ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
April 15, 2016
6:45 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Mia Costello, Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel, Vice Chair
Senator Kevin Meyer
Senator Gary Stevens
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Johnny Ellis
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 125
"An Act relating to the sale of products containing
dextromethorphan; relating to the regulation of dextromethorphan
by municipalities; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED HB 125 OUT OF COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 305(EDC)
"An Act relating to an exemption from the regulation of
postsecondary educational institutions."
- MOVED CSHB 305(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 234(L&C)
"An Act relating to insurance coverage for mental health
benefits provided through telemedicine."
- MOVED SCS CSHB 234(L&C) OUT OF COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 372(L&C) AM
"An Act relating to insurance; relating to the annual report by
the director of policies and variable annuities; establishing
limitations on issuance of long-term care insurance; relating to
expenses for insurance examinations; relating to regulations for
insurance; relating to requirements for group health insurance
policies; amending the insurance utilization review, benefits
determination, health care insurance grievance definition of
'group health insurance'; relating to motor vehicle service
contracts; resolution procedures, independent review of adverse
determinations or final adverse relating to notice requirements
for meetings of stockholders or members of a domestic
determinations, independent review organizations, and continuing
education providers; insurer; establishing a definition of 'bona
fide association'; relating to requirements and relating to
required provisions for health care insurance contracts and
policies, penalties for committing a fraudulent or criminal
insurance act; updating criteria for including health care
provider choice; establishing civil penalties for insurers for
failure examinations; relating to rate filing deviations;
establishing civil penalties for certain to provide requested
records; amending the definition of 'wet marine and wilful
violations; and providing for an effective date."
transportation' insurance; amending provisions on limited
licenses to include crop insurance; relating to third-party
administrator notification requirements; relating to
certification filing by reinsurance intermediary brokers;
relating to rate filings, delivery of insurance policies or
endorsements; relating to refunds of variable life insurance
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 125
SHORT TITLE: RESTRICTIONS ON SALE OF DEXTROMETHORPHAN
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MILLETT
02/25/15 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/25/15 (H) JUD
04/09/15 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 120
04/09/15 (H) Moved HB 125 Out of Committee
04/09/15 (H) MINUTE (JUD)
04/10/15 (H) JUD RPT 1DP 6NR
04/10/15 (H) DP: MILLETT
04/10/15 (H) NR: CLAMAN, LYNN, FOSTER, GRUENBERG,
KELLER, LEDOUX
03/16/16 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
03/16/16 (H) VERSION: HB 125
03/18/16 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/18/16 (S) L&C
04/08/16 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/08/16 (S) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/09/16 (S) L&C AT 4:00 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/09/16 (S) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/12/16 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/12/16 (S) Heard & Held
04/12/16 (S) MINUTE (L&C)
04/14/16 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/14/16 (S) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/15/16 (S) L&C AT 5:00 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
BILL: HB 305
SHORT TITLE: RECREATIONAL/AVOCATIONAL TRAINING EXEMPT.
