February 8, 2022
Alaskan Friends and Neighbors,
We are settling into a routine here in your capital city and more than good coffee is brewing here in our office.
My team is gradually perfecting some new video and graphic technology for our #Telling_it_like_it_is weekly report on Facebook Live. If you missed our live session this Monday, it’s not too late to go back and watch here. My goal is not only to keep you abreast of what’s happening and the issues in play, but to also give you a chance to weigh in and ask questions in real time.
This week I was happy to have a few friendly faces from home visit our office. It is tremendous to be holding in-person meetings once again! Shout out to Marcie Obremski, Gene White, and Julius Matthew. It was also great to see my former neighbor Skeet Black, nurse Jane Erickson, and longtime friend Dr. Wade Erickson among others.
The Senate unanimously passed a significant bill a few days ago which I co-sponsored back when it was first introduced by Senator Wielechowski early last year. Senate Bill 25 proposes the creation and upkeep of a website that would report information on state government financial transactions to the public. The Alaska Online Checkbook Act would provide the general public with a comprehensive and searchable website to review our state spending. I am a firm believer that transparency is important when it comes to public dollars. Alaskans should have easy access to this information, and this legislation will ensure we all do if the House agrees to hear and pass the bill.
I held a hearing this past week on a proposal to increase property taxes on the oil and gas industry, not because I support the proposal (which I do not) but to encourage businesses and industries in Alaska who want and need fiscal certainty to begin to engage in the discussion about the need for state government fiscal certainty. Alaskans, including business leaders, know that repeated tax tweaks and tax increases on the private sector to pay for continued government growth discourage investment, stymie job opportunities, and inhibit economic growth.
In other words, private sector fiscal certainty in Alaska is tied to state fiscal certainty. For example, if we don’t fix our far-too-high current spending cap in the constitution, companies will continue to be targeted for more and more revenue.
The message by some industry individuals behind closed legislative doors has been “to use the PFD” to backfill budget gaps rather than advocating for the legislature to establish a balanced and appropriately-sized budget, to pass a constitutional spending cap to send to the ballot that will keep the budget from spiking, and to issue PFDs according to a formula that is fair and reasonable and not subject to legislative whims. Those who want fiscal certainty for their businesses and companies should be advocating for an overall and sound fiscal package for the state.
Reaching into the “PFD cookie jar” the past six years has made matters worse and delayed action over this time period on a comprehensive and sustainable fiscal solution. It has created chaos in the Capitol; it is time for the PFD and the other fiscal matters to be settled.
I have heard from thousands of everyday, working Alaskans who want state fiscal certainty and want it to include PFD certainty. These Alaskans have engaged on the particular components of a fiscal package repeatedly. It’s time for business leaders to weigh in. The “continue to use the PFD” approach is not working.
An upcoming important event I’d like to bring to your attention is the Mat-Su Delegation Town Hall. The public gathering will take place from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at the Mat-Su LIO on Saturday, February 19th. This is an excellent opportunity to voice state concerns to your legislators. It is also a unique opportunity because all nine of the Mat-Su Legislators will be in the room to hear your thoughts. Come on out and let your voice be heard! Scroll down to take a peek at the flyer for details.
Please make sure you catch my report below too on the Health and Social Services Committee (thanks to my aide Brent Bartlett for his assistance with this article). Lots of important conversations are happening in this committee from proposed changes to the benefits application process to regulation for veterinarians. I have and will continue to support medical choice and privacy. Speaking of which, I am sponsoring a piece of legislation this session that if passed would greatly help your ability to shop for healthcare like you do for other goods and services. Keep your eyes peeled for Senate Bill 41 which is currently in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee.
Last but not least, this is Food Security Week 2022. As a co-chair of the Alaska Grown Caucus, I am hosting one of the lunch hour sessions, Food Production in Alaska, this Thursday. Tune in on akl.tv at 12 noon to listen to this discussion.
