PO Box 20891
Juneau, AK
99802-089

Weekly Legislative Update 2010

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Session Two of the 26^th Legislature runs January 19-April 18, 2010.

The Senate passed their versions of the operating and mental health budgets this week and the House passed the supplemental budget.  The operating and mental health budgets will be going to conference committee this coming week.  Conferees have yet to be appointed.  The House version of the supplemental budget appropriates a total of $1,682.6 billion dollars and authorizes two significant fund transfers:  $1.1 billion to forward-fund K-12 education for Fiscal Year 2011 and $401 million to fully repay past borrowings from the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund, or CBR.  The supplemental budget moved to the Senate this week.

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.

Bill:                  HB 423

Sponsor:          JUD by request of Rep. Gatto

Title:                Policy for Securing Health Care Services

Referrals:         HSS, JUD

Content:                Affirms individual rights to choose or decline any mode of securing healthcare services. It also prohibits state employers and officials from imposing or collecting fees for asserting this right, and instructs the Attorney General to defend those provisions in court.

UPDATES:  Look here to track bills of interest

HB 324, Failure to Appear; Release Procedures, sponsored by the Governor, moved from JUD and is referred to FIN

HB 392, Incentives for Certain Medical Providers, sponsored by Herron, moved from HSS and has a hearing scheduled in FIN on Thursday, April 8^th

SB 219, Traumatic Brain Injury: Program/Medicaid, sponsored by McGuire, passed the Senate and was transferred to the House.  No referrals yet.

SB 238, Medicaid for Medical & Intermediate Care, sponsored by Davis, moved from H HSS and is waiting to be referred to FIN

SB 284, Campaign Expenditures, sponsored by JUD, passed the Senate and was transferred to the House.  No referrals yet.

SB 307, Shelters for Runaway Minors, sponsored by S HSS was moved from H HSS and is in RLS

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, April 5^th

9:00 am           H FIN, HB 190 , Children’s Trust Grant for Endowment

1:30 pm           S JUD, SB 222 , Sex Offenses: Offender Regis; Sentencing

Tuesday, April 6^th

8:00 am           H STA, SB 244 Governor’s Duty Station/Travel Allowances

9:00 am           H FIN, HB 168 Trauma Care Centers/Fund

                        S FIN, Capital Budget

3:00 pm           H HSS, Confirmation Hearing:  State Medical Board

                                    HB 423 , Policy for Securing Health Care Services

                                    SB 10 , Medicaid/Ins for Cancer Clinical Trials

Wednesday, April 7^th

9:00 am           S FIN SB 172 , Alaska Health Care Commission

                                    SB 184 , Internet Access to Leg Committee Hearings

1:00 pm           H JUD, SB 284 Campaign Expenditures (pending referral)

                                    SB 110 , Preservation of Evidence/DNA ID System

1:30 pm           S JUD HJR 48 , Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act

3:15 pm           H L&C SB 247 , Extending Board of Pharmacy

                                    SB 262 , Extending Board of Social Work

Thursday, April 8^th

3:00 pm           H HSS, SB 10 Medicaid/Ins for Cancer Clinical Trials

Friday, April 9^th

11:00 am         Joint Session:  Confirmation of Governor’s Appointees

1:00 pm           H JUD, SB 244 , Governor’s Duty Station/Travel Allowances (pending referral)

Saturday, April 10^th

10:00 am         H FIN, HJR 35 , Const. AM:  Health Care

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: