Juneau, AK
99802-0891
www.akwomenslobby.org
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PO Box
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Weekly Legislative Update 2010 AWL Mission: To defend and advance the rights and needs of Women, Children and Families in Alaska. Visit us on the web: www.akwomenslobby.org
Keeping you informed of the issues important to women and children takes money and volunteer hours. Please consider sending a donation to PO Box 20891, Juneau, AK 99802 or sign up to volunteer on our website. WEEK ONE 127 bills and 11resolutions were introduced this week. http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/commbr_info.asp?session=26 NEW BILLS: Look here for legislation introduced during the previous week. Click on the bill number to access the bill. CRIMES/Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Bill: HB 298 Sponsor: Governor Title: Sex Offenses; Offender Regis; Sentencing Referrals: H JUD, FIN Content: Adopts a class A misdemeanor for offensive touching that does not arise to sexual assault in the first, second, or third degree; adopt a class C felony, the offense of knowingly accessing child pornography on a computer, and extend the prohibition of distributing indecent material to a minor to all forms of distribution; provides that a person convicted of human trafficking, possession, or distribution of child pornography may not be given a suspended imposition of sentence; specifies conditions of probation for child predators that allow a court to forbid the defendant from using a computer or internet site, and prohibit contact with children; allows a court to increase a person's sentence above the usual sentencing range if the defendant knew that the victim was particularly vulnerable as a result of having consumed alcohol or drugs; allows an increased sentence if the crime is a felony and is committed against a person whom the offender is in a relationship of trust, such as dating or sexual relationship, or the offense involves a defendant who is 18 years of age or older and has sexual contact with a minor under 13 years of age; mandates sex offenders and child kidnappers required to register in another state to register in Alaska when their intention is to live in Alaska whether or not Alaska has a substantive law that is similar to the crime the person committed. Finally, the bill protects victims of child pornography from being victimized or traumatized by the pre-trial discovery process in a criminal prosecution. While it allows the pornographic material to be inspected by the defendant, defense counsel, and experts the defense may use, copying the material would be prohibited and required to remain in the possession of law enforcement. Bill: HB 307 Sponsor: Holmes, Fairclough Title: Sexual Assault Protective Orders Referrals: H JUD Content: Amends AS 20.15.100 to explicitly grant magistrate and district court judges jurisdiction to grant protective orders in cases of sexual assault. Bill: SB 202 Sponsor: Title: Hate Crimes Referrals: Content: Creates the crime of motivation by prejudice, bias, or hatred. A person commits the crime of motivation by prejudice, bias, or hatred if the person commits a crime that is a crime against a person and the person knowingly directed the conduct constituting the crime at the victim of the crime because of the victim's race, sex, color, creed, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, ancestry, or national origin. Motivation by prejudice, bias, or hatred is a class A misdemeanor if the crime committed is a class B misdemeanor; a class C felony if the crime committed is a class A misdemeanor; a class B felony if the crime committed is a class C felony; a class A felony if the crime committed is a class B felony; a unclassified felony and the defendant shall be sentenced to a definite term of imprisonment of at least five years but not more than 99 years if the crime committed is a class A felony. EDUCATION Bill: HB 285 Sponsor: Gara, Tuck Title: Parental Involvement in Schools Referrals: H EDU, FIN Content: Requires school districts to employ at least two parental involvement coordinators at the administrative office of the school district and one person for each 500 students enrolled in the district or one person for each public school located in the district, whichever is greater, to perform work to enhance parental involvement in district schools. Bill: SB 207 Sponsor: Title: P-16 Education Council Referrals: Content: Establishes a preschool to postsecondary education council in the Department of Education and Early Development. The Council will consist of representatives of local and state governments, educators, and businesses and will be known as the P-16 Education Council. The purpose of the council is to improve student transitions from preschool through postsecondary education or training by coordinating school policies and practices. Bill: SB 213 Sponsor: Wielechowski Title: Funding for School Meals Referrals: Content: Creates funding formula to supplement the cost of lunch and breakfast provided to each student in the district who is eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch under 42 U.S.C. 1771 - 1784, in addition to public school funding, and requires the department to provide funding to a school district for lunch and for breakfast for each eligible student. GOVERNMENT Bill: HB 248 Sponsor: Crawford Title: Nonpartisan/Undeclared Primary Ballot Referrals: H STA, FIN Content: Creates a ballot that contains all candidates standing for nomination to elective state executive and state and national legislative offices and all of the ballot titles and propositions required to appear on the ballot at the primary election for use by those registered as nonpartisan or undeclared; amends AS 15.25.100, placement