02/19/2008 03:01 PM Senate L&C
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB209 | |
| SB149 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
February 19, 2008
3:01 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Johnny Ellis, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
Senator Bettye Davis
Senator Con Bunde
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 209
"An Act extending the termination date of the Alaska Commission
on Aging; and providing for an effective date."
HEARD AND HELD
SENATE BILL NO. 149
"An Act relating to redistribution of used eyeglasses."
HEARD AND HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 209
SHORT TITLE: EXTEND ALASKA COMMISSION ON AGING
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) DAVIS
01/16/08 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/4/08
01/16/08 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/08 (S) L&C, FIN
02/19/08 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211
BILL: SB 149
SHORT TITLE: REDISTRIBUTION OF USED EYEGLASSES
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) THERRIAULT
03/30/07 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/30/07 (S) L&C, HES
02/19/08 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211
WITNESS REGISTER
TOM OBERMEYER
Staff to Senator Davis
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 209 for the sponsor.
PAT SIDMORE, Policy Manager
Senior and Disabilities Services
Department of Health and Social Services (HESS)
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 209.
DENISE DANIELLO, Executive Director
Alaska Commission on Aging
Department of Health and Social Services
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 209.
PAT DAVIDSON,
Division of Legislative Audit
Juneau AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 209.
SENATOR THERRIAULT
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 149.
DAVE STANCLIFF
Staff to Senator Therriault
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 149 for the sponsor.
HOWARD RIXIE
Aurora Borealis Lions Eyeglass Recycling and Vision Center,
North Pole, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported of SB 149.
ANNETTE ULMER, Chair
Recycling Collection
Juneau Lions Club
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 149.
THERESA GERMAINE, Chair
Zone 7 Lions Club
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 149.
LARRY HARPER, licensed dispensing optician
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 149.
NEIL ATKINSON
Mendenhall Flying Lions Club
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 149.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR JOHNNY ELLIS called the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:01:58 PM. Present at the call to
order were Senators Davis, Bunde and Ellis. Senator Stevens
joined the committee a few minutes later.
SB 209-EXTEND ALASKA COMMISSION ON AGING
3:03:02 PM
CHAIR ELLIS announced SB 209 to be up for consideration.
3:03:21 PM
TOM OBERMEYER, staff to Senator Davis, sponsor of SB 209, said
this bill extends the Alaska Commission on Aging. The purpose of
the Alaska Commission on Aging is to improve the quality of
life, services and support for seniors as they age. Objectives
include helping seniors attain and maintain personal and
financial independence at the highest level for as long as
possible and promoting their physical, mental, spiritual, and
emotional health. In addition, the commission tries to help
seniors remain in their own homes or chosen communities in the
least restrictive settings while keeping them connected to their
families and informed and helpful in their communities.
He pointed out the fiscal note describes the fact that continued
funding is extended through 2016 and the attached Governor's
bill analysis indicates without this continuation, the Section
306 AD of the Older Americans Act of 1965 requires that this
type of agency be continued in order to make $6 million of
federal funding available.
MR. OBERMEYER also noted a brief summary of a booklet of the
State Plan for Senior Services FY 2008-2011." He also attached a
letter from the assistant secretary for the Department of Aging,
Department of Health and Social Services informing them that it
had approved this four-year plan.
He urged them to review information on the attached executive
summary. For instance, it says Alaska has the highest proportion
of baby boomers at 32 percent and that Alaska's senior
population is growing faster than in almost any other state. By
2030 the proportion of seniors over 65 will double to 13 percent
of the population; people over 60 will make up 17 percent. The
summary also indicates that people in their 80s have many more
problems getting around and their needs increase. The
University's Institute for Social and Economic Research also
says that retired Alaskans age 60 and older contributed almost
$1.5 billion to the state's economy in 2004, primarily from
retirement income and health care spending - roughly 10 times
the total cost of state programs targeting seniors.
3:07:27 PM
The summary indicates that this state plan focuses on six goals
- keeping seniors healthy, active, involved in their
communities, insuring access to an integrated array of health
and social supports along the continuum of care, supporting
families in their efforts to care for loved ones at home and in
the community, providing a range of adequate, accessible, secure
and affordable housing options for seniors, supporting a stable
senior services and health care workforce as well as a range of
attractive work opportunities for seniors and insuring that
older Alaskans are safe from catastrophic events and protected
from personal exploitation, neglect and abuse.
For each item covered by the plan, an annual implementation plan
will be created by all interested senior organizations, each
committing to work on specific strategies outlined in the plan.
3:08:52 PM
PAT SIDMORE, Policy Manager, Senior and Disabilities Services,
Department of Health and Social Services (HESS), supported SB
209.
