SB 131-WORKERS' COMP DISABILITY FOR FIREFIGHTER                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:17:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the  first order of business would                                                               
be  SENATE  BILL NO.  131(title  am),  "An  Act relating  to  the                                                               
presumption  of compensability  for a  disability resulting  from                                                               
certain  cancers in  firefighters."   [Before  the committee  was                                                               
Version I, the  proposed House committee substitute  (HCS) for SB                                                               
131(title  am), Version  32-LS0598\I, Marx,  2/23/22, adopted  as                                                               
the working document on 4/13/22.]                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:17:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS opened public testimony on SB 131.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:18:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RICH  ETHERIDGE,  Fire  Chief, Alaska  Fire  Chiefs  Association,                                                               
testified in  support of  SB 131.   He  stated that  SB 131  is a                                                               
monumental bill for improving safety for all firefighters.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:18:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS  closed public testimony after  ascertaining that                                                               
no one else wished to testify.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:19:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN  moved to adopt  Amendment 1 to  Version I                                                               
of SB 131, labeled 32-LS0598\I.2, Marx, 4/15/22, which read:                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 11:                                                                                                           
          Delete "and"                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 12, following "cancer;":                                                                                  
          Insert "and                                                                                                       
               (xvi)  ovarian cancer;"                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:19:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:19:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN explained that  the purpose of Amendment 1                                                               
is to  add "ovarian cancer",  which is currently missing  from SB                                                               
131 (title am)  but is known to be amongst  the cancers that this                                                               
bill is addressing.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:19:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ED KING, Staff, Senator Roger  Holland, Alaska State Legislature,                                                               
answered on  behalf of Senator  Holland, prime sponsor of  SB 131                                                               
(title  am).   He stated  that Senator  Holland is  supportive of                                                               
Amendment 1.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:19:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  FIELDS removed  his objection  to Amendment  1.   There                                                               
being no further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:20:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  FIELDS  moved  to  report   the  proposed  HCS  for  SB                                                               
131(title am),  Version 32-LS0598\I,  Marx, 2/23/22,  as amended,                                                               
out  of   committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  the                                                               
accompanying fiscal notes.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:20:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:20:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced  that there being no  objection, HCS SB                                                               
131(L&C)  was  reported  out  of the  House  Labor  and  Commerce                                                               
Standing Committee.