March 22, 2022
Alaskan Friends and Neighbors,
As we come together via this newsletter once again this week to discuss issues and bills in Juneau that will either help or hinder our great state, let’s honor and celebrate a man who worked a lifetime on behalf of our great state, always weighing what would help or hinder Alaska at the national level: Congressman Don Young. I was shocked and saddened along with many of you to hear of Congressman Young’s sudden passing this past Friday.
This is a time of reflection to not only show gratitude for his service and dedication but also to realize how far we have come as a state. Congressman Young began with us in our statehood-toddler-period and helped carry us through to adulthood. Our dear Don began his service in the Alaska State House in 1967, switching to the Alaska State Senate in 1971, serving in the state legislature for a total of 6 years. He followed that with 49 years of service as our US House Representative in Congress on behalf of our 49th state. His journey as our public servant totaled 55 years.
That lengthy period spanned good times and bad times, victories and defeats. For him as an individual, that span of time included many sacrifices, missed family events, long hours, headaches, tough votes, and angry opposition. What we all know about Don and for which we are so grateful, is that he never was one to give up. He persevered and kept his focus on Alaska, standing up for her every chance he got. We will all be forever indebted to him for his sacrifice, his focus, and his heart for our state. May God bless and comfort his wife Anne, his children, Dawn and Joni, and their families.
As Congressman Young would desire we do, let’s turn to consider the issues facing Alaska in our state capital.
The pace in Juneau is picking up. Since our last newsletter we passed five bills on the floor. SB 136 Limitations on Firearms Restrictions and SB 156 Prohibition of Covid-19 Vaccination Discrimination passed the Senate and were transmitted to the House for their consideration. I was a co-sponsor of both. SB 201 Use of Internet for Charitable Gambling passed and heads to the House as well.. SB 168 Donations/Gifts for DOT&PF Signage and SB 185 Eliminate Minimum Wage Exemption passed yesterday and will make their way to the House shortly.
The Permanent Fund Dividend is still on my radar on your behalf along with the budget overall and the need for fiscal certainty and sustainability. In case you have not yet heard, there is going to be a significant surplus after distributing a PFD.. I explain in more detail below, but the amount of the surplus, the new Revenue Forecast, and the House’s plan for an energy payment are all hot topics in the halls, committee rooms, and offices of the Capitol building.
I wanted to point out to you too that my bill, SB 197, Direct Healthcare was heard in Labor and Commerce yesterday and would allow healthcare consumers a new, and for many, a more affordable option for primary care services. Please read more about it below. This bill, along with Senator Wilson’s SB26 Repeal Certificate of Need, and my SB41 The Healthcare Consumers Right to Shop Act are three key arrows in our quiver to reduce healthcare costs in Alaska. It’s time the legislature get out its bow and shoots these arrows into the debilitating high costs that jeopardize Alaskans everyday. These three bills offer excellent, free market based, and common sense solutions that are long overdue.
You may be wondering about what is happening with my bill, SB 140 The Even Playing Field Act. The topic of male-bodied athletes playing on girls’ and women’s teams and winning top spots has been a hot topic in the news this past week. The question for Alaskans and legislators is whether we should wait for the discrimination against biological females to occur here like the Lia Thomas situation at UPenn or should we be proactive now and set a policy that ensures fairness for our girls and women?
Because grossly inaccurate information is swirling out there about my bill, I’d like to set the record straight. This bill will NOT exclude ANY student athlete from participating in school sports. Every student will have two options: a team aligned with their biological sex or a co-ed team. Lewd and crude accusations have been made on the record suggesting the bill would invite coaches and school staff to be child molesters and would result in students’ anatomy randomly being inspected by school district employees. This is all false. Birth certificates are required for enrollment in our public schools and sports physical exams are required for participation in athletic programs. There would be no inspections performed by school staff and any assertions that there would be are ridiculous.
The bill remains in the Senate Education Committee. For the sake of Alaskans, particularly for our girls and women, for our daughters, granddaughters and nieces, the bill should have already been moved out. Let’s hope Chair Roger Holland, Senators Peter Micciche, Gary Stevens, and Tom Begich decide to uphold women’s rights. Let’s hope they do not stall and that they support the bill moving out of the committee and onto the Senate floor sooner rather than later. See my remarks delivered to the committee in the article below.
