ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
January 31, 2018
1:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator David Wilson, Chair
Senator Natasha von Imhof, Vice Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Tom Begich
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL
EDUCATION
- HEARD
SENATE BILL NO. 128
"An Act establishing the marijuana education and treatment fund;
and relating to the duties of the Department of Health and
Social Services to administer a comprehensive marijuana use
education and treatment program."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 128
SHORT TITLE: MARIJUANA EDU/TREATMENT FUND/PROGRAM
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) GIESSEL
01/16/18 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/8/18
01/16/18 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/18 (S) HSS, FIN
01/31/18 (S) HSS AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
PATRICK REINHART, Executive Director
Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented on the Governor's Council on
Disabilities and Special Education.
MAGGIE WINSTON, Chair
Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education
Kenai, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented on the Governor's Council on
Disabilities and Special Education.
JEANNE GERHARDT-CYRUS, Chair
FASD Working Group
Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education
Kiana, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented on the Governor's Council on
Disabilities and Special Education.
JANE CONWAY, Staff
Senator Giessel
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the sectional analysis of SB 128.
JAY BUTLER, M.D., Chief Medical Officer/Director
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information on SB 128.
TREVOR STORRS, Executive Director
Alaska Children's Trust
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Suggested changes to SB 128.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:30:26 PM
CHAIR DAVID WILSON called the Senate Health and Social Services
Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Present at the
call to order were Senators Giessel, von Imhof, Begich, and
Micciche, and Chair Wilson.
^Presentation: Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special
Education
PRESENTATION: GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL
EDUCATION
1:30:53 PM
CHAIR WILSON announced the presentation by the Governor's
Council on Disabilities and Special Education.
1:31:36 PM
PATRICK REINHART, Executive Director, Governor's Council on
Disabilities and Special Education, presented on the Governor's
Council on Disabilities and Special Education. He said the
council addresses three federal responsibilities and two state
ones in one group with a 25-member board:
Developmental Disabilities Council (large amount of
federal funding is received for this purpose)
Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and
Toddlers with Disabilities (required by the federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Beneficiary Advisory Board to the Alaska Mental Health
Trust Authority
Special Education Advisory Panel (also an IDEA
requirement)
Governing Body of the Special Education Service Agency
MR. REINHART said the council just completed its five-year plan.
Its priorities are:
Empowered to live and thrive in communities
Competitively employed in integrated setting
Skills for education success and independence
Receive appropriate services and support
Improved quality of life
1:34:28 PM
MAGGIE WINSTON, Chair, Governor's Council on Disabilities and
Special Education, presented on the Governor's Council on
Disabilities and Special Education. She shared the council's
vision statement:
Alaskans share a vision of a flexible system in which
each person directs their own supports, based on their
strengths and abilities, toward a meaningful life in
their home, their job and their community. Our vision
includes supported families, professional staff and
services available throughout the state now and into
the future.
MS. WINSTON said she was disabled at 21 by a rare neurological
disorder. At the time she had twin one-year-olds. She was able
to navigate the system to acquire a Medicaid waiver to stay in
her own home to receive services. She got her own home through
RurAL CAP (Rural Alaska Community Action Program). She went to
college and will be working on a master's in psychology. All of
this was and is possible because of services she receives in her
own home. She has a job as a systems advocate with the Soldotna
Independent Living Center. The state budget is tight, but it is
essential that these services are available in the community and
in people's homes. Otherwise, the option would be an
institutional setting.
She said she is in a large battle with the division about her
services. She had been receiving 24-hour services in her home
but that has been cut to 35 hours a week. If she doesn't receive
services at home, then she will be in a nursing home where she
cannot be a mom and have a job. They are asking for support for
the shared vision of developmental disabilities services to be
received in an integrated community setting.
1:38:43 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE asked whether the council has tried to educate
legislators about the codes or specific services used for
disabilities. Legislators are intending to keep the Department
of Health and Social Services' (DHSS) budget flat, but he
believes government is here to help people who simply cannot
afford to provide that care themselves.
MR. REINHART said the council gets involved when the Department
of Education and Early Development and DHSS issue regulations or
policies related to services. A Medicaid ad hoc committee
provides comments. Changes are happening rapidly, probably
because of SB 74. The council could provide the council's
comments on various services.
