REPORT FROM JUNEAU: Week 17
by Senator Loren Leman
May 4, 2001

CANCER COVERAGE: House Bill 65 extends Medicaid coverage to women diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer through a screening program. This week the Senate HESS Committee amended HB 65 to include direction to the Department of Health & Social Services to report on the risk factors for these diseases. For instance, according to the Indian Health Service, Alaska Native women have twice the rate of cervical cancer than the nationwide average The State has an obligation to help them find why. I care about women in Alaska and want not only to provide care for them once they are diagnosed with cancer, but also want to help reduce the chances that they will get it. I expect HB 65 to pass the Senate and be signed into law.

BONDING WITH THE HOUSE: The House has passed HB 234 to repair schools, ports and harbors, and University facilities. The Senate Finance Committee is currently considering this bill. House Bill 234 provides a revenue source from the tobacco settlement for smoking cessation programs and for securing bonds for the capital projects.

House Bill 191 uses a type of revenue bond (the acronym is GARVEE) to accelerate improvements to the State’s transportation system. Instead of waiting for federal funds to arrive, GARVEE bonds would allow us to begin building the projects now and repay the bondholders from future federal receipts Although the House has passed this bill the Senate is uncomfortable with creating the future obligation without voter approval. I expect this to be considered again in next year’s bond package.

AN APPLE FOR THE TEACHER: Work is being completed on several education measures. K-12 education will receive an increase of more than $34 million, $6 million of which is in Learning Opportunity Grants specifically for books and materials to help students improve academic performance. My SB 149, Teacher Incentives, moved from House Finance with unanimous “Do Pass” recommendations on Thursday and is now in the Rules Committee. In response to teacher shortages the bill will help recruit teachers into Alaska classrooms faster, encourage retired teachers to return to teaching and provide improved medical benefits that will encourage teachers to stay. I expect it to pass the House. House Bill 101 by Rep. Fred Dyson revitalizes Alaska’s charter school program by increasing the contract duration for the schools from 5 to 10 years, doubles the number of schools allowed to 60 and offers a $500-per-student grant. Because of the current charter school law’s 2005 sunset date and the five-year contract limit, no new schools are currently able to start operations. I expect HB 101 to pass the Senate.

BAC(ING) DOWN WITH ALCOHOL: Several bills that lower the blood-alcohol content (BAC) for DUI from 0.10 to 0.08 percent have been working their way through the Legislature, and I believe we will pass a bill containing this change before the end of session. It is my fervent hope that this will help reduce the number of tragedies caused by irresponsible drinking and driving. Proposals to increase alcohol taxes (SB 8, HB 225) appear unlikely to pass this year. Some legislators were uncomfortable with the proposed 300 percent increase. I would support a reasonable increase and we will need to work together to find a level that’s acceptable to more legislators.

GRANDPARENTS HAVE RIGHTS TOO: Grandparents are often the most stable and healthy influence in the life of a child from a troubled family. House Bill 164, by Rep. Fred Dyson, will ensure that grandparents who so desire will be heard at Child In Need of Aid hearings. The sponsor also hopes that grandparents will be considered as caretakers when it is in the best interest of the child. The bill was waived from the Senate Judiciary Committee Friday and I expect it to pass the Senate this weekend. To get the latest information on bills in the Legislature go to www.legis.state.ak.us

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM: Today is my mother’s (Marian Leman) 82nd birthday. Mom has lived for the past 55 years in Ninilchik. In addition to being a wonderful mother, she is also a grandmother, great-grandmother and wife.

SESSION CLOSEOUT: In addition to concurrences on several bills already passed by the Senate and House, we still need to complete final work on the operating and capital budgets and vote on confirmations of board and commission nominees in joint session. We are working hard to keep total State funding below last year--and should end up $60 million less than the Governor’s requested spending.

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