Be sure to check out my Facebook Live update below which aired last night. These broadcasts are for you, for your questions, for your input, and for information I hope is helpful for you. I represent you. You need to know what is going on and to tell me what your thoughts are on issues!
In closing, my prayers continue for the people of Ukraine and for peace for the region. I welcome your thoughts and prayers on these matters which impact real children, real women, and real men.
Working on your behalf,
We honor and are grateful for Rep. Don Young’s dedication to our 49th state for 49 years and mourn his passing. I welcome you to join me in extending prayers of comfort and peace for his wife Anne, his children and their families.
Katie Botz is a frequent visitor to the Capitol. She lives in Juneau and works as a school bus driver. I’ve gotten to know her over the years as she works to stay engaged on bills, particularly bills pertaining to criminal law. We have heard two crime bills in the Senate Judiciary so far this year, and Katie has testified on each. Very few private citizens come to the Capitol on their own. Most are part of an organized effort of an association, organization, or business/industry that come to lobby for one or more items related to their special interest. I always enjoy time with Katie. When she shares her views, she speaks on behalf of herself; she is not sharing talking groups on behalf of a group.
The State of the PFD
The big news this past week was the rollout of the Spring Forecast from the Department of Revenue. Knowing the forecast would be much higher than previously believed because of increased oil prices, the House Finance Committee stopped working on the budget for three weeks so they could decide how they might spend and direct the anticipated extra funds in their budget bill before passing it over to the Senate. Disappointing that we will be in Juneau two to three weeks longer for this reason, but such is the world of politics.
The Department of Revenue is forecasting that between the current fiscal year and fiscal year 2023, revenues will be $3.6 billion higher than originally forecast. Last year, the legislature passed a budget based upon an anticipated revenue of about $5.7 Billion in revenue, but the new figures show that in the current year, the revenue is expected to be $1.2 billion higher. For fiscal year 2023, revenues are expected to be $2.4 billion higher than previously expected. Now the problem for legislators is deciding what the most responsible thing to do with the money, not only for next year’s budget, but in the current year in the supplemental budget bill.
First and foremost, I think that any and all excuses for not paying a proper dividend this year should be put on the shelf. With high inflation, exorbitant prices at the pump, and continued economic recovery from two years of covid disruptions, if there ever were a rainy day, this is it.
We have the revenue to do it without overdrawing the ERA (which has been the go-to talking point for three years now by those legislators who prefer a small or no PFD). Considering the challenges just mentioned, I would support a full statutory PFD based on the original formula. If we don’t have 11 votes in the Senate and/or 21 votes in the House for this, I then would propose that we pay a 50/50 of the Percent of Market Value (POMV) formula PFD this year. and pay back the Constitutional Budget Reserve account. Most importantly however, I hope that this windfall of oil revenue will allow us to finally have a candid and constructive conversation and action about settling the dividend and placing protections in the Constitution.
Many have asked me about the energy relief payment being proposed by the House. I have always tried my best to be completely honest and open with all of you when telling you my thoughts on policy. I do not support the proposed energy payment in its current form as it is to be paid with general funds (current revenue).
I view the energy relief proposal as a scheme by which legislators who want a small or no PFD can avoid setting the precedent of a proper PFD, but still appeal to the people in an election year.
The share of natural resource wealth to Alaskans is provided through earnings from the royalties that have been invested in the Permanent Fund and is paid via dividend (as was the design by the fund and dividend creators). This is not welfare. The PFD was designed as Alaskans’ share based on our lack of rights to subsurface ownership as private citizens. Redistributing general fund revenue from taxes collected from those who work to bring the oil out of the ground is welfare. Taxing businesses and sending it directly to Alaskans in cash is a precedent we should avoid.
I think this proposal is nothing more than election year politics by certain House members who know that Alaskans need a fair dividend, that Alaskans deserve a fair dividend, and that Alaska has enough money to pay a fair dividend, but who have become so invested in limiting the dividend that they can’t seem to admit they are wrong.
