CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 78(FIN)                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act  establishing  a loan  repayment  program  and                                                                    
     employment  incentive program  for certain  health care                                                                    
     professionals employed in the  state; and providing for                                                                    
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:13:37 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BOB HERRON, introduced  HB 78 and stated that                                                                    
the bill  would provide financial incentives  for healthcare                                                                    
throughout  the  state.  He  furthered  that  Alaska  needed                                                                    
healthcare  occupations   filled,  and  the   bill  provided                                                                    
incentives  for people  to live  and work  in Alaska  in the                                                                    
specific health care fields.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  noted  the  one  zero  fiscal  note  from                                                                    
Department  of Education  and Early  Development (DEED)  and                                                                    
one fiscal impact note from  Department of Health and Social                                                                    
Services (DHSS).                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MARIE  DARLIN,   ALASKA  ASSOCIATION  OF   RETIRED  PERSONS,                                                                    
testified in  support of  HB 78.  She explained  that Alaska                                                                    
had  the  highest  percentage  of  retired  persons  in  the                                                                    
country  who  decide  to  stay in  their  home  state  after                                                                    
retirement.  She  stressed  that  it  was  critical  to  the                                                                    
seniors'  health  care that  the  health  care positions  be                                                                    
filled with competent employees.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
10:16:44 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
KAREN  PURDUE, PRESIDENT  & CEO,  ALASKA STATE  HOSPITAL AND                                                                    
NURSING  HOME ASSOCIATION,  ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference),                                                                    
spoke  in strong  support  of  HB 78.  She  stated that  the                                                                    
Nursing Home  Association represented  all the  hospitals in                                                                    
Alaska and  that it  employed about  half of  the healthcare                                                                    
professionals  in   Alaska.  She  concluded  and   that  the                                                                    
legislation  would  assist  with  recruiting  and  retaining                                                                    
healthcare professionals.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  voiced his strong  support or HB 78.  He felt                                                                    
that the  Alaska population  faced decreasing  resources and                                                                    
decreasing medical  care, so  Alaska needed  to "step  up to                                                                    
the band wagon."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
HB  78  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.