PO Box 20891
Juneau, AK
99802-089

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 26^th Legislature runs January 19-April 18, 2010.

Light week as many legislators travelled to Washington DC for the Energy Council meeting.  The H FIN committee heard public testimony on the proposed operating and mental health budgets.  The committee will work through amendments next week starting with their 1:30 pm meeting Monday.

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.

No new bills.

UPDATES:  Look here to track bills of interest

HB 138, Cruelty to Animals sponosred by Gatto, passed JUD and is referred to FIN

HB 323, Increasing Number of Superior Court Judges sponsored by RLS, passed JUD and is referred to FIN

SB 284, Campaign Expenditures sponsored by JUD passed STA and is referred to JUD

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, March 8th

9:00 am                       S  FIN, SJR 21,  Const. AM: Increase Number of Legislators

130 pm                        H FIN, Amendments for Operating and Mental Health Budgets

                                    S JUD, SB 202, Hate Crimes

                                    SB 284, Campaign Expenditures

Tuesday, March 9th

8:00 am                       H STA, HB 409, Campaign Expenditures

9:00 am                       H FIN, Budget Amendments

1:30pm                        H FIN, Budget Amendments

3:00 pm                       H HSS, SB 13, Medical Assistance Eligibility

Wednesday, March 10th

9:00 am                       H FIN, Budget Amendments

                        S FIN, SB 168, Trauma Care Centers/Fund

                                    SB 266, Violent Crimes Emergency Find

1:00 pm           H JUD, HB 327, Controlled Substances/Dextromethorphan

                                     HB 115, Permanent Absentee Voting

1:30 pm           S JUD, Confirmation Hearing: Attorney General Dan Sullivan

3:00pm                        H L&C, HB 282, Naturopaths

Thursday, March 11th

8:00 am                       H STA, HB 400, Violent Crimes Compensation Fund

1:00 pm           H JUD, HJR 35, Const. Am: Health Care

                                    HB 289, Exec. Ethics/Legal Fees/Family Travel

                        S DPS FIN SUB, Pre-Close-out Question and Answer Session

1:30 pm           S L&C, SB 262, Extend Board of Social Work Examiners

3:00 pm           H HSS, SB 101, Student Questionnairres and Surveys

                                    HB 260, Medicaid: Preventive Care/Disease Mgt

Friday, March 12th

9:00 am                       S FIN, SB 110, Preservation of Evidence

                                    SB 246, Increasing Number of Superior Court Judges

1:00 pm           H JUD, HJR 38, Const. Am: Increase Number of  Legislators

3:15 pm           H L&C, Board Confirmation Hearings including Board of Pharmacy, Board of Nursing, Board of Social Work Examiners

3:30 PM           S HSS FIN SUB, Pre-closeout and Question/Answer Session

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

The Governor launched a new page on his website, Choose Respect, covering the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault.  To visit the site go to:

http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/priorities/choose-respect.html

UPCOMING EVENTS:

2010 Women's Summit, to be held March 18 & 19 in Juneau.  The theme for this year is Interpersonal Violence in Alaska: Why Alaska Ranks at the Top and Strategies for Success.  Please join keynote speaker, Rebecca Levenson, Senior Policy Analyst with the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF), as we discuss innovative approaches to addressing the issue of interpersonal violence in Alaska. 

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 Summit or to reserve a seat at the luncheon, please call 334.3055 or email geran@arjalaska.org.

Legislative Fly-Ins

March 30 & 31 Alaska Pharmacist's Association