I and others are working to gather votes for a proper PFD as well as for a PFD constitutional amendment that could pass at the ballot box. If the PFD matter is not settled in the constitution, I am quite sure that Alaskans will vote “yes” in November to holding a state constitutional convention. If we as legislators don’t fix the problem we’ve been having for six years, Alaskans will take the matter into their own hands. It is my hope that enough legislators who do not want a constitutional convention will work with us for a fair and reasonable constitutional solution that Alaskans will find satisfactory. If these legislators decide not to work with us, they very likely will be in for a very rude awakening when the voting results on the constitutional convention question are reported in November.
I had the good pleasure of meeting DOT Commissioner Ryan Anderson for the first time this past week. I had tough questions for the top chief of the Department of Transportation, particularly in regard to the dangerous section of Bogard Road by the Engstrom intersection. I stressed the life/safety issue repeatedly and urged the department to do all it can to move the project forward at a faster than usual pace to address the situation as soon as possible.
WARNING: THREE NON-LEGISLATIVE PHOTOS
If you’re not interested, scroll on by! I’m sharing these for those who might be interested in what a legislator does when not buried in bills and budgets in the state capital. After working straight through two weeks from early morning into the evening including the previous weekend, it was so very good to be home!
A little time back in the district this past weekend means loading up the dogs for some outdoor exercise.
A nice stroll along the Matanuska River with my husband Rock in the sunshine made for a pretty perfect afternoon. I love our beautiful District F!
Had to snap a shot of my husband Rock with the jacket he bought to honor our grandson when he was sworn into the U.S. Space Force and thought you’d get a kick out of seeing it. Our grandson Caden is among the early group of young recruits to the new military branch. The initial members were transfers from other military branches.
My aide, Brent Bartlett, donned a kilt in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day last week. Although Brent’s Scots-English heritage makes this a Scottish kilt, I applaud his effort and great attitude. He definitely would have won “best dressed for the holiday” award in our office if we’d had one!
Last Tuesday, March 15 I had the opportunity to attend a legislative reception at Sealaska Heritage and tour their new art campus in Juneau. A local Haida artist, TJ Young, was working on this 360-degree totem pole which will be one of three 360-degree totem poles in the world when erected on the campus. The pole is 22 feet tall and almost four feet wide at the base. The artist who hails from Hydaburg has been working on the 3-D totem pole for six months and hopes to complete the project within a few months.
Senate Bill 140
My opening remarks before the Senate Education Committee
Fifty years ago, women’s sports changed forever. In 1972 slightly over 300,000 women and girls played college and high school sports in the United States. As of 2022, the number of female athletes in the U.S. has increased by over 900 percent to more than 3.5 million women and girls thanks to the passage of Title IX and the end of discrimination against girls and women in sports.
When I was young, I loved basketball and shot hoops in my driveway a lot but – I’m showing my age here – I had no option to play on a team at my high school. The only option for a female was to be a cheerleader and that didn’t interest me. Fortunately, because of Title IX, my daughter had options and played Varsity Girls’ basketball in high school.
But this year, as we celebrate Title IX’s 50th anniversary, women and girls stand, once more, at risk of being discriminated against, of not having an opportunity for an even playing field in sports. An ever-increasing trend of male-bodied athletes in women’s sports threatens competition and fairness. Girls and women should not be robbed of the chance to be selected for a team, to win a championship, or to be awarded a college scholarship due to the physical advantages of male-bodied athletes.
Title IX promises, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation, or be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” SB 140 seeks to ensure we don’t revert to discriminating against girls and women as was the case pre-1970’s.
Now for those who think this bill is about discriminating against those who identify as a gender different from their biological sex at birth, IT IS NOT. I want to put on the record that I love and value every person, including these individuals – they are precious and should have access to an even playing field as well and opportunities to participate in athletics. I am not transphobic and believe every person, every student athlete, deserves an even playing field.
This bill is not about blocking anyone from athletic opportunities – that would be in direct violation of Title IX. SB140 is about ensuring Title IX is upheld. Allow me to point out that thanks to Title IX, transgender athletes are protected from discrimination in sports and promised equal access to athletic programs. Their inclusion in sports absolutely must be protected but it must NOT come at the cost of discrimination against biological women.
The goal of SB140 is to ensure discrimination against girls and women does not occur, that they are treated fairly and not disadvantaged in athletic programs compared to male-bodied athletes whether they identify as male or female.