of nominees on general election ballot to read: “The director shall place the name of the candidate for nomination by each political party receiving the highest number of votes for an office on the general election ballot”. Each party will have a primary ballot, undeclared/nonpartisan voters will have a ballot and both the party ballot votes and undeclared/nonpartisan ballot votes will be counted to determine party nominations. Bill: HB 254 Sponsor: Title: Exec Branch Ethics Complaint Confidential Referrals: H STA, JUD Content: Requires the complainant to keep confidential the filing of the complaint and the contents of the complaint. If the attorney general determines that a complainant has violated a confidentiality provision of this chapter, the attorney general shall immediately dismiss the complaint. Dismissal of a complaint under this subsection does not affect the right of any person other than the complainant to initiate a complaint based on the same factual allegations. Bill: HB 263 Sponsor: Doogan Title: Exec. Ethics: Confidentiality/Procedures Referrals: H STA, JUD Content: Requires a person filing a complaint, except in certain circumstances, to keep confidential the filing of the complaint and the contents of the complaint; requires the attorney general to immediately dismiss the complaint if it’s determined that a complainant has violated a confidentiality; adds the subject of a complaint to the list of persons to whom the attorney general must provide a summary of the resolution of the complaint and specifies when that summary is to be kept confidential by all parties; adds the complainant to the list of persons who must hold information confidential during an investigation; does not require confidentiality of the complaint after service of the complaint/accusation has been made on the accused; and, requires the attorney general to promptly notice the complainant and the subject of the complaint when a complaint is served or dismissed in certain circumstances Bill: HB 288 Sponsor: Gruenberg Title: Bilingual Voting/Pol. Party Definition Referrals: H STA, FIN Content: Requires bilingual ballots and voting materials or oral translation help at polling places and absentee voting stations designated under AS 15.20.045(b) in an election district in which at least 20 percent of the voting-age citizens speak a single common language other than English and are persons with limited English proficiency; and redefines “political party" to mean an organized group of voters that represents a political program and has at least 2,500 registered voters in the state Bill: HB 289 Sponsor: Gruenberg Title: Exec Ethics: Legal Fees/Family Travel Referrals: H STA, JUD, FIN Content: Allows, in certain circumstances, the use of state resources to transport the spouse or child of the governor or lieutenant governor to an event other than an event that has a partisan political purpose; allows, in certain circumstances, a state agency to pay the fees and costs of private legal representation that are incurred by a person who is a public officer or a former public officer while defending against a complaint initiated or filed under AS 39.52.310 concerning conduct by the person during a period when the person was serving or employed as a public officer. Bill: HJR 38 Sponsor: P. Wilson Title: Const. Am: Increase Number of Legislators Referrals: H STA, JUD, FIN Content: Increases the number of senators from 20 to 24 and the number of representatives from 40 to 48; increase would apply only to plans for redistricting and proclamations of redistricting adopted on or after January 1, 2011, and to the membership of legislatures subject to those redistricting plans and proclamations. Bill: SJR 26 Sponsor: Dyson Title: Parental Rights Amendment Referrals: Content: Resolves
that the Alaska State Legislature affirms H. J. RES. 42, the Parental Rights
Amendment to the United States Constitution, as presented to the United States
Congress by Representative Peter Hoekstra of HEALTHCARE Bill: HB 277 Sponsor: P. Wilson Title: Certify Emergency Use of Epinephrine Referrals: H HSS Content: Requires the department of health and social services to establish a program to train and certify persons to administer epinephrine in emergency situations; allows the department to adopt regulations for the program. Bill: HB 282 Sponsor: Munoz Title: Naturopaths Referrals: H L&C, HSS, JUD, FIN Content: Establishes an Alaska Naturopathic Medical Board; authorizes medical assistance program coverage of naturopathic services; and amends the definition of 'practice of medicine'. The Board will establish a list of prescription drugs, controlled substances, vaccines, hormones, and medical devices that are consistent with naturopathic education and practice that may be prescribed and administered by a naturopath holding a prescription endorsement, and review the list of prescription drugs, controlled substances, vaccines, hormones, and medical devices annually and on request by the department; approve naturopathic medical programs; implement the continuing education requirements of AS 08.45.056(e) and 08.45.058; and adopt regulations as necessary. Bill: HB 309 Sponsor: Thomas Title: Dental Care Insurance Referrals: H HSS, FIN Content: Prohibits a health care insurer who provides coverage for dental care from including in the health care insurance plan or contract a provision that sets a minimum age for receiving dental care coverage or permits an insurer to limit a fee set by a dentist for a service unless the service is covered under the insurer's plan or contract; allows a health care insurer that provides coverage for dental care to set the maximum age for a person to receive coverage for dental care as a dependent. Bill: HJR 35 Sponsor: Kelly, Keller Title: Const Am: Health Care