thomas, Cowdery, Elton, Dyson, and
Chair Davis.
^COMMITTEE ORIENTATION AND INTRODUCTION
CHAIR DAVIS announced that the committee was assembled that day
simply for the members to meet each other and share their goals
for the committee. She said that she felt her chairmanship of
the committee had been a long time coming, because she had been
in the minority of the Senate for six years. She asked to hear
from the members about the actions they would like to see taken,
and added that she thought nothing was more important than
investing in children and she hoped the committee would conduct
itself in that light.
1:33:51 PM
SENATOR COWDERY said that SB 28, regarding overtime for
registered nurses, came to his attention and asked if it
referred to nurses being paid triple-time if they worked
overtime.
TOM OBERMEYER, staff to Chair Davis, replied that the bill would
not change overtime laws, but that it has a penalty providing
for triple-time payment if the employer knowingly violates the
law.
1:34:55 PM
SENATOR COWDERY asked if the nurse would have any say in the
amount of overtime worked.
1:35:04 PM
MR. OBERMEYER replied that yes, the nurse does have a say.
Overtime is sometimes required because of short-staffing, but if
the nurse feels that it is putting either the patient or herself
at risk he or she may request to be removed from the situation.
1:35:44 PM
SENATOR COWDERY said that he thought that the nurses could not
be forced to work overtime, or they were automatically given
triple-time pay.
1:36:13 PM
MR. OBERMEYER replied that the triple-pay sanction is only in
cases where the employer knowingly violates the law. The
penalties vary if the offenses are repeated.
1:36:54 PM
CHAIR DAVIS reminded the committee that information packets
would be put together about the bills and the questions the
committee members may have before the bills would be considered,
and that the current meeting was not meant as an overview. She
asked the committee if it had any priorities, and added that the
committee would be having a lot of overviews on the education
and social services areas.
1:38:08 PM
SENATOR ELTON remarked that he was startled by the range of
snacks provided by Chair Davis' aide. He added that he was proud
of the committee for discussing a broad range of topics, and
that he was particularly interested in health care issues and
hoped that the committee would be able to consider the actions
of other states in the course of its meetings. He then
introduced his staff.
1:41:16 PM
SENATOR THOMAS asked for the committee to keep the budget in
mind. He said that he thought pre-kindergarten was an important
issue as well as vocational-technical education, in terms of
interesting kids in school. Health care is also one of his
major concerns. He added that he hoped the committee would
attempt to find solutions rather than cutting programs
altogether.
1:43:34 PM
SENATOR THOMAS then introduced his staff.
1:44:29 PM
SENATOR DYSON introduced his staff. He said that he was
interested in health care issues as well, particularly in
consumer-directed health care and the possibility of portable
benefits. He also is interested in heightened investigation of
child exploitation.
1:47:09 PM
CHAIR DAVIS said that she planned on bringing out-of-state
speakers to present other states' health care plans,
particularly California and Massachusetts. She added that she
was interested in coming up with a committee resolution on
preventative care.
1:50:09 PM
CHAIR DAVIS said that the committee would be having two
overviews in the near future, on the No Child Left Behind act
and the school funding foundation formula. She also asked for
the committee members to be on time for meetings and timely in
their actions.
1:52:19 PM
CHAIR DAVIS said that there were some bills before the Senate
Special Committee on Education that she wished to see before the
HES committee, and she planned to ask to see those.
Seeing no other business before the committee, Chair Davis
adjourned the Senate Health, Education and Social Services
Standing Committee meeting at 1:53:41 PM.
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