ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON SB 131  May 18, 2022 1:35 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Roger Holland, Chair Representative Andy Josephson, Vice Chair Senator Robert Myers Senator Scott Kawasaki Representative Adam Wool Representative Ben Carpenter MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR  SENATE BILL NO. 131(title am) "An Act relating to the presumption of compensability for a disability resulting from certain cancers in firefighters." HOUSE CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 131(FIN) "An Act relating to the presumption of compensability for a disability resulting from certain cancers in firefighters; relating to the payment of workers' compensation benefits in the case of permanent partial impairment; relating to the payment of workers' compensation death benefits; and providing for an effective date." - MOVED CCS SB 131 OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: SB 131 SHORT TITLE: WORKERS' COMPENSATION SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) HOLLAND 04/28/21 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 04/28/21 (S) CRA, L&C 05/06/21 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 05/06/21 (S) Heard & Held 05/06/21 (S) MINUTE(CRA) 05/11/21 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 05/11/21 (S) -- Invited & Public Testimony -- 05/13/21 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 05/13/21 (S) Moved SB 131 Out of Committee 05/13/21 (S) MINUTE(CRA) 05/14/21 (S) CRA RPT 2DP 2NR 05/14/21 (S) DP: HUGHES, GRAY-JACKSON 05/14/21 (S) NR: MYERS, WILSON 05/14/21 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 05/14/21 (S) Moved SB 131 Out of Committee 05/14/21 (S) MINUTE(L&C) 05/17/21 (S) L&C RPT 4DP 05/17/21 (S) DP: COSTELLO, MICCICHE, GRAY-JACKSON, STEVENS 05/18/21 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) 05/18/21 (S) VERSION: SB 131(TITLE AM) 05/19/21 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 05/19/21 (H) L&C 02/02/22 (H) L&C AT 5:15 PM BARNES 124 02/02/22 (H) Heard & Held 02/02/22 (H) MINUTE(L&C) 04/13/22 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124 04/13/22 (H) Heard & Held 04/13/22 (H) MINUTE(L&C) 04/20/22 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124 04/20/22 (H) Moved HCS SB 131(L&C) Out of Committee 04/20/22 (H) MINUTE(L&C) 04/25/22 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124 04/25/22 (H) Moved HCS SB 131(l&C) Out of Committee 04/25/22 (H) MINUTE(L&C) 04/26/22 (H) L&C RPT HCS(L&C) 6DP 04/26/22 (H) DP: SCHRAGE, MCCARTY, SNYDER, NELSON, FIELDS, SPOHNHOLZ 04/26/22 (H) FIN REFERRAL ADDED AFTER L&C 05/05/22 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM ADAMS 519 05/05/22 (H) Heard & Held 05/05/22 (H) MINUTE(FIN) 05/13/22 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM ADAMS 519 05/13/22 (H) Moved HCS SB 131(FIN) Out of Committee 05/13/22 (H) MINUTE(FIN) 05/16/22 (H) FIN RPT HCS(FIN) NEW TITLE 5DP 5NR 05/16/22 (H) DP: ORTIZ, THOMPSON, JOSEPHSON, RASMUSSEN, FOSTER 05/16/22 (H) NR: LEBON, CARPENTER, JOHNSON, WOOL, MERRICK 05/17/22 (H) FIN HCS ADOPTED Y27 N11 E1 A1 05/18/22 (H) SB131 AT 11:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 WITNESS REGISTER No witnesses ACTION NARRATIVE 11:35:29 PM CHAIR ROGER HOLLAND called the Conference Committee on SB 131 meeting to order at 11:35 p.m. Present at the call to order were Representatives Josephson, Wool, and Carpenter; and Senators Kawasaki, Meyers, and Chair Holland. SB 131-WORKERS' COMP DISABILITY FOR FIREFIGHTERS  11:36:13 PM CHAIR HOLLAND the announced conference committee on SENATE BILL NO. 131(title am) "An Act relating to the presumption of compensability for a disability resulting from certain cancers in firefighters." and HOUSE CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 131(FIN) "An Act relating to the presumption of compensability for a disability resulting from certain cancers in firefighters; relating to the payment of workers' compensation benefits in the case of permanent partial impairment; relating to the payment of workers' compensation death benefits; and providing for an effective date." CHAIR HOLLAND stated that the director of the Division of Insurance contacted him about the presumption of compensability provisions, and he believes this committee will produce a good outcome. He solicited a motion from Vice Chair Josephson. 11:36:33 PM VICE CHAIR JOSEPHSON moved to amend the House Finance Committee Substitute for SB 131, work draft 32-LS0598\W, as follows: On page 1, remove line 15, leaving the term "malignant melanoma" in statute as written and not replacing it with the term "skin cancer". On page 2, remove lines 9-14 of the previous version. It has the effect of removing text "(x) cervical cancer; (xi) testicular cancer; (xii) mesothelioma; (xiii) multiple myeloma; (xiv) colon cancer; (xv) thyroid cancer; and (xvi) ovarian cancer;" 11:37:22 PM CHAIR HOLLAND objected for discussion purposes. 11:37:32 PM CHAIR HOLLAND found no questions or comments and removed his objection. Finding no further objection, Chair Holland announced the motion passed. 11:37:37 PM At ease 11:37:56 PM CHAIR HOLLAND reconvened the meeting and solicited will of the committee. 11:38:02 PM VICE CHAIR JOSEPHSON moved to adopt and refer to both bodies for consideration the Conference Committee Substitute for SB 131, work order 32-LS0598\O, and attached fiscal notes. He stated that Legislative Legal Services is authorized to make conforming changes as appropriate. 11:38:27 PM REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER objected to state that other changes were made that were not included in the motion. 11:38:50 PM At ease 11:39:05 PM CHAIR HOLLAND reconvened the meeting and asked for a roll call vote. 11:39:14 PM A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Josephson and Wool voted in favor of the motion and Representative Carpenter voted against it; and Senators Meyers, Kawasaki, and Chair Holland voted in favor of the motion. Therefore, CCS SB 131 was adopted by a 2:1 vote by House members and a 3:0 vote by Senate members. CHAIR HOLLAND announced that with 5 yeas and 1 nay the motion passed and CCS SB 131, work order 32-LS0598\O, was reported from committee [and forwarded to both bodies for consideration]. 11:40:13 PM There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Holland adjourned the Conference Committee on SB 131 meeting at 11:40 p.m.