Undeniable evidence and scientific research conclude that the average biological male body is stronger, larger, and faster than the average female body even after multiple years of testosterone suppression treatment. We see the imbalance, the male-body advantages particularly in high school athletics. For example, many male high school track and field athletes consistently beat the times of the best female Olympians who’ve trained intensely for years. Male-bodied athletes have a substantial physical advantage over female athletes in sports, regardless of the beliefs that the male-bodied athlete may hold about their sexuality or gender identity and regardless of multiple years of testosterone suppression therapy.
As many of you are aware, this topic has come to the forefront of public debate online and in the news lately. Transwomen are dominating in a variety of women’s sports both at the collegiate and high school level. To that end, I would like to share a section of a letter written by 16 UPenn Swim Team Members regarding their teammate Lia Thomas, a male-bodied athlete who identifies as a female.
“We fully support Lia Thomas in her decision to affirm her gender identity and to transition from a man to a woman. Lia has every right to live her life authentically. However, we also recognize that when it comes to sports competition, that the biology of sex is a separate issue from someone’s gender identity. Biologically, Lia holds an unfair advantage over competition in the women’s category, as evidenced by her rankings that have bounced from #462 as a male to #1 as a female……Lia’s inclusion with unfair biological advantages means that we have lost competitive opportunities. Some of us have lost records.”
This is the concern addressed by SB 140. Only 18 of the 40 members of the UPenn team will be chosen to compete at the Ivy Championships. If Lia Thomas is selected, a biological female will lose her opportunity to compete without an option for another category in which they could hope to qualify. Again, I emphasize that Lia Thomas and other trans athletes deserve the opportunity to compete and win fairly. However, it must not come at the cost of excluding otherwise qualifying biological females from the only category of sport in which they can hope to succeed.
I want to take a moment to point out one of our own champion swimmers, Lydia Jacoby, who you all know won the gold in the Olympics in Tokyo, to point out the differences between race outcomes. Wins and losses are determined by split fractions of a second in the women’s competition. This is true as well in the men’s competition. The race outcomes, however, between female times and male times are not by such tiny increments. Adam Peaty, Lydia’s counterpart in the men’s competition who won the gold in the 100M breaststroke, was approximately 7.5 seconds faster than Lydia. There is a difference between male-bodied athletes and female-bodied athletes.
The issue at hand doesn’t just impact college and world competitions. It can be traced all the way down to K-12 sports. School athletic programs are the primary opportunity for biological females to compete, win, and earn scholarships for their accomplishments. Not only are physiological advantages of male-bodied athletes a consideration when it comes to a level and fair and true competitive playing field but safety is another concern. When it comes to team sports and contact sports. the physical advantages (such as strength, size, speed) of male-bodied athletes can put female-bodied athletes at risk of physical harm.
SB140 addresses the issue from several angles. First, the bill requires public schools and private schools competing against public schools to designate their teams as male, female, or co-ed. Subsequently, the bill stipulates that membership on a team designated female must be based on the participant’s biological sex. The bill also protects schools from the threat of legal action for upholding the proposed law. Finally, students are also guaranteed the right to seek legal action if they are deprived of athletic opportunity or suffer retaliation or other adverse action due to a school’s lack of compliance with the law.
These protections would maintain competition and present Alaskan girls and women with an even playing field. For decades, Title IX law has ensured that biological sex-specific separations in athletics are legal. This has preserved competition while allowing women the chance to win.
And in case you are wondering, EO 13988 issued last year at the federal level (that ties funding to allowing male-bodied athletes to participate in girls’ and women’s sports) was based on a court ruling (the Bostock case) pertaining to employment law, not school sports law. EO 13988 is in direct violation of Title IX.
Unlike EO 13988, SB140 stands for equal opportunity for all. The liability section of this bill would even give a trans student athlete the ability to file suit if deprived of an athletic opportunity from a violation of this legislation. This bill is not designed to preclude transgender individuals from participation in sports but rather to ensure that participation in any category is fair based on the athlete’s physiological ability. Enabling one group by disadvantaging another group only serves to create a new problem. The great triumph of Title IX and the success of millions of women in athletics must not be discarded in the name of social progress.