If you scroll down, you’ll see that I’ve also included an article about what’s happening in the Capitol related to Food Security Week, so be sure to check it out.
We must figure out how to reduce our dependence on sources outside the state; it is far too high. At statehood, we produced half of what we consumed. Today we produce less than 5% of what we consume. Not only is this risky when it comes to supply-chain disruptions but it has negative repercussions on our economy as well.
Would it not be better to pump and circulate the billions of dollars we spend annually on food within our state to create jobs and support Alaskan families than to send it outside? I’m quite sure we can all agree that it would indeed be better. Please know that I will do what I can to help move Alaska in that direction.
Working on your behalf,
Senator Holland and I connected briefly during the Senate Floor Session a few days ago. Senator Holland is both the Education Chair and Judiciary Chair and has done a tremendous job keeping his committee members on task (I am a proud member of both of his committees, by the way). As a former Coast Guard officer, he runs a tight ship!
Food Security Week 2022
In a recent newsletter, I included an article detailing a new caucus here in the legislature, the Alaska Grown Caucus. As you may recall, I am a co-chair of the caucus along with Senator Kawasaki and Representatives Tarr and Rauscher. The timing of the formation of the caucus was perfect for two reasons: 1) Both the public and policymakers are aware more than ever how fragile our system is due to recent supply-chain disruptions at ports in the lower 48 and the trucker situation due to US-Canada border vaccine mandates; and 2) February 7th – 13th is Food Security Week 2022!
This week we are honored to host and welcome several organizations from around the state to discuss the important issue of food security in Alaska. Discussions regarding policies and investments will be occurring in the Capitol in offices, with the Alaska Grown Caucus, and in three Lunch ‘n Learn sessions (see flyer below for details). The goal is to begin serious considerations of specific steps we can take to help make Alaska more independent and less reliant on food shipped into the state from outside.
The earthquake in 2018 and the pandemic the last two years has made us uncomfortably aware of the fragility of our food supply chain. I believe we can fix it and produce more food for our state, but it is going to take a lot of teamwork, smart policy, and time to make it happen. Fortunately for Alaskans, we are blessed to have many subject matter experts right here in Alaska and passionate folks in our communities who want to help. Together I am confident we can very clearly identify the issues keeping us from being food secure and work on solutions to address them.
Starting Tuesday, the Alaska Food Coalition, Alaska Food Policy Council, Alaska Farmland Trust, Alaska Farm Bureau, Alaska Farmers Markets, and the Food Bank of Alaska, will hold several lunch and learn events in the Capitol building to discuss topics related to food security. Each of these three lunch and learn events will be broadcast on AKleg.gov. I hope that you will tune in and watch. I will be hosting the session on Thursday, during which the Alaska Farmland Trust from my hometown of Palmer will be presenting on the topic of food production.
Senators Hughes meets with members of IBEW who are interested in proposed infrastructure projects throughout the state, including those that would impact the Mat-Su and Chugiak areas.
An overview for you:
Senate Health and Social Services Committee
The Health and Social Services Committee (HSS) meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:30 PM and covers a broad range of policy topics from healthcare to public assistance benefits to foster care to senior issues and more. The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has the largest budget within the state due to the assistance programs (Medicaid being the costliest), the high number of enrollees, the scope of coverage, and the wide range of services and other programs under the department’s umbrella.
Below are colored blocks depicting the current budget (all funds) we are now in (FY2022) which demonstrates the enormity of the DHSS budget in comparison to other departments. At the end of this article, you can see three more block depictions based on agency state funds, UGF (unrestricted general fund) state funds, and state funds per capita.
Although it will be the job of the HSS Finance Subcommittees and the full Finance Committees in both bodies to tackle the particulars of the HSS budget (you can see the Senate members of these two committee here and here), I wanted you to be aware of the size and scope of this department as the Senate HSS Committee works on policy related to it.
So far this session, we have heard three bills that are just as broad ranging as the department itself! They are HB 168, SB 132, and finally HB 133.
