04/18/2014 08:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB216 | |
| HB356 | |
| HB216 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 216 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 356 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
April 18, 2014
8:03 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Fred Dyson, Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel, Vice Chair
Senator John Coghill
Senator Bill Wielechowski
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Bert Stedman
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Senator Donald Olson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 216(STA)
"An Act adding the Inupiaq, Siberian Yupik, Central Alaskan
Yup'ik, Alutiiq, Unangax, Dena'ina, Deg Xinag, Holikachuk,
Koyukon, Upper Kuskokwim, Gwich'in, Tanana, Upper Tanana,
Tanacross, Hän, Ahtna, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian
languages as official languages of the state."
- MOVED CSHB 216(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 356(STA)
"An Act establishing the Advisory Committee on Wellness; and
relating to the administration of state group health insurance
policies."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 216
SHORT TITLE: OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF THE STATE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KREISS-TOMKINS, MILLETT, EDGMON,
NAGEAK, HERRON
01/21/14 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/14
01/21/14 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/21/14 (H) CRA, STA
02/18/14 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
02/18/14 (H) Moved Out of Committee
02/18/14 (H) MINUTE(CRA)
02/19/14 (H) CRA RPT 5DP
02/19/14 (H) DP: FOSTER, HERRON, DRUMMOND, LEDOUX,
NAGEAK
03/27/14 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/27/14 (H) Heard & Held
03/27/14 (H) MINUTE(STA)
04/01/14 (H) STA RPT CS(STA) 5DP
04/01/14 (H) DP: KREISS-TOMKINS, ISAACSON, KELLER,
GATTIS, LYNN
04/01/14 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/01/14 (H) Moved CSHB 216(STA) Out of Committee
04/01/14 (H) MINUTE(STA)
04/16/14 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
04/16/14 (H) VERSION: CSHB 216(STA)
04/17/14 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/17/14 (S) STA
04/17/14 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
04/17/14 (S) <Pending Referral>
04/18/14 (S) STA AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
BILL: HB 356
SHORT TITLE: ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WELLNESS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SEATON
02/26/14 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/26/14 (H) HSS, STA
03/20/14 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
03/20/14 (H) Heard & Held
03/20/14 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
04/10/14 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
04/10/14 (H) Moved Out of Committee
04/10/14 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
04/11/14 (H) HSS RPT 2DP 3NR
04/11/14 (H) DP: SEATON, NAGEAK
04/11/14 (H) NR: PRUITT, KELLER, HIGGINS
04/15/14 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/15/14 (H) Moved CSHB 356(STA) Out of Committee
04/15/14 (H) MINUTE(STA)
04/16/14 (H) STA RPT CS(STA) 2DP 1NR 1AM
04/16/14 (H) DP: ISAACSON, LYNN
04/16/14 (H) NR: KELLER
04/16/14 (H) AM: GATTIS
04/17/14 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
04/17/14 (H) VERSION: CSHB 356(STA)
04/17/14 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/17/14 (S) STA
04/18/14 (S) STA AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHON KREISS-TOMKINS
Alaska State Legislature
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 216.
REPRESENTATIVE PAUL SEATON
Alaska State Legislature
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 356
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:03:11 AM
CHAIR FRED DYSON called the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:03 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Wielechowski, Coghill, Giessel, and Chair
Dyson.
HB 216-OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF THE STATE
CHAIR DYSON announced the consideration of HB 216. [CSHB
216(STA) was before the committee.]
8:03:37 AM
SENATOR COGHILL moved Amendment 1.
CHAIR DYSON objected for discussion purposes.
SENATOR COGHILL explained that the amendment places the bill
under a different statute and terms the languages listed in the
bill as "ceremonial" as opposed to "official."
8:06:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHON KREISS-TOMKINS, Alaska State
Legislature, sponsor of HB 216, reviewed Senator Coghill's
amendment and asked if the intent is to move the language from
Chapter 44.12 to Chapter 44.09.
SENATOR COGHILL answered yes; the amendment would create a new
Sec. 44.09.150.
CHAIR DYSON offered to set the bill aside to give the sponsor an
opportunity to review the amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS explained that the bill amends
Chapter 44.12 because that chapter addresses official language.
He said he appreciates the intent of creating a new section in
Chapter 44.09, but has a slight hesitation. He advised that the
balance he hopes to strike is to impose no obligation or burden
on government, but not make it appear that these languages are
in a display case and ceremonial.
SENATOR COGHILL said his intention is to honor the languages
while recognizing that Alaska trades in English.
8:11:07 AM
At ease.
8:12:24 AM
CHAIR DYSON reconvened the meeting and recessed to a call of the
chair.
HB 356-ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WELLNESS
11:18:28 AM
CHAIR DYSON reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of HB 356. [CSHB 356(STA) was before the
committee.]
11:18:46 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PAUL SEATON, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of
HB 356, introduced the bill paraphrasing the following sponsor
statement:
HB 356 requires the Commissioner of the Department of
Administration to implement procedures for decreasing
the incidence of disease in Alaska in order to hold
the inflation of healthcare costs of active and
retired Alaska state employees to 2% per year.
According to the Institute of Social and Economic
Research, total health care spending in Alaska topped
$7.5 billion in Alaska in 2010, with state government
employers paying over $400 million. A major component
of our $12 billion unfunded pension liability is
retiree healthcare costs. HB 356 requires the
Commissioner of Administration to put in place
programs that will decrease the incidence of disease
in State of Alaska employees, both current and
retired, in order to hold the inflation of costs to 2%
per year.