SENATOR MICCICHE said waiting for regulations from the
departments is late for the legislature. The legislature is the
appropriating body and they need to prioritize spending. They
have never questioned the cost of Medicaid for the disabled and
associated services. He suggested that perhaps Mr. Reinhart
could be available for the subcommittee process
1:41:53 PM
MR. REINHART presented a graph, "Moving Forward Together:
Alaska's Developmental Disabilities System," to illustrate the
state's evolving system. In 1997 Harborview Developmental Center
closed. The cost for delivering services in communities is about
a third of what it would cost if Harborview were open today. The
waivers are worthwhile. They are the most important thing in the
whole developmental disabilities (DD) system. They allow people
to live independently in the community. The vision is toward
more meaningful lives, more employment, more opportunities to be
involved in communities.
MR. REINHART thanked Senator Micciche for planning to originate
the Developmental Disabilities Shared Vision Bill so that the
lens of home-based services will always be in statute.
MR. REINHART said shared this definition of Supported Decision
Making (SDM):
Supported Decision Making (SDM) can be best defined
as: relationships, practices, arrangements, and
agreements of more or less formality and intensity
that are designed to assist an individual with a
disability to make and communicate to others,
decisions about the individual's life.
Alaska has an overabundance of full guardianships. The council
wants a mechanism for something less severe with more individual
input. Supported Decision Making is a new movement. It may take
some burden from the the Office of Public Advocacy
MR. REINHART said the council is working with Representative
Millett on a Supported Decision Making Bill modeled after
similar legislation in Texas, Delaware, and other states. It is
a civil rights issue. It allows people to decide what issues
they want help with and what issues they don't.
1:46:51 PM
JEANNE GERHARDT-CYRUS, Chair, FASD Working Group, Governor's
Council on Disabilities and Special Education, presented on the
Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education. She
shared that she is a parent of multiple children with prenatal
exposure to alcohol. She said the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders' (FASDs) work group finalized their vision:
The prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
(FASDs) is reduced and individuals who experience
FASDs and their caregivers are empowered to reach
their unique and full potential. Through education,
prevention, and provision of quality, relevant
supports and services, Alaska is a FASDs-informed
state.
MS. GERHARDT-CYRUS said many people do not know that the
majority of people with prenatal exposure to alcohol do not
qualify for developmental disabilities services.
MS. GERHARDT-CYRUS shared the work group's goals from its 5-year
plan.
1. Raise awareness of FASDs, a range of
neurodevelopmental (brain-based) disabilities that can
affect any person exposed to alcohol before birth.
2. Reduce the incidence of alcohol-exposed pregnancies.
3. Address the stigma associated with FASDs by educating
Alaskans to understand the complexities of the
disability in a way that honors the strengths of those
impacted, to promote an inclusive, accepting culture.
4. Reduce the co-occurrence of childhood trauma and FASDs
by increasing supports for high-risk families,
building resilience, and improving access to treatment
for early childhood trauma.
5. Define and promote FASDs-informed care in Alaska.
6. Advocate for fully funded appropriate services, supports
and education for individuals and families with FASDs to
increase self-advocacy, prevent crises, and reduce adverse
outcomes, such as substance misuse, incarceration, and
suicide.
1:51:37 PM
SENATOR BEGICH said he served on the juvenile justice advisory
committee and asked what kind of coordination the council does
with the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). He said the
estimates of youth affected by FAS in the system vary from 20 to
60 percent.
MS. GERHARDT-CYRUS recognized Shannon Cross for her work in DJJ.
The work group has representation from many groups, although she
could not recall at the moment whether anyone from DJJ is on the
work group.
SENATOR VON IMHOF asked about the law that put pregnancy tests
in bars.
MS. GERHARDT-CYRUS said she did not know much about the effects,
although she had heard it was successful in some cases.
1:54:33 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL said there had been a report on that bill,
perhaps two years ago. Five women had sent notes thanking DHSS
for the pregnancy tests and stating their behavior had changed
as a result of the tests.
MS. GERHARDT-CYRUS said that showed that the women had some
knowledge about the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure.