HB 168 Electronic Application for State Benefits
This bill sponsored by Rep. Liz Snyder requires DHSS to implement a fully online benefits application process in addition to the existing and ongoing paper option. DHSS has been working to provide online applications already but this will ensure the online option remains available to Alaskans. This bill will bring DHSS in line with the vast majority of the United States. Alaskans can save paper, ink and postage, and DHSS employees can spend less time processing paperwork. We added several cybersecurity protections via amendment as well as wording to warn applicants that the state will prosecute for fraudulent applications. Any Alaskan who prefers completing paper forms, whether due to privacy concerns or due to a lack of access to the internet or a device, will be able to continue to do so.
SB 132 Controlled Substance Data: Exempt Veterinarians
This bill sponsored by Senator Roger Holland exempts veterinarians across the state from the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Prescription Drug Management Program (PDMP). The PDMP was designed to prevent doctor shopping and drug diversion in humans for controlled substances and does not translate well to animals. This meant that your vet had to enter your health information into the PDMP and not your animal’s. Because veterinarians are not bound by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), this left your personal health information vulnerable. 34 other states have passed similar legislation. This bill is beneficial to our veterinarians and a needed protection for your health information. By the way, there have been no incidences in Alaska of a veterinarian found through the PDMP to be engaging in drug diversion activity.
HB133 AK Education Programs/Eligibility
This bill sponsored by Rep. Zack Fields modifies existing statutes passed in 2016 by lifting the specific age limit of 26 for onset of a disability for purposes of eligibility to establish a personal education savings account, and sets it at the federally authorized limit. The bill also allows the use of 529 program accounts; this update aligns state statute with federal law (the A.B.L.E. Act, i.e., “Achieving a Better Life Experience Act”). The committee heard excellent testimony about how helpful these savings accounts are to the disabled community. The tax-advantaged savings can be used to fund disability expenses without the disabled individual losing benefits provided through private insurance, Medicaid, SSI, the beneficiary’s employment and other sources. Covered expenses can include tuition for college,trades training, other continuing education, as well as for qualified disability-related items such as health care (including assistive technology, personal support services, and home health aides) and other items which help improve health, independence and/or quality of life. The legislation also changes the account name from the Alaska Higher Education Savings Trust to the Education Trust of Alaska.
Upcoming hearings coming our way this week in HSS will be on HB133 and on Governor Dunleavy’s Executive Order (EO) 121.
Executive Order 121 Bifurcation of Department of Health and Social Services
EO 121 issued by Governor Dunleavy divides DHSS into two new departments. One department would be the Department of Health (DH); the second would be the Department of Family and Community Services (DFCS). This change requires one new commissioner, deputy commissioner, executive secretary, and some other support for the new department, but, according to DHSS sources, would not significantly add to the DHSS budget beyond salaries for the new positions.
The Office of Children’s Services, Division of Juvenile Justice, the Alaska Pioneer Homes and Alaska Psychiatric Institute would be housed in the new DFCS. The Department of Health would include the Divisions of Senior and Disabilities Services, Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Healthcare Services; this department will administer the Medicaid programs.
The administration believes that EO121 will streamline the benefits process and improve efficiencies by separating family and community needs from health needs, and in the long run, save pubic dollars. You can read more here. The order becomes effective July 1, 2022 unless the legislature votes to stop it.
If you want to testify on Executive Order 121 or HB 133, see below.
HB 133-
Language for HB 133
Schedule for HB 133
February 8, 2022 at 1:30 PM
Executive Order 121-
Language for EO 121
Schedule for EO 121
February 10, 2022 at 1:30 PM
Call-in Numbers
Juneau: (907) 586-9085
Anchorage: (907) 563-9085
Toll Free: (844) 586-9085
As promised, here are more budget blocks which show the high cost of the health and social service programs currently being provided by DHSS.
