SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE February 29, 2024 1:33 p.m. 1:33:45 PM CALL TO ORDER Co-Chair Olson called the Senate Finance Committee meeting to order at 1:33 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Donny Olson, Co-Chair Senator Click Bishop Senator Kelly Merrick Senator David Wilson MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair Senator Jesse Kiehl ALSO PRESENT Ken Alper, Staff, Senate Finance Committee; Representative Andi Story, Sponsor; Senator Matt Claman, Sponsor; Claire Lubke, Staff, Senator Matt Claman. SUMMARY SB 91 TELEHEALTH: MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE TEAM CSSB 91(FIN) REPORTED OUT of committee with two "do pass" recommendations, two "no recommendations" and one new fiscal note from the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. SB 132 EMPLOYMENT TAX FOR EDUCATION FACILITIES CS SB 132(FIN) REPORTED OUT of committee with two "do pass" recommendations, one "do not pass" recommendation, and one "no recommendation"; and one new zero fiscal note from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and one new fiscal note from the Department of Revenue. CSHB 26(TRB) OFFICIAL LANG; COUNCIL FOR AK NATIVE LANG SCS CSHB 26(FIN) REPORTED out of committee with two "do pass" recommendations, two "no recommendations" and two new fiscal notes from the Department of Education and Early Development. CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 26(TRB) "An Act relating to the official languages of the State of Alaska; renaming the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council as the Council for Alaska Native Languages; and relating to the Council for Alaska Native Languages." 1:34:55 PM Senator Merrick MOVED to ADOPT the committee substitute for CS HB 26(TRB), Work Draft 33-LS0266\S (Bergerud, 2/27/24). Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion. 1:35:25 PM KEN ALPER, STAFF, SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, discussed the Explanation of Changes (copy on file): Change 1: At the request of the Council, the Council is being moved from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to the Department of Education and Early Development. To do so, the current statute establishing the Council, in AS 44.33.520, is repealed. Similar language re- establishing the Council is added in AS 14.07.200. The other changes that the earlier version of the bill was making, which included changing the name of the Council, adding two languages to the list of official language of the state, and expanding the Council from five to seven members, remain in the new Department of Education language. Change 2: Adds transition language ensuring that current Council members' appointments, as well as any adopted orders and regulations, remain in effect despite moving the council. The staff position providing services to the Council does not automatically move to Education; this would have to be done through the budget process. Change 3: Deletes one sentence in AS 44.12.320 that states the English language is to be used in all government functions and actions, because this has been determined to be unconstitutional and is notated as such in the statute books. Co-Chair Olson REMOVED his OBJECTION. There being no further objection, it was so ordered. 1:37:54 PM REPRESENTATIVE ANDI STORY, SPONSOR, agreed with the changes within the committee substitute. Senator Merrick MOVED to REPORT SCS CS HB 26(FIN) from committee with individual recommendations, and attached fiscal note. There being no objection, it was so ordered. SCS CSHB 26(FIN) REPORTED out of committee with two "do pass" recommendations, two "no recommendations" and two new fiscal notes from the Department of Education and Early Development. 1:39:16 PM AT EASE 1:42:08 PM RECONVENED SENATE BILL NO. 91 "An Act relating to telehealth; relating to multidisciplinary care teams; and relating to the practice of medicine." 1:42:18 PM Senator Wilson MOVED to ADOPT the committee substitute for SB 91, Work Draft 33-LS0193\S (A. Radford, 2/27/24). Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion. 1:42:53 PM KEN ALPER, STAFF, SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE discussed the Explanation of Changes (copy on file): Change 1: Clarifies that the Telehealth option is available if the services provided by the multidisciplinary care team are not reasonably available in the state. Change 2: Reorganizes the changes made in the prior draft by adding a new subsection (3) to AS 08.02.130(b), regarding ongoing treatment and follow- up care provided by an out of state physician and that physician's multidisciplinary care team. Change 3: Clarifies that all members of the multidisciplinary care team must be licensed in another state. Change 4: Adds "advanced nurse practitioner" to the list of providers that are eligible to be part of a multidisciplinary care team. Change 5: Removes the section that required all members of a team to register with the department. The existing statute requiring the employer to register with the state, which was added in earlier Telehealth legislation, will apply to multidisciplinary care team members. Senator Wilson felt that Mr. Alper's comments about "earlier telehealth legislation" should be corrected to say, "earlier telehealth committee." Mr. Alper replied that the change was in a previous committee, but was referring to telehealth legislation that was passed a few years prior. Co-Chair Olson REMOVED his OBJECTION. There being no further objection, it was so ordered. 1:46:02 PM SENATOR MATT CLAMAN, SPONSOR, agreed with the changes in the committee substitute. Co-Chair Olson requested closing comments. 1:46:53 PM CLAIRE LUBKE, STAFF, SENATOR MATT CLAMAN, stated that she had no additional comments. Co-Chair Olson asked whether Ms. Lubke was in support of the changes. Ms. Lubke replied in the affirmative. Senator Wilson MOVED to REPORT SB 91 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. There being no objection, it was so ordered. CSSB 91(FIN) REPORTED OUT of committee with two "do pass" recommendations, two "no recommendations" and one new fiscal note from the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. 1:47:45 PM AT EASE 1:50:33 PM RECONVENED SENATE BILL NO. 132 "An Act imposing an annual educational facilities maintenance and construction tax on net earnings from self-employment and wages; relating to the administration and enforcement of the educational facilities maintenance and construction tax; and providing for an effective date." 1:50:53 PM Senator Bishop MOVED to ADOPT the committee substitute for SB 132, Work Draft 33-LS0764\U (Nauman, 2/28/24). Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion. 1:51:38 PM KEN ALPER, STAFF, SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE discussed the Explanation of Changes (copy on file): Change 1: Adds language that, for self-employed individuals, the tax is due to the department no later than April 15th of the next calendar year. Change 2: In AS 43.45.021(e), page 3 line 17 of the CS, changes "shall" to "may" regarding the ability of the Department of Revenue to coordinate tax administration with the Department of Labor if this would result in cost savings to the state. Change 3: Updates the effective date to January 1, 2025. Co-Chair Olson REMOVED his OBJECTION. There being no further objection, it was so ordered. 1:52:39 PM SENATOR CLICK BISHOP, SPONSOR felt that the bill was a small step forward to meeting the huge unfunded deferred maintenance for education. 1:54:00 PM AT EASE 1:55:27 PM RECONVENED 1:55:40 PM Senator Bishop MOVED to REPORT SB 132 out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. There being no objection, it was so ordered. CS SB 132(FIN) REPORTED OUT of committee with two "do pass" recommendations, one "do not pass" recommendation, and one "no recommendation"; and one new zero fiscal note from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and one new fiscal note from the Department of Revenue. 1:55:57 PM AT EASE 1:57:14 PM RECONVENED Co-Chair Olson discussed housekeeping. ADJOURNMENT 1:57:28 PM The meeting was adjourned at 1:57 p.m.