3:10:17 PM
DENISE DANIELLO, Executive Director, Alaska Commission on Aging,
Department of Health and Social Services, supported SB 209. She
said the mission of the commission is to ensure the dignity and
independence of all older Alaskans and to assist them through
planning, advocacy, community education and interagency
cooperation to lead useful and meaningful lives. It was
established in 1982 and satisfies the federal requirement under
the Older Americans Act for states to have an advisory counsel
to the state unit on aging (Department of Health and Social
Services) comprised of people who are of age to receive services
under the Older Americans Act. These services include home
delivered meals, transportation, congregate meals served at
senior centers, chore, respite, adult day services and so forth.
She said the Commission is responsible for formulating the state
plan for senior services and submitting it to the department.
They do this in collaboration with about 20 other agencies that
develop services for seniors. The Commission also provides
recommendations to the department and to the Alaska Mental
Health Trust Authority concerning the integrated comprehensive
mental health program regarding the use of monies from the
Mental Health Trust Settlement, the income account for persons
with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, and seniors who
suffer from other behavioral health conditions. They also make
recommendations directly to the governor and legislature with
respect to legislation regulations and appropriations for
programs and services that benefit older Alaskans. With their
advocacy partners they have supported successful legislation
such as the new senior benefits program, establishment of the
Office of Elder Fraud and Assistance, strengthened the penalties
for identity theft, added dental coverage for Medicaid eligible
adults including doubling the number of slots for WWAMI students
to address Alaska's prospective physicians shortage, and secured
base funding for flexible long-term supports for people with
Alzheimer's disease and related dementia and other programs.
Pending passage of this legislation, she plans to continue to
advocate for services that promote healthy life styles of
Alaska's seniors.
3:14:52 PM
CHAIR ELLIS asked what the trends are for elder abuse.
MS. DANIELLO answered that at least it's starting to be talked
about. Years ago this was a taboo subject, but now the number of
reported cases is increasing. She noted in the last couple of
years that the Commission along with the Division of Seniors and
Disabilities Services advocated for increased funding for adult
protective services to add two staff members. One of the trends
they hadn't seen in previous years is the reporting of elder
mistreatment coming from rural areas of Alaska. She has heard
they need to enhance reporting because a lot of places are
collecting information regarding elder mistreatment and there
isn't one centralized place to report harm.
3:16:54 PM
She also explained that in Alaska elder mistreatment looks a lot
different than in other places. For example, it might be
somebody taking on somebody else's subsistence fishing rights or
fishing permits.
3:17:12 PM
SENATOR STEVENS said clearly there are going to be a lot more
older Alaskans in Alaska in the future and asked why the 65 - 74
age group is expanding so quickly, asking if that would be the
baby boomers.
MS. DANIELLO said the baby boomers were born between 1946 and
1964 and aren't on the chart. She said the 85-plus group is
showing the greatest increase in the senior population - and
that is the population most in need of services.
SENATOR STEVENS related that Senator Ted Stevens remarked in his
address today that Medicare is not solving the problem. Also, he
said when he first moved to Kodiak years ago it didn't have many
seniors, but now it's a real community with all ages. He thought
it was probably in large part due to what the commission had
done.
MS. DANIELLO responded that she observed that as well; another
factor might be that older people in the 1970s didn't have as
many children here, and more people who have children continue
to live here.
3:19:40 PM
PAT DAVIDSON, Division of Legislative Audit, supported SB 209.
She said the extension comported with her recommendations. She
explained that the audit did notice when the commission moved
from the Department of Administration to the Department of
Health and Social Services (DHSS) it dropped the granting aspect
to focus its efforts on planning, education and advocating for
senior services. The audit noted some statutory language clean
up needed to happen to recognize that change; the granting
should now show in statute as a responsibility of the department
rather than the commission.
3:21:40 PM
SENATOR DAVIS noted that legislation is going through both
houses to make the correction.
3:22:32 PM
CHAIR ELLIS announced the bill would be held to make sure it was
technically correct before moving it on.
SB 149-REDISTRIBUTION OF USED EYEGLASSES
3:23:03 PM
CHAIR ELLIS announced SB 149 to be up for consideration.
SENATOR THERRIAULT, sponsor of SB 149, said this bill was
requested by one of his constituents who are very involved in
the Lions Club and its used eyeglass distribution program. He
said SB 149 doesn't require the state or those regulated by it
to give a green light to the Lion's Club or any nonprofit to
recycle the eyeglasses; but it gives the Board of Examiners in
Optometry the authority to approve any non profit organization
for the distribution and fitting of used eyeglasses.
Section 2 limits the authority of the non-profit approved by the
board to distribute and fit the used eye glasses. He said the
fitting of the eyeglasses would be done under the written
prescription from a licensed physician or optometrist and the
service is free.
SENATOR THERRIAULT noted a letter of support from the chair of
the Board of Eye Examiners and a resolution of support from the
City of North Pole.
CHAIR ELLIS stated that everyone knows what a good organization
the Lions Club is.
3:26:55 PM
SENATOR STEVENS agreed and said one of the cities on Kodiak is
named Port Lions after the Lions Club because it helped them
relocated after the tidal wave. He respects what they have done
and commented that they had done this eyeglasses thing for 50
years. He asked why this legislation is needed now.
