|
Contact Information:
Toll Free:(800) 665-2689
In the Homer Area:(907) 235-2921
Via Mail or in Person: 345 W. Sterling Hwy., Suite 102B
Homer, Alaska 99603
Fax:(907) 235-4008
Website:
Email:
Greetings from Juneau on this 21st day of the legislative session. Many issues are moving that are important to District 35.
, the bill I sponsored to prohibit Mixing Zones in Fish Spawning areas, moved out of the Fisheries Committee Friday morning. The bill was amended to provide municipal wastewater treatment facilities the ability to continue operations if fish later begin spawning in the mixing zone after initial permitting. We also clarified that a spawning area means the physical area of the stream and not only when fish are laying the eggs. HB 328 now moves to the Resources Committee.
As you may be aware, the Senate rolled together the methamphetamine control bill, the steroid bill, and the Governor's marijuana bill. It will come back to the House for a vote to concur with the change or not. Since the House has not had any hearings on the other bills, I would not support such a broad modification. If the House does not concur, it will go to a conference committee to work out the differences.
I enjoyed the visits from several members of the District this week, mostly in conjunction with the Alaska Municipal League Conference. Assembly members Milli Martin and Ron Long were here, as were Homer City Council members Matt Schadle, Val McLay, Doug Stark and his wife Sandy. Doug and Sandy had a close call with a patch of black ice on the road to Anchorage, but thankfully, both escaped with only bruises and scratches.
- Encouraging Fluoridation of Community Water Systems
House Concurrent Resolution 5 encourages Alaskan communities to incorporate fluoride in their public water systems and requests that all new community water systems be engineered with the capacity for incorporating fluoride. Tooth decay is a serious problem in Alaska, particularly in rural areas where access to dentists is not easily available. Poor dental health also puts a major burden upon Medicaid/Medicare programs. Fluoridated water has been shown to dramatically reduce dental carries, especially in children. Every dollar spent on fluoridation saves $37 in future dental expenses. Currently, all cities in Alaska with a population exceeding 30,000 have access to fluoridated water. HCR 5 makes it clear that the state supports communities in taking this step to improve the dental health of their residents. HCR 5 which I sponsor will be heard on Thursday, February 2nd at 8am in Community and Regional Affairs.
State Affairs Committee
On Tuesday we heard : a bill relating to Permanent Fund Dividend withholdings, and HB 194 on Executive Branch Ethics.
amends the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Code by establishing a $10,000 threshold for determining when an Executive Officer's financial interest is "significant." It also defines what constitutes official action, and is meant to help clarify the duty of public officials and designated ethics supervisors under the Executive Branch Ethics Act. The bill was passed and will now head to the Judiciary Committee.
incorporates an amendment allowing direct receipt of dividends for the first two years of allowable absences. Subsequent dividends (up to 8) would then be held until the applicant returned to the state and qualified for the dividend by the normal process of physical presence.
Every bill is a balancing of interests, however, with over 65% of the largest categories not acting on their expressed statement of intent to return, the certification cannot be considered as an appropriate substitute for residency consistent with the intent of the Permanent Fund Dividend statute. During the last 10 years, the state has paid out $154 million to individuals living outside Alaska who never returned. HB 278 asks that these people make good on their intent to return to the state in order to receive their dividends. In addition to mitigating fraudulent claims and increasing the dividend amount for qualifying residents, the bill acts as an incentive to attract trained and educated individuals back to Alaska. I appreciate all those from the district that were able to make time to testify during the hearing.
Next week in State Affairs we will be hearing another Executive Ethics bill, . The bill makes several changes to the Executive Ethics Code to clarify permissible financial relationships and amends parts of the complaint process. Of note are section 1 (exempts a blind trust or managed account from creating a conflict) and section 16 (prohibits disclosure of a complaint or the intent to file a complaint.)
The committee will also hear , which limits state or political subdivision expenditures to affect an election.
, an act pertaining to mandatory motor vehicle insurance, license suspensions, and notices relating to motor vehicles and drivers licenses is also on the agenda. I plan on offering an amendment requiring impoundment of a vehicle driven by a person with a suspended or revoked license.
Health Education and Social Services Committee
This week in HESS we heard two bills and an overview. We passed that changes statutory language referring to persons with special needs. Current statutes use the term handicap. The word originally referred to individuals with disabilities having to beg with their cap in hand. HB 357 substitutes references to "handicap" with a more respectful, "person with a disability," which is consistent with the Federal "Americans with Disabilities Act".
penalizes a health care employer who mandates overtime with a set fine, in addition to requiring that the employer pay the nurse regular overtime wages. The bill does not preclude nurses from voluntary overtime hours, or working in mandatory overtime status because of an unforeseen emergency situation that could jeopardize patient safety. Supporters of the bill argue that forcing nurses to work overtime dramatically increases the possibility of error and compromises the safety of patients. Opponents argue this should not be a one-size-fits-all solution, that it is a subject for collective bargaining, and could be administratively burdensome. HB 271 was assigned to a subcommittee for more work with stakeholders.
On Thursday, the Department of Public Health gave a presentation on the possibility of an influenza pandemic commonly referred to as the bird flu. They outlined what government, businesses and individuals should be doing in the case of an outbreak in Alaska and how the Department is working to ensure we are well prepared. We learned that anti-viral vaccinations will be in short supply for months after an outbreak and the most effective protection for individuals is frequent hand washing or the use of hand sanitizer, dust masks, and staying out of crowds.
Ways and Means Committee
We had a hearing on , the 'Gas Line Now Act.' Though well intentioned, members still had many questions and the bill remains in committee. We also continued our discussion on and . Both address the current unfunded liabilities of the Public Employee and Teacher Retirement Systems. Accompanying the hearings on these bills was a presentation by the Director of Retirement and Benefits. Her presentation covered everything from health care cost drivers to possible cost saving opportunities. We will resume hearings on both measures next week.
Finance Subcommittees
The four finance subcommittees on which I serve are 'shoehorned' into our regular schedule. This has resulted in 7 am and 5-7 pm meetings, as well as some dual meeting conflicts. The DOT, Fish & Game, Education and DEC subcommittees have, to date, been overviews. Budget decisions should start in the next week.
Following Bills
All bills can be accessed through the state's Bill Action and Status Inquiry System (BASIS). You can see what committee a bill is in, when it will be heard, how committee members voted, and much more. You can view all bills relating to your specific areas of interest by selecting "Subject Summary" from the menu on the right. Access BASIS through the link below, or by doing a search for "BASIS Alaska". http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/start.asp
Live on the Web
Most committee hearings can be seen and heard on Gavel-to-Gavel, which is broadcast on both local access TV and on the Internet. You can also access online archives from their website. http://www.ktoo.org/gavel/schedule.cfm.
Contact Us
If you would like to speak to me regarding a specific issue, it is helpful to first get in touch with the member of my staff handling related issues. You can click on their email addresses to send them a note, or just give us a call at the office. Please provide your full name, address and phone number on any correspondence with the office. Your time and effort are much appreciated.
Louie Flora
State Affairs, Resources, Fisheries
(907) 465-4963
louie_flora ''@'' legis.state.ak.us
Ian Laing
Legislative Assistant
(907) 465-2689
Ian Laing ''@'' legis.state.ak.us
Katie Shows
Health Education and Social Services
(907) 465-2028
katie_shows ''@'' legis.state.ak.us
Rep. Paul Seaton
House District 35
(800) 665-2689
representative_paul_seaton ''@'' legis.state.ak.us # # # |
