BILL NO. 23 "An Act relating to major medical insurance coverage under the Public Employees' Retirement System of Alaska for certain surviving spouses and dependent children of peace officers and firefighters; and providing for an effective date." ^PUBLIC TESTIMONY 2:29:13 PM Co-Chair Foster OPENED Public Testimony. 2:30:51 PM BRANDY JOHNSON, SELF, JUNEAU, spoke in support of HB 23. She read a prepared statement (copy on file): For the record, my name is Brandy Johnson. I am testifying in support of HB 23 on behalf of myself, my three daughters, my deceased husband, Scott Johnson, surviving families of past and future line of duty death state troopers as well as law enforcement officers in the state of Alaska. On May 1st, 2014, my husband, Scott Johnson and Gabe Rich were murdered while in the performance of their job in Tanana, Alaska. Scott's job was that of a Sgt. with the Alaska State Troopers. He had worked as a state trooper for over 21 years with a total of over 23 years vested in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). He could have retired with 20 years of service. However, Scott and I decided he should work another 5 years to gain the medical benefits for our family at the 25-year mark as a Tier II employee. It was while trying to obtain this promised benefit goal that Scott was ambushed and killed. Scott would have retired this past October with major medical benefits for himself and our family. I had asked the state troopers assisting me after Scott was killed if I had health insurance. I initially was told I was set for life by one Lieutenant. However, that was not the case. I was later told that my family's benefits would expire at the end of the month. I was disappointed and angry. My choices were to pay $1, 150 per month for the retirement major medical health care that we would have received in a year and a half at no cost as a retirement benefit or $1, 700 for full coverage COBRA. What is frustrating, is that the person who shot my husband to death and his father who desecrated my husband's dead body, while incarcerated, have medical care available at no cost to them as their families also has free health care. I felt Scott's last three years of service were all for nothing. Scott always took his responsibilities very seriously to protect the people of Alaska. I had believed upon his death, the State would also take responsibility to now take care of his family. Graciously, the State of Alaska has these past two and a half years until the gap in law could be resolved. Our family has paid the price for this benefit. We have paid into the PERS retirement system; we have paid with the endless callouts. Whether it be a K9, SERT, homicide calls or one of the many other emergency responses Scott was involved with. This is called, to give of yourself for the sake of others. I am here today asking for your support of HB 23. This bill is more than what I have advocated the legislature for as a health benefit. This bill provides full coverage health insurance that takes care of young surviving families that need well child checkups. The retirement health care plan was not a long-term solution. It was a "band-aide" so to say and a safety net in case of a major medical emergency. It did not take care of the family. This legislation will ensure that another surviving spouse does not have to experience what I have. They will have the assurance that their children will be taken care of if there was a health emergency. Thank you for your time and your consideration of this important legislation. 2:34:43 PM JACOB WILSON, ALASKA CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, JUNEAU, spoke in favor of HB 23. He read a prepared statement (copy on file): My name is Jacob Wilson. I represent the 930 Correctional Officers in the State of Alaska. Last year we provided a letter of support for what was then SB 4002. We were encouraged that Officers' families would no longer be hit twice if their husband or wife was killed in the line of duty: first by the death, and second by the loss of health insurance. The fact is that Correctional Officers put their lives on the line every day, just like any other Alaska Public Safety Officer. Their families are just as important. A few days ago Correctional Officers became aware that they were no longer included in the new version of this Legislation. While we are happy to see at least some of our public safety families covered, it was a tough blow to see other law enforcement officers in the State covered because they are the ones who ... "run to the fire". With all due respect, Correctional Officers don't run to the fire, they live in it. The dangers Correctional Officers face are the same that every other Officer in the State of Alaska faces. Police Officer and Troopers may arrest the criminals, but it is Correctional Officers who keep them behind bars every hour of every day. This would not substantially increase the cost of this legislation. While every year Correctional Officers are assaulted, some permanently disabled, we have been very fortunate not to have lost any Correctional Officer in an institution as a result of an assault. Because of this, I believe that the fiscal impact of covering our Officers would be minimal, but the impact on morale for the Officers would be immeasurable. It would give them peace of mind knowing that should they fall in the service of their State and give their life protecting Alaskans, their families would have insurance coverage. In closing, I would like to say we support HB 23 and hope that it passes. That being said, please include Correctional Officers in this legislation. We also appreciate Commissioner Dean Williams' support of including Correctional Officers in this bill. Please feel free to contact me if you need any additional information. Mr. Wilson reported that earlier in the day in Delaware there was a hostage take over. Four correctional officers were being held hostage. He encouraged legislators to contact the association with any questions. Co-Chair Seaton asked Mr. Wilson to provide a copy of his written testimony. 