I want to make 2 final points before I conclude:
- The mental health of girls and women is at stake. We have heard and likely will hear the argument that this policy will jeopardize the mental health of male-bodied athletes who identify as females who via this bill could participate in co-ed or boys/men’s sports but not female sports, but we often fail to think about what happens to young girls and women if we don’t address this issue. How are we impacting them – their mental health – if we allow male-bodied athletes to beat them out of spots on rosters, out of championships, out of scholarships? Trying to solve one problem by creating another is not a good solution. It is true that scientific data shows that the suicide rates of transgender individuals are higher than that of non-transgender individuals; let’s make sure they have access to care to target this challenge and not create a secondary problem of mental health issues for biological female athletes. That’s the first of two serious points I wanted you to consider before closing.
- The second and final point is if we do not address this, eventually over time girls’ and women’s sports will be, frankly, totally eroded. Coaches are hired to take teams to victory. When one women’s team has a male-bodied athlete which gives that team an advantage, other coaches will be pressured to have the same advantage and recruit accordingly. Rosters will eventually fill up with more and more male-bodied athletes to increase the advantage and the victories, robbing more and more females of athletic opportunities.
We do not want this trend to take hold in Alaska. Your support to ensure discrimination against girls and women does not occur in our state is needed.
Rick Morgan, President, and Sherry Shaw, Vice President of NEA Alaska Classified Employees met with me to discuss their priorities: an increase in the education formula per student and an option for a defined benefit retirement system as opposed to the current defined contribution system. Rick also shared his strong support for SB140 The Even Playing Field Act.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
FOR YOU TO WEIGH IN THIS WEEK
Public Testimony
Below is list of bills scheduled to be heard in various committees this week. If you’d like to provide public testimony, plug the bill number (for example “HB 133”) into the search bar here to learn the date and time. Scroll down toward the bottom of this newsletter to find the public testimony call-in phone numbers.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY OPPORTUNITIES THIS WEEK
Below is a sampling. Click here to see the full list.
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As the volume of daily contacts reaching out to my office has exponentially increased over time, my staff stands by, ready to assist you. If you desire follow-up, feedback, a response to a question, etc., it’s always best to call the office. Below are direct phone numbers for my aides, or you can call the general number at 907-465-3743. |
For additional information,
contact my staff:
Buddy Whitt- Chief of Staff
-Senator Hughes’ Aide for Senate Judiciary Committee
-Senator Hughes’ Aide for Senate Education Committee
Buddy.Whitt@akleg.gov
907-465-5025
Daniel Phelps – Legislative Aide
-Committee Aide for Community and Regional Affairs
-Senator Hughes’ Aide for Alaska Grown Caucus
Daniel.Phelps@akleg.gov
907-465-1172
Brent Bartlett – Legislative Aide
– Senator Hughes’ Aide for Health and Social Services Committee
Brent.Bartlett@akleg.gov
907-465-3743
Serving You in These Roles
Current Senate Committees:
- Community & Regional Affairs Committee, Chair
- Health & Social Services Committee, Vice-Chair
- Rules Committee, Member
- Judiciary Committee, Member
- Education Committee, Member
- Legislative Council Committee, Alternate
Finance Subcommittee Assignments:
- Senate Transportation & Public Facilities (Fin Sub), Member
- Senate Administration (Fin Sub), Member
- Senate Judiciary (Fin Sub), Member
Other Appointments:
- State Agriculture & Rural Leaders, Alaska Delegate
- Mat-Su Legislative Delegation, Member
- National Conference of State Legislatures – State Coordinator
- National Conference of State Legislatures – Law, Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Member
- National Conference of State Legislatures – Task Force on Cybersecurity, Member
- Council of State Governments – Transportation Committee, Member
- Council of State Governments West – Canada Relations Committee, Member
For information on bills I’m co‑sponsoring
click here.
For information on all bills filed during this session,
click here.
Passed Legislation
(Bills that are finished with the legislative process)
SB 27 – Industrial Hemp Program; Manufacturing- Many of you are aware that in 2018 I sponsored and the legislature passed SB6 allowing for the legalized growth and production of Industrial Hemp as an agricultural product in the Alaska. In late 2018 the US Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill which made additional changes to the federal statutes regarding the production of industrial hemp. SB 27 makes a few small changes in Alaska statute in order to conform to those federal changes.