Senator Hughes meets with The Alaska Support Industry Alliance. This group wants to increase resource development responsibly and understands the importance of limiting state spending so we avoid overburdening the private sector to support a state government we cannot afford. I appreciate the fact that they are willing to speak up about the importance of state fiscal certainty as it relates to our economy.
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.
Senator Hughes signs a recommendation to pass HB127, sponsored by Rep. LeBon, out of the Community & Regional Affairs Committee. As the chair of the committee, she is the last one to sign the sheet after the other members of the committee. HB127 will prevent extra financing costs to be passed on to university students or to patients at regional health care facilities by allowing the Alaska Municipal Bond Bank (AMBB) to extend a higher amount of financing to these entities at a lower rate than other entities would.
This bill also has the potential to reduce the state Medicaid budget. The healthcare costs for Alaska Natives Medicaid patients seen at tribal facilities are reimbursed fully by the federal government (instead of half paid by the federal government and half paid by the state when these patients are seen at non-tribal facilities).
The good news is that the private sector lending institutions do not consider the AMBB a competitive threat as these private institutions are not interested in campus or clinic buildings as collateral.
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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 Rules Committee
-Senator Hughes’ Aide for Majority Leadership
-Senator Hughes’ Aide for Senate Floor Session
Buddy.Whitt@akleg.gov
907-465-5025
Daniel Phelps – Legislative Aide
-Senator Hughes’ Aide for Senate Judiciary Committee
-Committee Aide for Community and Regional Affairs
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
Diane Bryant – Legislative Aide
-Senator Hughes’ Aide for Education Committee
Diane.Bryant@akleg.gov
907-465-1173
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.
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 bill is currently in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. A second hearing on the bill was held recently and we are hopeful for a third hearing which we expect will include some slight revisions. After a refresher about what the bill did (since the bill had not been before the committee for nearly a year) members were supportive. The bill was held to allow an adjustment. We hope the bill will be heard again soon and moved out. The next committee of referral is the Senate Finance Committee. This bill will loosen up free-market principles to operate like 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.
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.
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, and we are hopeful that the committee will hear the bill in the near future. Please stay tuned for more details on this constitutional amendment proposal.
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 is currently in the possession of the Senate Finance Committee.
SB 140 – An Act relating to school athletics, recreation, athletic teams, and sports. The goal of SB 140 is simply 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. Schools that receive federal funding are legally required to provide girls and boys with equitable sports opportunities. We plan to request a hearing soon in the Senate Education Committee.
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.
Brent Bartlett (left) and Daniel Phelps (right) are my trusty aides shown here preparing for our Facebook Live last evening.
It takes four screens, two computers, one camera, and one microphone to pull off our weekly #Telling_it_like_it_is report.
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!
Click the photo above for our most recent #Telling_it_like_it_is weekly Facebook Live. This episode aired Monday, February 7, 2002. Buddy Whitt, my chief of staff reads comments and questions from viewers which we use as a launchpad for discussion.
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 – Congressman
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 Senate Rules Committee
-Senator’s Aide for Majority Leadership
-Senator’s Aide for Senate Floor Session
Buddy.Whitt@akleg.gov
907-465-5025
Daniel Phelps – Legislative Aide
-Committee Aide for Community and Regional Affairs
-Senator’s Aide for Senate Judiciary Committee
Daniel.Phelps@akleg.gov
907-465-1172
Brent Bartlett – Legislative Aide
-Senator’s Aide for Health and Social Services Committee
Brent.Bartlett@akleg.gov
907-465-3743
Diane Bryant – Legislative Aide
-Senator’s Aide for Education Committee
Diane.Bryant@akleg.gov
907-465-1173
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
State of Alaska COVID-19 Coronavirus Information (Click Here)
State of Alaska COVID-19 Health Orders (Click Here)
State of Alaska COVID-19 Vaccine Information (Click Here)
Best regards,
Copyright © *2022* *Office of Senator Shelley Hughes*, All rights reserved.