2:38:45 PM Vice-Chair Gara suggested that the bill could cover every state employee. He asked where the legislature should draw a legal line. Mr. Wilson responded that any of the four officers being held in Delaware could pass. When officers went into a correctional facility, they were aware of the risks they were taking. Alaska had been fortunate not to have a death. However, there were deaths at the national level. Some of Alaska's officers had been permanently disabled. Any of the related injuries could have led to death. He reiterated that when a person signed up to serve in Alaska in a public safety role, they were cognizant of the risks. He would leave the decision up to the legislature as to where to draw the line. He thought correctional officers should be included in the bill. Vice-Chair Gara appreciated that correctional officers went to work every day in dangerous environments. Co-Chair Foster agreed that correctional officers lived in danger every day. 2:41:14 PM KATHIE WASSERMAN, ALASKA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE (AML), JUNEAU, opposed the unfunded mandate accompanying the legislation. The burden would fall on the shoulders of municipalities without a way of determining their costs. She asked for additional detail about administrative costs noted in the bill. She explained that insurance costs were handled differently for different law enforcement employees. She urged members to consider that municipalities were losing revenue sharing and had already encountered many cost transfers from the state. She conveyed the difficulty of the municipalities taking on new expenses. She noted that prior to the meeting she had spoken with a community that reported owing about $300,000 to the state. She posed a question about how municipalities were expected to handle their debt. She wondered what would happen if, at some point, the municipalities became unable to provide insurance costs promised to survivors. She asked if the state would provide assistance. She restated that the municipalities could not face an unfunded mandate, particularly without knowing the exact cost. She needed additional information before AML could take a firm position on HB 23. Representative Kawasaki asked if AML had considered what would happen if an option-in or option-out clause was included for municipalities. Ms. Wasserman thought that most communities had taken responsibility when similar situations had arisen. She thought communities would be responsible. She cited Fairbanks as one of the communities that was already contributing without a mandate in place. She mentioned that Hoonah had also stepped up to the plate. She believed most communities would step up without a mandate in place. Representative Kawasaki explained that a municipality's premium would be based on its size. He asked for her feedback about size. Ms. Wasserman indicated AML had discussed the issue with Representative Josephson's office. She explained that the size breakdown was a vague set of lines used by the league. She relayed that there seemed to be a dividing line between large and small communities. The league had moved it between 7,500 to 10,000 people. Co-Chair Seaton was trying to determine the parameters of Ms. Wasserman's statement. He asked if she was interpreting the bill to say that each municipality would be paying a premium based on size or only after there was a death. Ms. Wasserman responded that after talking with Representative Josephson's office, the fund would be initiated after a death. She indicated that some of the league members thought money would be set aside ahead of time and drawn from when needed. Co-Chair Seaton asked if AML had a preference about paying a smaller amount over time or a larger amount after a fatal incident. Ms. Wasserman reported that her members discussed the idea of each municipality contributing to one fund. There were some concerns about it being equitable. She added that her response was in light of the shortage of funds at present. She did not think it would be an issue under different circumstances. 2:49:24 PM Representative Guttenberg remarked that the bill pertained only to police officers and firefighters. He asked if AML had looked at the benefit of pooling a larger group of employees. Ms. Wasserman responded that AML had not specifically discussed the topic. She believed that Representative Josephson's bill included employees without Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). She relayed that currently the municipalities were having difficulty paying into the current and previous PERS and TERS system. She reported that some of the small communities had not been able to pay their worker's compensation insurance. Representative Wilson pointed out that some firefighters were hired as contractors rather than employees of municipalities and would not be covered under HB 23. She asked about the number of fire services areas where firefighters were under contract rather than employees of municipalities. Ms. Wasserman thought there were only two boroughs that had service areas - Fairbanks and Mat-Su. She noted that Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO) either worked for the state or for tribal organizations rather than for municipalities. Representative Wilson clarified that the state had 6 fire service areas. 