She said that five work groups will meet quarterly to develop
action plans. Most of the work group is composed of volunteers.
MR. REINHART said the Governor's Council also includes an ad hoc
autism group that accomplished these goals:
• Last year the group was focused on the fact that
the state was losing the only neurodevelopmental
specialist. Now there will be a pediatric
neurodevelopmental specialist at Providence and
at Alaska Native Health Tribal Consortium.
• Rural outreach clinics traveled to 11 different
communities.
• Alaska ECHO Autism is an opportunity for
providers from around the state to video
teleconference with experts from across the
country.
1:58:25 PM
MR. REINHART said the legislature approved Applied Behavioral
Analysis (ABA) as a treatment for people with difficult
behaviors. Paying for ABA has been an issue so the Division of
Behavioral Health drafted regulations. The ad hoc group's
comments are noted in the information below.
• Early Periodic Screening Detection and Treatment
(EPSDT) requires Medicaid autism treatment
coverage for children under 21
• Final regulations in March or April
• 8.2 Million fiscal note
• Council gave these comments:
o Needs supervision coverage
o Remove "fail first" requirement
o Rates are low
o Recommended working with Alaska Association
for Behavior Analysis (AKABA)
SENATOR VON IMHOF asked whether the $8.2 million fiscal note
would be an additional cost to the state.
MR. REINHART said that was the fiscal note then, but he doesn't
know the present fiscal note.
SENATOR VON IMHOF asked if the amount would come from
undesignated general funds.
MR. REINHART said it would be Medicaid funding, so half and
half.
SENATOR VON IMHOF said that former Senator Bill Stoltze had
spoken about an autistic charter school. She asked whether the
council had considered something like this.
2:02:09 PM
MR. REINHART said the Alaska Mental Health Trust invested some
funding into a pilot school in Anchorage that has four very
young students with challenging behaviors that is in its first
month of operation.
SENATOR MICCICHE asked whether the state is getting the 100
percent Medicaid match from IHS [Indian Health Service] for
services for the Alaska Native Community.
MR REINHART said he did not know.
MR. REINHART said the council is focusing on universal
development screening.
Goal: to develop and implement a sustainable, cost
effective, efficient method of universal screening
• One in four children ages 0-5 years is at risk
for a developmental delay
• Only 32 percent of Alaskan parents report having
any standardized developmental screening
• Council convened a Universal Screening Task Force
Midwest Academy with multiple partners
o Public and Tribal Health
o Head Start
o Child Care
• House efforts in one place (Help Me Grow)
o Streamline data collection
o Maximize impact
MR. REINHART gave an update on ABLE accounts. ABLE accounts
allow people to save money in special accounts, similar to
college 529 savings accounts, for disability-related expenses.
Currently Alaska has 94 ABLE accounts with $395,771 in funds. He
thanked Senator Giessel for helping to get the ABLE bill passed.
ABLE accounts enable people to help themselves and to get out of
poverty. It is a vicious cycle to be dependent on benefits all
the time. With federal tax changes, college 529 accounts can be
changed to ABLE accounts.
2:07:52 PM
MR. REINHART said Alaska is an Employment First state, which
focuses on programs providing services to focus on work, and
gave the following update:
• Repeal of subminimum wage in Alaska (DOLWD)
• Transition handbook launched (DHSS)
• MOU with Employment First Philosophy (DHSS &
DOLWD)
• Employment First Job Fair entering 4th year (DHSS
& DOLWD)
• Business Employment Services Team (BEST)
continued joint employer engagement efforts
(DOLWD & DHSS)
• Increased focus on transition through Jobz Clubs,
Transition Camps, and summer work experiences
(DOLWD & DEED)
• Regulation changes-including employment first
language of "employment and work in competitive,
integrated settings" (DHSS)
SENATOR MICCICHE asked if someone is disabled, is there a limit
on income in order not to lose services.
MR. REINHART said there are income requirements for most
services. Up to $15,000 a year can be put into ABLE accounts.
Some programs are just about providing services for a specific
disability.
2:12:34 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE said that in Finance, a question came up about
income limits and penalizing people for earning too much.
