CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 320(FIN) "An Act relating to search and rescue training and search and rescue parties; requiring certain search and rescue volunteers to be considered state employees for purposes of workers' compensation coverage; and allowing political subdivisions to elect to provide workers' compensation insurance coverage for search and rescue personnel." Co-Chair Stedman reviewed that this was a first hearing on the bill with the intent to hear from the bill sponsor, take public testimony and confirm the will of the Committee. 6:07:25 PM Mike Pawlowski, Staff, Representative Kevin Meyer presented an overview of the bill history. Mr. Pawlowski explained that volunteers assisting state troopers in a search and rescue operation are not allowed or entitled to workers compensation and this bill seeks to rectify this wrong. He stressed that volunteers serve the state by rescuing people, and if the volunteer is hurt during a mission, they are not provided workers compensation. This bill would treat the volunteers as state employees and provide them some protection for their service. In Section 5 it would allow a municipality to extend similar coverage to the volunteers who are serving at the direction of a municipal search and rescue operation. He referred to support letter and emails from throughout the state. 6:09:55 PM Co-Chair Stedman reviewed the three fiscal notes. 6:10:16 PM Senator Elton pointed out that the City and Borough of Juneau does not have a state trooper therefore the municipality not the state would be forced to pick up the additional cost. 6:11:10 PM Mr. Pawlowski expressed that the state could not be held responsible for search and rescue activities they did not control. The municipalities would need to step up when they are in control and provide for the additional cost. 6:12:36 PM Senator Olson inquired if there would be any cost to the communities that are participating in many of these search and rescue operations. Mr. Pawlowski replied that the cost would be incurred to the community if the community decided to provide workers compensation to the volunteers. If a state trooper was involved, then the state would pick up the cost. Senator Olson inquired if the Alaska Municipal League had a position on this topic. Mr. Pawlowski replied that the Alaska Municipal League has taken no official position since it was left up to the discretion of the municipalities. 6:13:41 PM Senator Huggins questioned that when there is an aerial component in the search, such as a helicopter assist, would they also be covered under this bill. Mr. Pawlowski confirmed it would be covered the state troopers had requested the participation of the aerial component. 6:14:27 PM Senator Elton interjected that if the volunteer was a member of the Civil Air Patrol assisting the Air National Guard they would not be covered. Mr. Pawlowski agreed that they are separate, but if the Department of Public Safety initiates the search and rescue operation, then it would be covered. Co-Chair Hoffman inquired if those individuals who start on a search and rescue operation on the local level before a state trooper becomes involved would be covered. Mr. Pawlowski responded that local searchers would not be covered until a state trooper became involved. Co-Chair Hoffman inquired if the local individuals who continued the operation after the troopers were call would be covered. 6:17:13 PM Mr. Pawlowski responded that if the troopers take over the mission and the local volunteers are on the trooper roster, then they would be covered. Co-Chair Hoffman asked if that would require the state troopers to ask for their assistance or would they just sign up. 6:18:13 PM Mr. Pawlowski deferred the questioned to Lt. Rodney Dial. 6:18:40 PM RODNEY DIAL, LIEUTENANT, ALASKA STATE TROOPERS, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY testified via teleconference and replied that when the state troopers are notified of a search and rescue the process of authorizing participants begins. If volunteer participants search against the advice and operational control of the state troopers, then they would not be covered. Mr. Dial cited that there are search and rescue rosters throughout the state for the state troopers to call in an emergency situation. 6:21:13 PM Senator Elton believed that the new language in the bill states that the coverage will not begin until someone from the Commissioner or Commissioner Designee decides to organize the search. Senator Elton noted that often searches start before there is an official beginning. He asked for confirmation that if someone was injured before the official start then they would not be covered. 6:22:14 PM Lt. Dial responded that injured searchers would receive coverage from Risk Management not workers compensation. If the state troopers were not notified of an ongoing search and rescue operation then the searchers would have to take personal responsibility. 6:23:19 PM Co-Chair Hoffman remarked that because the large areas in Alaska local community often initiates a search and rescue operation hours before the official troopers are notified or able to respond. He inquired how state troopers would take over the search and make it official. 6:24:24 PM Lt. Dial responded that most local communities notify the official representatives in a timely manner about a search and rescue needs. He signified the importance of the local community to notify the state troopers even if someone is overdue so the troopers can cut a case number and make the action official. The responsibilities of the newly requested civilian position would be to coordinate and officially activate information coming into the department from local communities. 6:25:46 PM Co-Chair Hoffman inquired if the department would take the initiative to sign up the local searchers so they would be covered. 6:26:27 PM Lt. Dial responded that everyone asked by the department to help would be covered. Co-Chair Hoffman asked if the department would authorize this. Lt. Dial agreed that the department would authorize the individuals and the coverage would be automatic. 6:27:06 PM COREY AIST, PRESIDENT, ALASKA SEARCH AND RESCUE ASSOCIATION testified via teleconference and spoke in support of the bill. He clarified that the spontaneous searchers who respond to a search and rescue operation are not necessarily covered under this bill until the state troopers are notified. 6:28:42 PM CHUCK SPRINGER, FORMER PRESIDENT, ALASKA SEARCH AND RESCUE ASSOCIATION testified via teleconference and spoke in support of the bill. He cited that throughout Alaska local trained searchers selflessly provide help to the Department of Public Safety in a time of need. AT EASE: 6:30:04 PM RECONVENED: 6:31:40 PM Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to REPORT CSHB 320 (FIN) out of Committee with individual recommendation and accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. CSHB 320 (FIN) was REPORTED out of Committee with no recommendations and accompanying new fiscal noted from the Department of Administration and previously published fiscal notes from the Department of Administration, Department of Public Safety, and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. AT EASE: 6:32:23 PM RECONVNED: 6:37:48 PM