Referrals: H HSS, JUD, FIN Content: Adds a new subsection to Article I, sec. 15 of the Constitution of the State of Alaska: No law shall be passed that prohibits a person from or that penalizes a person for making direct payment to a health care provider for tendering health care services, or that prohibits or penalizes the purchase of health care insurance from a privately owned health care insurance company. Except for a health care system that provides indemnity and medical benefits to injured workers, no law shall be passed that compels a person, employer, or health care provider to participate in a health care system or that penalizes a person, employer, or health care provider for declining to participate in a health care system. Bill: SB 197 Sponsor: Dyson Title: Emergency Contraceptives Referrals: Content: Allows pharmacists the right to refuse to refer, recommend, or dispense emergency contraceptives; providing immunity to a pharmacy for civil liability for a pharmacist's refusal to refer, recommend, or dispense emergency contraceptives; and prohibiting discrimination in employment against a pharmacist who refuses to refer, recommend, or dispense emergency contraceptives." Other Bill: HB 259 Sponsor: Keller Title: Adult Public Assistance Eligibility Referrals: H HSS, JUD, FIN Content: Add a US citizenship requirement to the eligibility criteria; appears to restrict cost of living adjustments--when benefit amounts are increased at the federal level based on cost of living adjustments the state can pass along the increase to recipients only to the extent that federal funds are provided for the federal benefit; and, requires the department of health and social services to develop and implement a random and suspicion-based alcohol and illegal drug use testing program for recipients of adult public assistance. Recipients who test positive or who refuse to be tested may have their benefits suspended or denied. Bill: HB 260 Sponsor: Keller Title: Medicaid: Preventive Care/Disease Mgt. Referrals: H HSS, FIN Content: Gives the department of health and social services authority to ask for a waiver to provide preventive care and disease management services and to provide such services if the waiver is granted and the department receives allocations for that purpose Bill: HB 270 Sponsor: Munoz, Seaton Gara, Gruenberg Title: Medicaid for Medical & Intermediate Care Referrals: H HSS, FIN H HSS, FIN Content: Amends the eligibility threshold for medical assistance for persons in a medical or intermediate care facility from a specific dollar amount ($1,656 a month) to 300 percent of the supplemental security income benefit rate under 42 U.S.C. 1381 - 1383c (Title XVI, Social Security Act) Bill: SB 198 Sponsor: Dyson Title: Liability for Failure to Report Abuse Referrals: Content: Increases the penalty for failure to report by adding a civil liability penalty for damages proximately caused by the failure to report UPDATES: Look here to track bills of interest COMMITTEE SCHEDULE: Look here for committee meetings for the coming week. Bill hearings OFTEN change. If you are planning to testify it is a good idea to check the committee calendar the day of the hearing. Go to BASIS Committee schedules: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/hearing_form.asp?session=26 Monday, January 25th 8:00am H EDU “A Whole New Mind” dvd viewing H DHS Fin Sub Governor’s FY 11 budget proposal 1:00pm H JUD HB 298, Sex Offenses; Offender Registration; Sentencing 1:30pm Tuesday, January 26th 9:00am Wednesday, January 27th 8:00am H DHS Fin Sub Program Review-Behavioral Health; Substance Abuse - Prevention to Treatment Success/Other - Performance Based Grant Funding Public Assistance: Families First Initiative 1:00pm H JUD HB 298, Sex Offenses; Offender Registration; Sentencing HB 307, Sexual Assault Protective Orders Thursday, January 28th 8:00am H STA HB 53, Candidates Ineligible for Board/Commissions Friday, January 29th 8:00am H DHS Fin Sub Division of Health Care Services: Medicaid Download legislators contact information: http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/docs/pdf/whoswho.pdf GOVERNOR'S CORNER: View the FY11 Budget http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/11_omb/budget/index_FY11_Operating.htm Read the Governor’s state of the state address http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/press-room/full-press-release.html?pr=5246 UPCOMING EVENTS: January 30th,
10am-5pm: Free Admission. Explore fitness, food, fashion, finance, education, jewelry, employment and more—something for every woman! Presenter DeAnna Radaj, rodio show hose, author and owner of Bante Design will speak during the noon hour on “Top 10 Design Tips for Everyone and Every Space”. Support the Bartlett Regional Hospital Foundation and enjoy a day for Women! For more information call 463-5704 2010 Women's A nationally recognized speaker, she has worked extensively in the area of reproductive and perinatal health within community clinics and home visitation programs for the past 15 years. Currently Ms. Levenson is a co-principal investigator for an NIH funded research study, examining the effectiveness of a brief intervention for victims of pregnancy pressure, birth control sabotage and violence in reproductive health settings. She will share findings from this research and evidence based solutions for addressing the issue. Others sessions at the Summit include presentations on sex
trafficking and sexual violence in Alaska, new ways to educate teenagers
about interpersonal violence, legislative visits, a networking lunch with
legislative staff lunch and more. For more information on the Legislative Fly-Ins February 24 & 25 Alaska Nurse's Association March 30 & 31 Alaska Pharmacist's Association
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