MR. REINHART said their goal is that people look for
opportunities to be employed and be part of society. The council
has a web-based tool, Benefits 101, that people can use to
determine how income might affect services. It is very
complicated. The council has been investing money to train
people in this area of benefit calculations.
2:14:37 PM
SENATOR BEGICH asked what take away he wanted to leave the
committee with as members work through the subcommittee budget
process.
MR. REINHART said that "home and community-based services is
good bang for the buck." That is the most important issue.
SENATOR VON IMHOF asked how Alaska compared to other states.
MR. REINHART said Alaska ranks well in state comparisons of
home-and-community-based services. Alaska was one of the first
to get rid of a developmental disability institution. He would
share those comparisons with the committee.
2:16:56 PM
SENATOR VON IMHOF said reports over time would be helpful.
2:17:15 PM
At ease.
SB 128-MARIJUANA EDU/TREATMENT FUND/PROGRAM
2:17:23 PM
CHAIR WILSON announced the consideration of SB 128 with his
intention to hear and hold the bill.
2:19:43 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of SB 128,
said she knew many people would question the need for another
fund. "Well, frankly, Mr. Chairman, I blame the hippies from my
generation of the 60s and 70s who raised kids who were led to
believe that this Schedule I, hallucinogenic drug was harmless,"
she said. These people voted to put this drug on the street
corners and it is now readily available. The state needs to deal
with that. "Those old hippies' grandchildren are at risk," she
said, as she sees them in school-based clinics.
She said these kids deal with jaw-dropping things. She does
screening for depression, suicidal ideation, and drug use. She
needs better tools to talk to them about marijuana use. She does
not run across kids who smoke because the smoking education fund
has worked.
She said government should be involved because government "is
taking a tax on this tapeworm that is sucking life out of
people." This bill takes some of this money to the Division of
Public Health to create materials for students and adults.
Grants will be available to private sector non-profits to go
forth on education and treatment programs funded by taxes
collected.
2:22:56 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL said the bill is being offered at the request of
DHSS. The fund mirrors the Tobacco Use Education and Cessation
Fund. The bill counters the message that legal means safe and
harmless, a belief that many schoolkids are led to believe, and
the message that this is a money-maker for staff coffers.
She said the bill allows DHSS to collect data on the use of
marijuana, the public attitude and knowledge about this drug and
how to protect the cognitive abilities and health of our youth
through education, mostly about side effects. This will be done
through grants to local organizations. The bill does not specify
organizations because the government should not pick winners or
losers. Many groups are ready to do this work.
2:24:48 PM
JANE CONWAY, Staff, Senator Giessel, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, presented the sectional analysis of SB 128.
Section 1 AS 43.61.010(d) is technical and conforming
language that clarifies which fund is being referenced
in this section that is about the recidivism reduction
fund. Since we are establishing another fund, the
Marijuana Education and Treatment Fund in another
subsection to follow, Legislative Legal wanted to
correctly name which fund is being addressed to
prevent any confusion.
Section 2 AS 43.61.010 is a new subsection that
creates the Marijuana Education and Treatment Fund
within the general fund. After receiving tax collected
from marijuana sales, the Dept. of Administration
shall separately account for and deposit 25% of those
proceeds into the Fund, and the legislature may
appropriate those monies for the purpose of funding
DHSS programs for marijuana use education and
treatment. This section specifies that the money in
this fund does not lapse.
MS. CONWAY noted that Section 3 has minor fixes from Legislative
Legal.
Section 3 AS 44.29.020(a) contains two minor fixes
from Leg Legal that adds the word "the" to (11) of
this section, and also the word "to" to item (14). It
also adds to this section that DHSS will administer
the marijuana education and treatment program by grant
or contract out this program to other organizations in
Alaska. This section outlines 5 components of the
program that must be included: 1. A community-based
marijuana misuse prevention component 2. Marijuana
public education geared toward prevention of youth
initiation of marijuana use, education re: the effects
of marijuana use and education re: marijuana laws 3.
Survey of youth and adults concerning knowledge,
awareness, attitude and use of marijuana products 4.
Monitoring of the public's health relating to
consequences of marijuana use 5. Provide for substance
abuse screening, brief intervention, referral and
treatment
SENATOR VON IMHOF said the sponsor statement has an estimate of
$9 million to be collected in taxes. She asked if a contingency
plan is in place if less than 9 million is collected.