This bill focuses on preventing the incidence of
disease as opposed to treatment of disease. Prevention
of disease is the policy approach unanimously
requested of the Governor by the legislature through
HCR 5 in 2011. This is an area of healthcare where the
most economic impact can be achieved. For instance,
recent studies show that an action as simple as taking
a daily supplement of 5,000 IU of vitamin D can
dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease,
diabetes, cancer, autism, gingivitis, and many other
conditions.
HB 354 creates an Advisory Committee on Wellness which
is charged with making recommendations to the
Commissioner of Administration on ways to decrease the
incidence of disease in Alaska. HB 365 will enforce a
paradigm shift for the Department of Administration
and the Department of Health and Social Services. It
will require the agencies to implement policies to
keep Alaska state employees healthy by preventing
disease, rather than the common, reactive policy of
waiting until people get sick and then treating them.
11:21:23 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL asked how this advisory committee differs from
the Alaska Health Care Commission (AHCC), which is already
established.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON replied AHCC deals broadly with all
Alaskans, whereas the proposed Advisory Committee on Wellness,
working within the Department of Administration, would focus on
active and retired State of Alaska employees and their
dependents to encourage participation in wellness measures.
SENATOR GIESSEL questioned what would change with passage of the
bill, because she already sees that happening.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON explained that the existing wellness
committee meets infrequently and the Department of
Administration feels this would ensure that any recommendations
are taken seriously. Although AHCC has done some things like
negotiate for lower gym memberships, it has limited ability and
direction to talk about such things as co-pays if DOA determines
it would be beneficial to the state in reducing health care
costs.
11:23:43 AM
CHAIR DYSON asked if he was saying that DOA can't negotiate co-
pays without the proposed volunteer committee.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON clarified that there is no statutory
direction for DOA to do that, but it has the authority.
CHAIR DYSON commented that there is nothing to keep any group of
experts from forwarding suggestions and recommendations on to
DOA regarding employee health issues.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON replied that is correct, but there isn't a
formal process. He reported that there was great interest in the
advisory group last year, but the departments weren't required
to respond to their recommendations and the group fell apart.
11:25:05 AM
CHAIR DYSON questioned whether it couldn't be resurrected and
operate under existing statute.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said there's nothing that prevents it, but
there's nothing in statute that specifies that there's anything
to be done.
11:25:39 AM
CHAIR DYSON held HB 354 in committee.
HB 216-OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF THE STATE
CHAIR DYSON returned attention to HB 216. [Amendment 1 was under
consideration.]
11:26:10 AM
SENATOR COGHILL restated that the intent of Amendment 1 is to
place the bill in Chapter 44.09 that houses the state seal,
flag, and emblems. He noted that he and the sponsor were working
on a compromise.
11:28:18 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHON KREISS-TOMKINS, sponsor of HB 216, said
he wants to ensure that the language is still true to the spirit
of the bill while acknowledging Senator Coghill's concern. It is
very clear in statute that English is the official language of
government and commerce in Alaska. The bill was never intended
to touch that; its purpose is to bring these Native languages in
on an equal plane, because they are just as Alaskan as English.
He said he didn't object to moving the bill to Chapter 44.09 as
long as the wording in the bill still gives these Native
languages official status. He expressed hesitation about using
the term "ceremonial."
CHAIR DYSON disagreed with using the term "ceremonial" and
suggested using the term "recognized;" it is neither official
nor ceremonial.
11:31:37 AM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said he appreciates the effort to find a
compromise, but his perspective is that the bill does not impact
the voter passed initiative that enacted AS 44.12.320. It reads
as follows:
SCOPE
The English language is the language to be used by all
public agencies in all government functions and
actions. The English language shall be used in the
preparation of all official public documents and
records, including all documents officially compiled,
published or recorded by the government.
He noted that Senator Coghill provided a Legislative Legal
memorandum that in part says:
In my opinion, HB 216 would not create an additional
duty of government to provide documents in another
language.
I do not believe that HB 216 would require printing
ballots and voting materials in the official
languages. It is my opinion that HB 216 would not
place any additional burdens on schools. It is my
opinion that HB 216 would not require schools to teach
a second language in the public school system.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said he understands Senator Coghill's
concern, but he believes the problems have been addressed and
the bill doesn't need change.
SENATOR GIESSEL noted that Sec. 44.12.310 says that the English
language is the official language of the State of Alaska.
SENATOR COGHILL agreed, adding that the bill would change that
so that English and the listed Native languages would be the
official languages of the state. He thought that would be
confusing, based on the findings and scope. He worried that this
could cause problems.
11:36:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS questioned whether moving the text
of the bill to Chapter 44.09 would be a fair compromise.
SENATOR COGHILL agreed with the suggestion.
CHAIR DYSON suggested the committee move the bill and amend it
on the floor.
SENATOR COGHILL offered to withdraw the amendment and work with
the sponsor on a floor amendment.
11:38:30 AM
SENATOR COGHILL withdrew Amendment 1.
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report CS for HB 216(STA), labeled 28-
LS0905\Y, from committee with individual recommendations and
attached zero fiscal note(s).
CHAIR DYSON found no objection and announced that CSHB 216(STA)
is reported from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.
11:39:13 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Dyson adjourned the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee hearing at 11:39 a.m.
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