SENATOR THERRIAULT replied that it provides authorization
language for them to continue what they have already been doing.
He said a suggested CS also cleans up the existing language.
3:28:20 PM
DAVE STANCLIFF, staff to SENATOR THERRIAULT, sponsor of SB 149,
explained the drafter cited a board in the original bill that no
longer exists. The blank CS eliminated the word "board" and
inserted "department" to have broader connotation for any part
of the optometrists that might fall under the department and not
this specific board. It has a bunch of repealers at the end to
remove all references to the board that has actually been gone
since 1980.
CHAIR ELLIS clarified that the change was purely technical.
SENATOR STEVENS moved to adopt CSSB 149(L&C) 25-LS0788\M for
discussion purposes. There were no objections and it was so
ordered.
3:30:25 PM
MR. STANCLIFF explained that the Lions Club has been recognized
for distributing eyeglasses internationally for years, but not
in this state. SB 149 opens the door to recognize the Lions Club
as a legal entity without requiring it to do anything. He also
pointed out that language says "a qualified non-profit,"
language that wouldn't limit their authority to recognize other
clubs.
3:30:47 PM
HOWARD RIXIE, Aurora Borealis Lions Eyeglass Recycling and
Vision Center, North Pole, said he also represents the 75-plus
Lions Clubs across Alaska and that they all supported SB 149. He
related that in 1929 Helen Keller asked the Lions to help fix
preventable blindness. He urged Senator Therriault to sponsor
this bill because of two projects the Lions support - eye glass
recycling and eye care for the needy. Approximately 1500 people
are referred annually to the Lions Club for eye exams, eye
glasses and sometimes major eye care like surgeries.
He explained the way the process typically works is someone
refers a needy client to the Club that refers him to a local
state public assistance or health services representative to
establish the validity of the need. If he is found to be truly
in need, he is referred to a Lions Club to sponsor him
financially. In the Interior the Club has a standing agreement
with local eye doctors to provide eye exams at a flat rate of
$60 and eyeglasses at a flat rate of $110 for a total of $170
per person. The cost of their eye care programs for the needy is
daunting; many times valid persons have to go on a waiting list
until resources become available.
Their other project, the eyeglass recycling project, involves
approximately 30,000 to 40,000 pairs of eyeglasses being
collected and sent to their recycling center in North Pole. At
that location, volunteers sort, clean, inspect, repair, package
and ship approximately 30,000 pairs of glasses throughout the
world to support vision care health missions in the third world
countries. All this is happening while many people in Alaska go
without.
The Lions researched whether eyeglasses could be redistributed
in Alaska. They were told the Alaska laws don't preclude it or
enable it. To make sure they stood on firm footing and don't
violate any statute, they urged the drafting of SB 149. In the
end they envision each eye doctor donating one or two Saturdays
a year to give free eye exams. They hope that somewhere amongst
their thousands of ready-to-wear eye glasses there will be a
pair that meets the doctors' prescriptions. He said Lions don't
want to "corner the market" on filling this need, they just want
the statute to be enabling.
3:35:09 PM
MR. RIXIE said some say they are taking income making
opportunities away from eye care professionals. But he argued if
the Lions didn't serve the needy people, they would never get an
eye exam or a pair of glasses. These folks are not active
consumers in the eye care industry, and they won't become one
until they have a job that produces sufficient income or a way
of life that places quality of vision, sufficiently high enough
for them to act as consumers. Most of the people they deal with
are homeless, battered or displaced and/or severely poor.
3:36:15 PM
ANNETTE ULMER, Juneau Lions Club, said she chairs the recycling
collection program and she supported SB 149. She has picked up
approximately 236 glasses provided by the local optometrists.
She echoed the need for a service like this; it enables the
person not to have to consider eyeglasses a luxury.
3:37:26 PM
THERESA GERMAINE, chair, Zone 7 Lions Club, Southeast Alaska
49A, supported SB 149. She stated this organization truly
provides a service to the community in providing the gift of
sight to many individuals. She said they send eyeglasses to
third world countries and don't want to take away from that, but
they want to have the ability to provide for Alaska's own people
as well - especially people in rural communities that don't have
eye doctors.
3:40:49 PM
LARRY HARPER, licensed dispensing optician, said the Lions Club
is probably the most prominent organization for eye care and
that he supported SB 149.
3:44:01 PM
NEIL ATKINSON, Mendenhall Flying Lions Club, supported SB 149.
The Lions Club is having a worldwide campaign to bring sight to
the needy, and this is one thing it can do for Alaska's people.
He said the local clubs have purchased a vision screener, so
that eye problems of children up to nine years old can be
accurately detected. It is a first step for these children who
are then referred to eye doctors. Eye care is a major problem
within the state; it is a primary requirement to be a
functioning person in the state.
3:46:03 PM
CHAIR ELLIS said he appreciated his community service and closed
the public hearing. Senator Therriault said he would work on
wording. There being no further business to come before the
committee, he adjourned the meeting at 3:48:13 PM.
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