2:53:19 PM Co-Chair Foster recognized that Amber Heinbaugh with the state trooper families at the Glennallen Legislative Information Office (LIO) was listening in. SCOTT CARSON PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, JUNEAU, spoke in support of HB 23. He felt the bill was very important. He relayed a personal story as a state trooper. He had been in a situation where he wanted someone to back him up. He spoke to being in Ketchikan as a trooper and responding to a call. He did not have the luxury of not going to a dangerous call when he was required to go. He wanted assurance for his family that they would be taken care of. He thanked the committee and asked members for their support. 2:57:23 PM AT EASE 2:58:26 PM RECONVENED LONNIE MILLER, SELF, DELTA JUNCTION (via teleconference), supported HB 23. She thought it was right to take care of the families of firefighters and peace officers. She believed that they deserved the assurance that their families would be cared for if they gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. She opined that peace of mind for a surviving family member would be a small but necessary part of recovering after a grave and painful loss. She thanked members for their support of the legislation. 3:00:33 PM CAROL DUNLAP-AUSTIN, SELF, DELTA JUNCTION (via teleconference), was an Alaska State Trooper. She was well aware of the dangers of the job. She spoke of having lost many friends in the line of duty. She thought it was important for the state to make things right. She stated that all gave some but some gave all. 3:02:24 PM BONNIE WOLSTAD, SELF, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), was the daughter and wife of retired Alaska law enforcement personnel. She relayed some of the close calls her father- in-law and husband both faced in the line of duty. She was extremely fortunate to have never received a call or knock at the door. She believed the legislation was headed in the right direction and very needed. However, she believed that all employees of the State of Alaska should be covered if killed while on the job. She provided a number of examples concerning equitability. She spoke of 5 Alaska Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers and 26 Alaska Department of Fish and Game employees that have died in the line of duty. She thought all state employees should be allowed to participate. She recommended monthly contributions or Alaska Supplemental Annuity plan (SBS) options. By allowing more employees to participate under HB 23, the survivor benefit would have more people paying into a fund and would be on a stronger financial footing. She urged the committee to amend the legislation. 3:06:13 PM MEGAN LISTER, SELF, PETERSBURG (via teleconference), spoke in support of HB 23. She was the wife of an Alaska State Trooper with four young children. She thought it was the right thing to do. She expressed sadness that the bill had taken so long to get through the legislative process. She asked members to pass HB 23 once and for all. The bill provided peace of mind for the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters. 3:08:42 PM JASON HOLMGREN, WASILLA POLICE DEPARTMENT, WASILLA (via teleconference), supported HB 23. He indicated he had been working in law enforcement in various municipalities for 14 years. He had been involved with some search teams and with some very dangerous calls. The bill provided peace of mind to officers with families that their loved ones would be cared for if they died on the job. He supported HB 23 and urged others to support the bill as well. 3:09:46 PM Co-Chair Foster recognized Commissioner Williams in the audience and Representative Millet. DAVID DUNCAN, KODIAK POLICE DEPARTMENT (via teleconference), spoke in support of HB 23. He was a police officer in Kodiak. He agreed with previous testifiers that the bill was the right thing to do. He and his fellow officers went to work each day not knowing what to expect, yet, they did so diligently. The passage of the legislation would provide a huge relief to officers knowing that their families would be provided insurance benefits if they fell in the line of duty. 3:11:15 PM LISA ALBERT-KONECKY, SELF, WASILLA (via teleconference), spoke in favor of HB 23. She reported knowing families with spouses that were injured in the line of duty. She spoke to the difficulty of getting health insurance. She thought the legislation was long overdue. Although doing the right thing would cost money, it was important to provide a peace of mind within the law enforcement community. She asked members to support HB 23. 3:13:26 PM DOUG MASSIE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, WASILLA (via teleconference), spoke in favor of the legislation. He was a life-long Alaskan and presently an Alaska State Trooper within the Wildlife Division. He had served the State of Alaska for over 20 years. He relayed his personal perspective as a trooper having dealt with several line-of- duty deaths over the course of his career. He relayed a particular story about a rescue. He told of several thoughts that ran through his mind being the first responder at the scene waiting for others to arrive. He wondered if his family would be okay if he were the victim of the situation. He also wondered who would take care of them. He thought that surely the department and the state would take care of his family. He continued that HB 23 was right and just, and was a small way of providing peace of mind for the families of those that paid the ultimate price in protecting Alaskans. He asked the committee to support passing the legislation. 