SB 131-WORKERS' COMP DISABILITY FOR FIREFIGHTERS  3:47:36 PM CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the final 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." 3:47:52 PM CO-CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) for SB 131(TITLE AM), Version 32-LS0598\I, Marx, 2/23/22 ("Version I"), as the working document. 3:48:09 PM REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY objected for discussion purposes. 3:48:21 PM CHELSEA WARD-WALLER, Staff, Representative Ivy Spohnholz, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of the House Labor and Commerce Committee presented the committee's proposed CS for the bill. She spoke from the document in the committee packet, titled "Summary of Changes, HCS SB 131 (L&C) Version A.A to Version I", which read [original punctuation provided]: Section 1  Page 1, line 13; Replaces "malignant melanoma" with "skin cancer" Page 2, lines 7-12; Adds cervical cancer, testicular cancer, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, colon cancer, and thyroid cancer to the list of diseases with presumptive claim for disability compensation for firefighters. Section 2  Page 2, lines 30-31 and page 3, lines 1-6; Inserts a new section that amends AS 23.30.121 (f) to define firefighter as a person employed by a state or municipal fire department, or member of a volunteer fire department registered with the state fire marshal, including a person registered for the purposes of workers' compensation. Renumbers the following section accordingly. Section 3  Page 3, line 9; adds the definitions in Section 2 AS 23.30.121 (f) applicable for claims made on or after the effective date of the act. 3:49:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN inquired about the likely cost of these expanded line items that will be transferred through the system for this expanded coverage. CO-CHAIR FIELDS responded that these proposed changes are informed by last year's testimony before the committee on the House companion bill sponsored by Representative Kaufman. He said that the insurer was consulted to gain a sense of the magnitude of these [proposed] changes and his recollection is that the cost impact was minimal and was considered in expanding the bill this way. Responding further, he agreed to provide a copy of that document for the committee's use in considering the proposed CS. REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN observed that testicular cancer is added but not ovarian cancer. He asked whether that is an omission or intentional. CO-CHAIR FIELDS replied that he does not remember and deferred to Ms. Ward-Waller to provide an answer. MS. WARD-WALLER responded that it was not intentional and therefore amendments could be looked at for that. REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN suggested the committee look at that omission as well as look at the collective cost impact. CO-CHAIR FIELDS agreed. 3:52:00 PM The committee took a brief at-ease. 3:52:07 PM REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY removed his objection to the motion to adopt Version I as the working document. There being no further objection, Version I was before the committee. [SB 131(TITLE AM) was held over.]