The bill was passed unanimously in the Senate and almost unanimously in the House (Representatives Eastman and Kurka were opposed to this bill). This summer the Governor signed the bill at the Alaska State Fair, and just a few weeks ago the United States Department of Agriculture approved the Alaska Industrial Hemp Plan so that Alaska can now grow, manufacture, and sell hemp and hemp products across jurisdictions. This is a great win for Alaska.
Legislation Update
(Shelley’s bills filed with your best interest in mind)
SB 41 – Health Insurance Info; Incentive Program. Also known as the Alaska Health Care Consumers Right to Shop Act. The Senate Labor & (L & C) Commerce chair had planned to move the bill out yesterday so that we could report to you today that the bill is currently in the Senate Finance Committee. Unfortunately, several members of the L&C Committee, who earlier had indicated support for the amendment to protect against scammers decided to withhold their support for an unknown reason. This is very disappointing because this bill will lower healthcare costs for Alaskans. SB41 will loosen up free-market principles to operate as they should in our healthcare market in Alaska. Providing an easy way for consumers to price compare through an online tool and offering an incentive via cashback for shared savings if the consumer chooses a provider who charges less than the average charge, this bill help reintroduce competition into a sector of our economy where it is now fairly non-existent. When it comes to healthcare, Alaska is not only the highest cost state in the nation, it is the highest cost location on the globe. This stifles economic growth in other sectors, overburdens Alaskan families and individuals, is taking dollars allocated to education away from instruction in our schools, and increases costs for local and state governments. Please send an email to Senate.Labor.and.Commerce@akleg.gov and ask the committee to move the bill out.
SB 42 – Virtual and Early Education, Reading- The “Education Transformation Act” (now merged into Senate Education Committee SB 111) establishes proven reading instruction in our schools with the goal that children will learn to read well by third grade. It also establishes an online platform with a menu of classes and video samples in order to open up a larger variety of course offerings and teaching expertise to students statewide. Lastly, it provides for optional pre-K with a strong reading preparation component. The bill is awaiting a third hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. Certain items in the bill were recently misunderstood and misrepresented by a few members of the House majority in a newspaper opinion piece. Several of us are working to set the record straight so that the legislation can move forward and young Alaskan students can benefit from schools being held accountable to teach children to read.
SB 43 – Elections, Voting, Campaign Finance- “An Act relating to campaign finance and initiatives; relating to elections and voting; and relating to unlawful interference with voting”. SB 43 is about improving transparency and accountability in Alaska’s campaign finance laws as well as securing the integrity of Alaska’s election process. We were able to move the bill from the Senate State Affairs Committee to the Judiciary Committee but will not be requesting a hearing because the key pieces of the bill were incorporated into SB39, an election integrity bill by Senator Shower which awaits a hearing in Senate Finance.
SB 102 – Extending the Alaska membership in the Compact to advocate for an Article V Constitutional Convention for the purposes of advancing an amendment to the United States Constitution requiring a balanced budget. Alaska’s membership in this compact is set to expire this year, but with the passage of Senate Bill 102, Alaska would remain a member in the compact until 2031. The bill has been in the possession of the Senate Finance Committee since early April 2021 but has not been scheduled. Former Lt Governor Mead Treadwell is a big advocate for this legislation and is visiting with key members of the legislature, hoping to win support for the bill to move.
SB 140 – An Act relating to school athletics, recreation, athletic teams, and sports. The goal of SB 140 is to maintain the rights women fought for and gained in obtaining Title IX status in 1972. Before Title IX, 1 in 27 girls played sports. Today that number is 2 in 5. An excellent hearing was held last week with tremendous expert testimony. The Senate Education Committee heard nearly 4 hours of public testimony on SB 140 this past Saturday. I am hopeful the chair will choose to schedule the bill for another hearing for discussion and questions and that the chair and committee members will choose to move the bill out soon.
SB181 – Identification of Contractor in Ads – This bill amends the current statute to allow contractors to provide an internet website or landing page that contains their licensure and identification requirements rather than listing the details in the advertisement. This bill was moved out of the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee two weeks ago and awaits a hearing in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee which we hope will be soon.