3:16:15 PM SHAUN KUZAKIN, PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, JUNEAU (via teleconference), supported HB 23. He read from a prepared statement: I would like to thank the committee for taking the time to listen to me today. My name is Shaun Kuzakin, I am a resident of Juneau, Vice President of the Public Safety Employees Association DPS Chapter (represents Troopers and Court Service Officers), and a husband and father of 2. I am here today in support of HB 23. "Officer shot and killed when she tried to confront a murder suspect of a local Walmart". "Officer shot and killed while responding to a 911 call about an armed man outside a home in the Dallas suburb of Little Elm". "A Louisiana Officer was shot and killed after he stopped to check on what he thought was a car accident". "A Deputy Sherriff was shot and killed following a vehicle pursuit of a stolen vehicle". These are actual headlines of in the line of duty deaths thus far in 2017. Reading these headlines cut through me like a dull blade. There is the anxiety of knowing that this can happen to any officer during the course of their career and a far deeper anxiety of knowing that your family must worry for you every day you put on the uniform and badge. I have proudly worn the badge of the Alaska State Troopers on my chest for more than 15 years. Every day the men and women of Law Enforcement in our great state must have the courage to face dangerous calls. Those men and women will run towards the danger when others do not. They do it every day regardless of the danger because of a commitment to the service of the people of Alaska. In our profession we talk about a warrior mentality, we train continuously, but we also know when certain calls are very dangerous. Honor, duty, and the drive to help others are what drive peace officers into that danger. When an officer dies in the line of duty, families must adjust to life without their loved one. Often, the family is faced with the loss of the primary breadwinner. While there is no amount of money or financial support that can compensate for the loss of a loved one, we can honor their service and ensure their families are not forgotten by providing survivor benefits. Please show your support for the men and women peace officers of our great state by passing this bill. 3:19:03 PM STEVEN CZAJKOWSKI, ALASKA STATE TROOPER, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support of HB 23. He read a few headlines from the current day having to do with officers being killed in the line of duty. He explained that honor, duty, and the drive to help others were what drove peace officers into potential danger. He thought HB 23 would provide a bubble of safety for their peace of mind. He thanked the committee members for supporting the legislation. 3:20:57 PM JAKE METCALFE, PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION (PSEA), ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), supported HB 23. He thanked Representative Josephson, Representative Millet, and others for supporting the legislation. He reported that PSEA had been advocating for the legislation for years. The organization thought the bill addressed an issue that should be a priority for the legislature to pass. Members of PSEA included the Alaska State Troopers and the police departments in several Alaskan communities. They went into danger every day, unlike other employees. The association believed that when an employer sent an employee into danger - like police officers and firefighters - it should be a priority for the state and the respective communities to take care of them and their families. He asked the committee, the House, and the Senate to pass HB 23. 3:23:21 PM DAN GRIMES, ALASKA STATE FIRE ASSOCIATION, SOLDOTNA (via teleconference), spoke in favor of the legislation. He had worked in emergency services since 1981 as a firefighter and a law enforcement officer. He emphasized how much the passage of HB 23 would mean to the men and women who dedicated their lives to serving others. They served with the knowledge that on any given day they might have to give their lives to save another. He confirmed that the dangers of their work were real. He wanted to impress upon members that the same men and women who were willing to tackle evil and to sacrifice much for those in need, lived with the fear of leaving their loved ones without a provider. He saw HB 23 as an opportunity for the legislature to help make a difference. He urged members to support HB 23. 3:26:06 PM ANNE MOEN SELF, EAGLE RIVER (via teleconference), supported HB 23. She was the widow of James Moen, a fallen Fish and Wildlife Protection Officer for the Alaska State Troopers. She spoke of her experience in seeking help after her husband's death. Her husband had been a Tier 1 employee and was able to receive help. She emphasized that she could not have gone out and immediately found full-time employment that would have provided adequate medical coverage for herself and her four children. Nor were her children ready to have their only surviving parent working full-time. She was saddened to find out that coverage for a fallen officer's family was no longer available. She encouraged members to do the right thing by passing HB 23. 3:28:02 PM ARN SALAO, ANCHORAGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), urged members to support HB 23. He shared that he had been shot in the line of duty and about his fears around whether his family would have been taken care of if he had died. He asked members to support the legislation. 3:29:12 PM DARCY PERRY, ANCHORAGE AIRPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in favor of HB 23. She realized that her husband would not be covered if she were killed on the job after hearing Brandy Johnson speak about her troubles 30 days after her husband died in the line of duty. She relayed that it was comforting to know a potential coverage would be available for his surviving family members. She thought that providing medical insurance was the least the state could provide for employees that protected the state. Co-Chair Foster confirmed that there were no other testifiers online or in the committee room. He encouraged the public to provide their written testimony. Co-Chair Foster CLOSED Public Testimony. HB 23 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. Co-Chair Foster asked members to submit any amendments by Friday afternoon at 5:00 PM.