HB 133-AK ED SAVINGS PROGRAMS/ELIGIBILITY  2:04:37 PM CHAIR WILSON reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 133(L&C) "An Act relating to the Alaska savings program for eligible individuals; relating to education savings programs; relating to the Education Trust of Alaska; relating to the Alaska advance college tuition savings fund; relating to the Alaska education savings program for children; and relating to the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education." 2:05:26 PM REPRESENTATIVE ZACK FIELDS, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, stated that an update to the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act was necessary because federal changes occurred after the program was established in Alaska. Federal changes included the potential to increase account sizes, account flexibility, and age limit. 2:06:08 PM At ease. 2:06:41 PM CHAIR WILSON reconvened the meeting. SENATOR HUGHES asked for the new federal disability age limit. She recalled hearing 49 but could only find documentation stating age 26. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS responded that the age is 46; however, HB 133 was written with conforming language. If the federal government makes changes in the future, the age in Alaska will automatically change. 2:07:57 PM SENATOR HUGHES asked if the age change might be in regulation. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS deferred the question to his staff. 2:08:20 PM TRISTAN WALSH, Staff, Representative Zack Fields, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, replied that federal legislation to raise the onset age of disability to 46 was debated but not finalized. HB 133 will keep state statutes mirroring federal law. 2:08:57 PM SENATOR HUGHES reiterated that the federal age is still 26, but the federal government is considering 46. SENATOR BEGICH sought clarification that HB 133 would follow federal regulatory changes. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS stated that is correct. 2:09:39 PM CHAIR WILSON opened invited testimony. 2:09:54 PM PATRICK STOCKS, Attorney, Disability Law Center of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, stated that the Disability Law Center of Alaska is the Protection and Advocacy System (P&A's) agent in Alaska. In 2016 it advocated for the passage of the ABLE Act. ABLE accounts have been the solution that allows many disabled individuals to go to school, maintain housing or obtain employment while still receiving benefits. The account is a tax- preferred savings vehicle that essentially does not count against asset limits for Medicaid, Financial Services Institute (FSI), and public assistance programs. MR. STOCKS explained that HB 133 would allow rollovers from ABLE and 529 accounts, giving disabled individuals greater control over saving and spending for disability-related expenses. HB 133 also ties ABLE state requirements to controlling federal requirements, allowing federal changes to immediately take effect at the state level, saving the agency time and resources. 2:13:30 PM CHAIR WILSON opened public testimony on HB 133; he found none, and closed public testimony. 2:13:48 PM SENATOR HUGHES suggested Alaska's congressional delegation be encouraged to support an increase in the onset age of disability. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS agreed. 2:14:23 PM CHAIR WILSON held HB 133 in committee.