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) GATTIS
02/08/16 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/08/16 (H) EDC
03/28/16 (H) EDC RPT CS (EDC) NT 5DP 1NR
03/28/16 (H) DP: TALERICO, SEATON, COLVER,
SPOHNHOLZ, KELLER
03/28/16 (H) NR: DRUMMOND
03/28/16 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/28/16 (H) Moved CSHB 305(EDC) Out of Committee
03/28/16 (H) MINUTE (EDC)
03/31/16 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
03/31/16 (H) VERSION: CSHB 305(EDC)
04/01/16 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/01/16 (S) L&C
04/07/16 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/07/16 (S) Heard & Held
04/07/16 (S) MINUTE (L&C)
04/14/16 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/14/16 (S) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/15/16 (S) L&C AT 5:00 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
BILL: HB 234
SHORT TITLE: INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR TELEMEDICINE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) VAZQUEZ
01/19/16 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/8/16
01/19/16 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/19/16 (H) HSS, L&C
03/15/16 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
03/15/16 (H) Heard & Held
03/15/16 (H) MINUTE (HSS)
03/17/16 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
03/17/16 (H) Moved HB 234 Out of Committee
03/17/16 (H) MINUTE (HSS)
03/18/16 (H) HSS RPT 3DP 1NR 1AM
03/18/16 (H) DP: TARR, VAZQUEZ, WOOL
03/18/16 (H) NR: TALERICO
03/18/16 (H) AM: SEATON
04/06/16 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/06/16 (H) Heard & Held
04/06/16 (H) MINUTE (L&C)
04/11/16 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/11/16 (H) Moved CSHB 234(L&C) Out of Committee
04/11/16 (H) MINUTE (L&C)
04/12/16 (H) L&C RPT CS (L&C) 3DP 3NR
04/12/16 (H) DP: TILTON, HUGHES, OLSON
04/12/16 (H) NR: LEDOUX, KITO, JOSEPHSON
04/13/16 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
04/13/16 (H) VERSION: CSHB 234(L&C)
04/14/16 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/14/16 (S) L&C
04/14/16 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/14/16 (S) Heard & Held
04/14/16 (S) MINUTE (L&C)
04/15/16 (S) L&C AT 5:00 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
GRACE ABBOTT, Staff
Representative Charisse Millett
Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 125.
TYSON GALLAGHER, Staff
Representative Lynn Gattis
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered to answer questions related to HB
305.
WESTON EILER, Staff
Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee and
Senator Costello
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the changes in HB 234, version H.
ACTION NARRATIVE
6:45:13 PM
CHAIR MIA COSTELLO called the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting to order at 6:45 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Stevens, Giessel, Meyer, and Chair Costello.
She reviewed the agenda.
HB 125-RESTRICTIONS ON SALE OF DEXTROMETHORPHAN
6:45:54 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO announced the consideration of HB 125. She noted
that this is the second hearing and public testimony is closed.
6:46:03 PM
GRACE ABBOTT, Staff, Representative Charisse Millett, sponsor of
HB 125, Alaska State Legislature, thanked the committee for its
consideration of the bill.
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report HB 125, labeled 29-LS0544\A,
from committee with individual recommendations and attached
fiscal note(s).
CHAIR COSTELLO announced that without objection, HB 125 is
reported from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.
6:46:59 PM
At ease
HB 305-RECREATIONAL/AVOCATIONAL TRAINING EXEMPT.
6:48:21 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of HB 305. She noted that this is the second
hearing and public testimony is closed. She asked Mr. Gallagher
if he had any final comments.
6:48:45 PM
TYSON GALLAGHER, Staff, Representative Lynn Gattis, Alaska State
Legislature, thanked the committee for its consideration of HB
305.
SENATOR GIESSEL moved [the CS for] HB 305, labeled 29-LS1401\H
from committee with individual recommendations and attached
fiscal note(s).
CHAIR COSTELLO announced that without objection, CSHB 305(EDC)
is reported from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee.
6:49:38 PM
At ease
HB 234-INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR TELEMEDICINE
6:50:54 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of HB 234. She noted that this is the second
hearing, public testimony is closed, and there is a proposed
committee substitute (CS).
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to adopt the Senate CS for CS for HB 234,
labeled 29-LS1251\H, as the working document.
CHAIR COSTELLO objected for an explanation of the changes.
WESTON EILER, Staff, Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee and Senator Costello, explained that the substantive
change in HB 234, version H, is to replace the term
"telemedicine" with "telehealth" throughout the bill.
SENATOR STEVENS questioned the reason for the change.
MR. EILER replied telehealth is a more encompassing, forward-
looking term.
SENATOR GIESSEL added that she submitted the amendment because
the term telemedicine was coined in the 1990s and is outdated.
The term "telehealth" encompasses all the types of health care
that is delivered electronically.
CHAIR COSTELLO removed her objection and finding no further
objection, stated the SCS is adopted.
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report the Senate CS for CS for HB 234,
labeled 29-LS1251\H, from committee with individual
recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).
CHAIR COSTELLO announced that without objection, SCS CSHB
234(L&C) is reported from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee.
6:54:22 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Costello adjourned the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting at 6:54 p.m.