SB 197 – Senate Bill 197 is my bill to allow Alaskans to enter Direct Health Care Agreements with Doctors. Direct Health Care Agreement concepts are not new and have been adopted as a regular medical practice in 32 states with pending legislation in 12 other including Alaska. Direct Health Care agreements allow a patient to enter into an agreement for service with their healthcare provider for one annual fee and cover a myriad of preventative and regular healthcare without involving your medical insurance. These agreements remove some of the financial barriers patients encounter in accessing routine primary care, including preventive, wellness, and chronic care services. The bill was heard for the first time yesterday in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee.
SB 217 – Current law allows concealed carry on school campuses in Alaska but only with the permission of the school superintendent. There are currently no other caveats beyond that. One of the reasons superintendents may not be allowing the carrying of concealed weapons is due to the lack of policy on what the training criteria should be considering the very unique school environment (where the ratio of children is greater than that of adults). Most do not realize that this training is not a standard part of police and trooper academies. Law enforcement officers (LEOs) who serve as school resources officers attend additional training specific to school environments. If LEOs require specialized training to work at schools to help increase safety for our precious children, then specialized training should be required for others conceal carrying in schools and they should be given a special job designation for that effort. The time and expense for their effort should be covered by the school district as well. SB 217 establishes the training criteria for school staff to conceal carry. With relatively few LEOs across great expanses of our state’s geography, the slow response time for a LEO at many schools in Alaska could result in a massive tragedy in the event of an active shooter. SB 217 offers a solution for school districts to be prepared so that the lives of students and staff can be saved in the event of such an incident. Our office is currently working to prepare amendments to adjust the wording of the bill to have the new language ready for the committee at the first hearing.
SJR 4 – Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to abortion. This bill will allow for the question of abortion to be decided through legislation or voter initiative. The bill was heard and passed out of the Senate Health and Social Services Committee and the Judiciary Committee is currently in the Senate Finance Committee. We are hopeful that the committee will hear the bill in the near future.
Join Shelley on Facebook Live each week to ask questions and give input.
We typically broadcast Mondays at 6:00 pm, but watch for a notification on Facebook as the day/time is subject to change.
Be sure to “like” the “Senator Shelley Hughes” Facebook page www.facebook.com/AKShelleyHughes
so you’ll get a heads-up each time we air!
HAVE A FEDERAL ISSUE???
Contact Alaska’s US Senators and Congressman
Lisa Murkowski – Senator
Anchorage: 907-271-3735
Mat-Su: 907-376-7665
Dan Sullivan – Senator
Anchorage: 907-271-5915
Mat-Su: 357-9956
Don Young – Representative
Anchorage: 907-271-5978
TIPS TO STAY IN THE LOOP
More important than ever!
TIP #1: The Alaska State Legislature web site is the place to track bills, locate and contact your legislators (session), and access committee information. Questions? Try the help wizard or call 1-800-478-4648.
TIP #2: SMS Bill Tracking! Once you know what bill(s) you want to monitor, here’s a convenient way to track what’s happening. Text any bill number (ex: SB1) to 559-245-2529 to enroll in text alerts for that particular piece of legislation. You’ll receive an enrollment confirmation as well as instructions on how to unsubscribe.
TIP #3: How to Get in Touch with Shelley! Give our office a call at (907)465-3743 or 800-565-3743 or send an email to Sen.Shelley.Hughes@akleg.gov. If you need assistance, want a response, or need other follow-up, please call rather than email.
Buddy Whitt- Chief of Staff
-Senator’s Aide for Education Committee
-Senator’s Aide for Judiciary Committee
-Senator’s Aide for Judiciary Finance Subcommittee
-Senator’s Aide for Senate Floor
Buddy.Whitt@akleg.gov
907-465-5025
Daniel Phelps – Legislative Aide
-Committee Aide for Community and Regional Affairs
-Senator’s Aide for Alaska Food & Farm Caucus
-Senator’s Aide for Administration Finance Subcommittee
Daniel.Phelps@akleg.gov
907-465-1172
907-465-1172
Brent Bartlett – Legislative Aide
-Senator’s Aide for Health and Social Services Committee
-Senator’s Aide for Transportation Finance Subcommittee
Brent.Bartlett@akleg.gov
907-465-3743
Juneau Office
Alaska State Capitol Rm 30
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-465-3743
800-565-3743
Mat-Su Office (closed while in Juneau)
600 E. Railroad Avenue
Wasilla, Alaska 99654
907-376-3725
