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. Session Two of the 26th
Legislature runs January 19-April 18, 2010. Legislative Committee
Assignments: Go to BASIS committee assignments
list: 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 Bill: HCR 20 Title: Sexual Assault Awareness Month Sponsor: Fairclough Referrals: STA Content: Proclaims April 2010 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month
GOVERNMENT Bill: HB 353 Title: Executive Branch Ethics; Family Travel Sponsor: Guttenberg Referrals: STA, JUD Content: Only permits the use of state resources to transport or pay the cost of transporting the spouse or child of the governor or lieutenant governor to or from an event other than an event that has a partisan political purpose if (1) the spouse or child is transported with the governor or lieutenant governor; and (2) the state is reimbursed for the actual cost or, if the actual cost is not reasonably calculable or the transportation is on a state aircraft, the fair market value of the transportation of the spouse or child. Bill: HB 358 Title: Campaign Expenditures Sponsor: Referrals: H STA, JUD Content: Broadens
the applicability of AS 15.13 State Election Campaigns to apply to any
contributions, expenditures, and communications made for the purpose of
influencing the outcome of a ballot proposition or question as well as those
made to influence the nomination or election of a candidate; broadens APOC’s
responsibility to assist in complying with state election campaign requirements
from candidates and groups to all persons; requires every person making an
expenditure to make a full report of expenditures and defines full report;
excuses a person who is acting independently of any other person and spends
less than $500 during a calendar year on billboards, signs or other materials
about a proposition from having to file; expands information about the person
making the expenditure to be included in communications; requires the
expenditure report to be made within 10 days of the expenditure; requires
expenditures of $250 or more made within nine days of the election to be
reported within 24 hours of making the expenditure; requires persons making independent expenditures for a mass
mailing, for distribution of campaign literature of any sort, for a television,
radio, newspaper, or magazine advertisement, or any other communication that
supports or opposes a candidate for election to public office to comply with
independent communications rules and to place specific language on the material
making it clear that the material is not authorized by the candidate Bill: HB 359 Title: Corporations not “Persons” in Elections Sponsor: Gara French Referrals: H STA, JUD Content: Provides that for-profit corporations and limited liability companies organized in this state are not persons for purposes of influencing the outcomes of public office elections, initiatives, referendums, or recalls Bill: HJR 44 Title: Const. Am: Unicameral Legislature Sponsor: Referrals: STA, JUD, FIN Content: Changes current bicameral system to unicameral calling for a senate comprised of 60 members. The 27th Legislature’s first year would be bicameral transitioning to unicameral for the second year. Bill: SB 282 Title: Permanent Fund Dividend Amount for 2010 Sponsor: Wielechowski Referrals: STA, FIN Content: Notwithstanding other law, the amount of the transfer from the earnings reserve account (AS 37.13.145) to the dividend account (AS 43.23.045) for 2010 permanent fund dividends equals one-half of 21 percent of the net income of the Alaska permanent fund determined under AS 37.13.145 for fiscal years 2006 through 2010. HEALTH CARE Bill: HR 14 Title Oppose Federal Health Care Reform Bills Sponsor: Chenault Referrals: HSS Content: Resolves that the House urges the Alaska Congressional delegation to vote against the current health care reform bills and to develop health care reform that is affordable and accessible to all legal residents; and further resolves that the House urges Governor Parnell and the Administration to review the constitutionality of the special deal for other states contained in the current federal health care reform bills. Bill: HB 335 Title: Physician Shortages/Grants Sponsor: Gara French Referrals: H HSS, FIN Content: Legislative findings regarding the increasing difficulty for persons 65 or older to find primary care providers that will accept Medicare or medical assistance; establishment of a grant program in HSS to provide supplemental funding to a health care facility that provides primary care services to needy persons and to persons 65 years of age or older who are recipients of medical assistance or Medicare. The purpose of the program is to increase the availability of health care services in areas in which the commissioner determines a physician shortage exists;
UPDATES: Look here to track bills of interest HB 168, Trauma Care Centers/Fund, sponsored by Coghill, moved from HSS and is referred to FIN HB 307, Sexual Assault Protective Orders, sponsored by Holmes moved from JUD and is in HJR 35, Const. Am: Health Care, sponsored by Kelly and Keller, moved from HSS and is referred to JUD HJR 38, Const. Am: Increase Number of Legislators, sponsored by P. Wilson, moved from STA after reducing the increase from 24 and 48 to 22 senators and 44 representatives. The bill is referred to JUD SB 219, Traumatic Brain Injury; Program/Medicaid, sponsored by McGuire, moved from HSS and is referred to FIN 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, February 22nd 8:00am H HSS FIN SUB, draft closeout 1:00pm H JUD HB 316, Post-Conviction DNA Testing/Evidence 1:30pm SB 252, Failure to Appear/Release Procedures SB 241, Post-Conviction DNA Testing/Evidence Tuesday, February 23rd 8:00am H STA HB 289, Exec Ethics: Legal Fees/Family Travel Wednesday, February 24th 8:00am H HSS FIN SUB, final closeout H EDC Best Beginnings/Early Childhood Overview Noon H EDC, Lunch and Educational Interaction with Chief Justice Carpeneti regarding Legislative Intent Joint Health Caucus—Tending the Net 1:30pm Thursday, February 25th 8:00am H DPS FIN SUB Budget closeout 9:00am 1:00pm H JUD Confirmation Hearings: Attorney General and Violent Crimes Compensation Board 3:00pm H HSS HB 259 Adult Public Assistance Eligibility Friday, February 26th 8:00am 1:00pm H JUD HB 138 Cruelty to Animals HB
323 Increasing Number of HB 52 Post Trial Juror Counseling 3:00pm 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
The Governor submitted budget amendments this week. Proposed amendments to the FY 2011 capital spending plan include $25.5 million in federal highway and aviation program funds and $60 million from the vessel replacement fund for the Alaska Class Ferry. Using funds set aside in the 2008 legislative session for the new ferry and existing federal authorization, $128 million would be available to the Alaska Marine Highway System for construction of the ferry, beginning in July. Proposed Medicaid formula program increases, representing the largest component of the FY 2011 amendments, include another $41 million in general funds. The FY 2011 non-formula program operating budget amendments request $14.9 million in general funds and $34.9 million in total funds. The amendments correspond to areas of unanticipated increases in the current year budget that have already been forwarded to the Legislature in the FY 2010 supplemental appropriations bill. The non-formula program amendments include the Office of Public Advocacy, Public Defender Agency, Physical Health Care, Adult Public Assistance, and General Relief/Temporary Assisted Living. The Governor also requested $2.06 million in general funds for the Constitutional Budget Reserve (CBR) investment management fees, rather than a draw-down from the CBR fund itself. UPCOMING EVENTS: 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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