SENATOR GIESSEL deferred the question to the division.
2:27:46 PM
SENATOR BEGICH disclosed a conflict of interest as he works with
Portland State University as a trainer and consultant on the
Reclaiming Futures Project, which deals with the substance abuse
screener referenced on page 3. lines 24 and 25. He could
financially benefit from the bill if Portland State University
were to win a grant.
2:28:40 PM
JAY BUTLER, M.D., Chief Medical Officer/Director, Department of
Health and Social Services (DHSS), presented information on SB
128. He responded to Senator Imhoff's question by stating that
the health education component could be very plastic, depending
on the assessments of the situation, and he asked for
flexibility to focus on "what is rather than what I think it is
going to be."
DR. BUTLER said the Marijuana Education and Treatment Fund would
be similar to the Tobacco Use Education and Cessation fund in
terms of how tax revenues are used. Twenty-five percent of the
marijuana excise tax would go to the fund. Currently 50 percent
goes to the recidivism fund and 50 percent to the general fund.
The bill would divide the 50 percent that goes to the general
fund between the general fund and the marijuana education fund.
He said the overarching goal is statewide coordination between
youth prevention, public health and safety, and youth
prevention. About 10 percent of marijuana users will be
diagnosed with cannabis use disorder, which is similar to
alcohol-use rates. The risk is two-fold when regular marijuana
use begins in the teen years, so an emphasis is to delay use of
marijuana in youth. The top public health and safety risk is
driving under the influence of marijuana.
2:33:28 PM
DR. BUTLER outlined the five parts to a comprehensive program:
• Community-based marijuana misuse prevention, with
a focus on youth prevention
• Assessment of knowledge and awareness of laws,
and use of marijuana products
• Monitoring of population health impact related to
marijuana use and legalization
• Marijuana education
• Substance abuse screening, brief intervention,
referral, and treatment (SBIRT)
He said community-based marijuana misuse prevention is about
local efforts to prevent misuse before it starts by mitigating
risk factors and enhancing existing programs for public health
and education to address substance misuse prevention.
He said that the Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that kids in
afterschool programs report a lower frequency of marijuana use
and initiation.
SENATOR MICCICHE said he has been on the board of the Boys and
Girls Club for 25 years. He asked what model programs would
cost. He wondered if the bill should have a cap on proposed
allocations if marijuana revenues continue to increase.
DR. BUTLER responded that may be a Finance Committee question.
He said that a robust afterschool program may need a larger
proportion than exists now. The projections for total marijuana
tax revenue is $10 million a year.
2:37:08 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE said he still hears from people who think
marijuana sales will save the state from its fiscal gap, but he
understands that revenue is not expected to grow significantly.
SENATOR BEGICH asked what model programs and robustness mean to
the department.
DR. BUTLER said robust programs have data to show less use. He
noted the interest shown to the Iceland model, in which teen
substance use has declined dramatically over the last 20 years.
The press has simplified the solution to afterschool and sports
programs. There also has been a shift in social norms of what is
good parenting, as well as regulation. Curfew hours are enforced
and alcohol store hours are limited.
SENATOR BEGICH said he wanted to focus on afterschool programs.
He asked if DHSS would have strict requirements for efficient
programs. He does not want to divert money to programs that have
no effect.
DR. BUTLER said that would be a Request for Proposals
requirement.
CHAIR WILSON said he thought the initial percentage of
allocations by DHSS was lower than 25 percent and asked why it
is higher now.
2:41:41 PM
DR. BUTLER said that the proposal is not small. The proposal is
not as ambitious as in some states, such as Colorado, which has
a yearly expert panel on the effect of legalization. DHSS wants
to maximize the ability to provide a good public health model to
regulate legal, retail marijuana.
He said the second component is assessment and monitoring of the
following:
Assessment of trends in knowledge, awareness,
attitudes, and behaviors to address misperceptions and
knowledge gaps
Monitoring health status and use trends to identify
any health or health system effects of legalization
Some questions that require answers:
• Do youth perceive marijuana as a less harmful
substance due to legalization?
• Do youth and adults see driving under the
influence of marijuana as dangerous?
• How has marijuana legalization affected Alaskans'
health and safety?
2:44:28 PM
DR. BUTLER said the last question may take time to answer.
SENATOR VON IMHOF asked if DHSS is working with Colorado and
Oregon to compare data, such as the rate of car accident under
the influence.
DR. BUTLER said states have frequent phone contact and meetings,
when possible, with surveillance gurus from the Centers for
Disease Control about how to do these assessments in
standardized ways. States look to each other for leadership.
SENATOR GIESSEL said she has been very interested in the subject
of marijuana-impaired driving and in a meeting a month ago, the
Anchorage Police Department said they had documented 25 fatal
car accidents attributable to marijuana-impaired driving. She
suggested he be in contact with them to get the data.
DR. BUTLER said marijuana education seemed to be a big void
after legalization. Materials will be designed to communicate
messages to
1. help prevent youth initiation of marijuana use
2. educate the public about the health effects of
marijuana use
3. educate the public about marijuana laws
2:49:32 PM
DR. BUTLER said part of the education is needed for health care
professionals. Health care professionals may think back to their
hippie days when a joint was "half oregano." Now, high-tech
horticulture produces marijuana breeds with much higher levels
of THC. There are also a wide variety of products: vape
solutions, concentrates, edibles, topicals, etc.
He said providers need tools for substance abuse screening,
brief intervention, referral, and treatment (SBIRT). Use during
pregnancy is a concern. The health effects are unknown. Some
providers recommend it for morning sickness.
He said data on youth use shows that it has been stable over the
past ten years.
He said adults can help reduce youth marijuana use. Youth with
supportive teachers, parent communication, community
connections, and afterschool programs report less marijuana use.
DR. BUTLER said Alaska can join with Oregon, Washington,
Colorado, and California to direct tax funding towards a very
rational way to regulate retail marijuana to reduce the public
health risk with a minimum of regulation.
2:54:36 PM
SENATOR BEGICH asked if any increase had been shown in adult use
and why does the Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey show a higher
use among youth.
DR. BUTLER said the adult trend data for Alaska has been stable
at around 15-16 percent. He speculated that legalization could
increase availability and reduce the perception of harm among
youth.
SENATOR BEGICH said he hoped DHSS would produce yearly reports
about trend data so the legislature could track whether
education programs are effective.
SENATOR GIESSEL asked if he knew of the Office of Opioids and
Substance Abuse referenced by the Governor's Council on
Disabilities.
2:57:46 PM
MR BUTLER said it is actually the Office of Substance Misuse and
Addiction Prevention, which was created using existing funds and
positions from the Division of Public Health and the Division of
Behavioral Health. The office plays a coordinating role with a
focus on opioids and marijuana and prevention.
CHAIR WILSON asked how the fund is similar to and different than
the tobacco programs in the state.
DR. BUTLER said it is not significantly different, but
sustainability is one issue. A big proportion of the tobacco
prevention fund came from the master settlement, and those funds
are starting to decline. Marijuana retail sales would be a
sustainable source of funding for the Marijuana Education Fund.
3:00:37 PM
CHAIR WILSON opened public testimony on SB 128.
3:00:51 PM
TREVOR STORRS, Executive Director, Alaska Children's Trust,
suggested changes to SB 128. He said than when Alaska became the
third state to legalize recreational marijuana use, it came with
opportunities and challenges. The first priority is to protect
Alaska's youth because marijuana use in youth effects their
brain development. Four out of ten high school students have
used marijuana. Alaska needs specific youth prevention that
promotes protective factors. The proposal in the House utilizes
the Alaska Children's Trust and its program the Alaska
Afterschool Network to focus on youth use prevention. The Alaska
Children's Trust has a proven grant-making system with a greater
investment in services.
3:02:55 PM
MR STORR said connecting the funds to the Alaska Children's
Trust ensures higher standards and the highest possible outcomes
for youth. He encouraged the Senate to follow the House in
directing another 25 percent to afterschool programs.
3:03:41 PM
CHAIR WILSON closed public testimony on SB 128 and held the bill
in committee.
3:05:10 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Wilson adjourned the Senate Health and Social Services
Standing Committee at 3:05.