Juneau Report

Bills that I worked on while in the Capital

HB 181 Mandatory Headlight Bill

SB73 Mandatory Headlight Bill

SB219 Brain Trauma Bill – This bill has six to eight words that need to be removed because it is a back door to mandatory helmet laws. Scott Hamman found this and told me about the night before I left for Juneau.

HB328 Brain Trauma Bill dropped in the house while I was there.

I also touch lightly on the cell phone bills while I was there but they do not look like they are going to make it. The above bills pose more harm to us than passage of the cell phone bills.

I arrived on Wed. Feb 10 and met with Rep. Wes Keller from Wasilla, He has introduced HB 262 “Motorcycle Awareness Month”

I also met with Rep Herron’s (JUD) staff to discuss HB 181 and told them of our concerns of the brain trauma language coming from the senate bill.

I then spent the rest of my time making appointments with Senators to work on the senate bills

Later that night I met with Dan McCrummen and Bob Heflin. Dan is the President and Bob Is the Legislative Affairs Officer of Juneau ABATE. We discussed all of the legislation that we want to work on this year. Bob will join me in my meetings Thursday afternoon.

Thursday Feb 11.

Met with Rep Ramaras (Chair- JUD) Discussed HB 181, SB 73, SB 219. He told me he does not see 181 moving this year.

Met with Rep Gruensburg (JUD) staff. Discussed HB 181, SB 73, SB 219. While I was there a Blogger came in and interviewed me. During the interview Rep Gruensburg came into the office. He talked to the staff member and came out and grabbed me. He is a co-sponsor on 181. We had a real good talk about the safety aspect of the bill. While he did not come off his support of the bill, he did insist that I testify as to our concerns of the bill if it comes up for a hearing. In fact he said he was going to call me to insure that I know when it comes up.

That afternoon Bob and I met with the following:

Senator Steddman (Co-Chair Finance) Staff

Senator Thomas (FIN) Staff

Rep. Gatto (JUD)

Senator Olsen (FIN) Staff

Rep. Dahlstrum (JUD) Staff

Friday Feb 12.

I met with Rep. Kawasaki the sponsor of HB 181 and told him of our concerns with the bill. He told me that he was still going to push it and I can respect that. I did not have any thoughts that I would be able to change his mind. It was a courtesy visit anyway.

I met with Rep. Lynn (JUD)

Met with Senator Menard for a courtesy visit as she is the sponsor of SB 73

Met with Senator McGuire’s Staff she sponsored SB 219. We had a real good chat about the language. However we could not get it changed because it is schedualed for a hearing Monday Feb 15 at 1:30pm I will be there to testify. I also found out that they plan on changing the language of the bill to mirror HB328.

Costs for the trip

Airfare            $284.95

Room             $132.16

Car                 $143.57

Total $560.68

Boyd

Here is a vidio of what I was explaining to the legisators about the Headlight bill

http://www.viddler.com/explore/AKRaven/videos/297/

These Bills are different from each other in wording, but our objections are the same in both bills.

I believe that HB328 will be the laungage of both bills when all is said and done. Senator McGuire’s staff told me that they will be offering the lauguage of HB328 into her bill SB219. The senate bill will become SB219R. Because of this I have not included the laugage of SB219

I’ve marked through the lauguage that we object through in each bill

HOUSE BILL NO. 328

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE – SECOND SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES JOHNSON, Dahlstrom, Peggy Wilson, Herron, Cissna, Buch

Introduced:  2/5/10

Referred:   Health and Social Services, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

1     “An Act establishing a traumatic or acquired brain injury program and registry within

2      the Department of Health and Social Services; and relating to medical assistance

3     coverage for traumatic or acquired brain injury services.”

4     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

5           * Section 1. AS 18.15.360(a) is amended to read:

6                     (a)  The department is authorized to collect, analyze, and maintain databases of

7             information related to

8                              (1)  risk factors identified for conditions of public health importance;

9                              (2)  morbidity and mortality rates for conditions of public health

10           importance;

11                            (3)  community indicators relevant to conditions of public health

12           importance; [AND]

13                          (4)  longitudinal data on traumatic or acquired brain injury from

14           the registry established under AS 47.80.500(c)(1); and

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1                            (5) any other data needed to accomplish or further the mission or goals

2            of public health or provide essential public health services and functions.

3            * Sec. 2. AS 47.07.030(b) is amended to read:

4                  (b)  In addition to the mandatory services specified in (a) of this section and the

5            services provided under (d) of this section, the department may offer only the

6            following optional services: case management services for traumatic or acquired

7            brain injury; case management and nutrition services for pregnant women; personal

8            care services in a recipient’s home; emergency hospital services; long-term care

9            noninstitutional services; medical supplies and equipment; advanced nurse practitioner

10          services; clinic services; rehabilitative services for children eligible for services under

11          AS 47.07.063, substance abusers, and emotionally disturbed or chronically mentally ill

12          adults; targeted case management services; inpatient psychiatric facility services for

13          individuals age 65 or older and individuals under age 21; psychologists’ services;

14          clinical social workers’ services; midwife services; prescribed drugs; physical therapy;

15          occupational therapy; chiropractic services; low-dose mammography screening, as

16          defined in AS 21.42.375(e); hospice care; treatment of speech, hearing, and language

17          disorders; adult dental services; prosthetic devices and eyeglasses; optometrists’

18          services; intermediate care facility services, including intermediate care facility

19          services for the mentally retarded; skilled nursing facility services for individuals

20          under age 21; and reasonable transportation to and from the point of medical care.

21       * Sec. 3. AS 47.07.030 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

22                         (e)  In this section,

23                                  (1)  “case management services for traumatic or acquired brain injury”

24        means

25                                         (A)  care and service coordination to assist individuals and

26                      families affected by traumatic or acquired brain injury to minimize the

27                     disabling effects of the injury;

28                                        (B)  collaboration with providers and other organizations to

29                    expand and strengthen the local capacity for delivery of needed services,

30                    including housing, for the care and support of a recipient who is diagnosed

31                   with traumatic or acquired brain injury;

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1                                       (C)  participation in planning and accessing services within the

2                     community for the care and support of a recipient who is diagnosed with

3                     traumatic or acquired brain injury;

4                                       (D)  the provision of information, referral, and case consultation

5                   services to a recipient who is diagnosed with traumatic or acquired brain

6                   injury;

7                           (2)  “traumatic or acquired brain injury” has the meaning given in

8                  AS 47.80.590.

9          * Sec. 4. AS 47.07 is amended by adding a new section to read:

10                         Sec. 47.07.046. Traumatic or acquired brain injury services. (a) The

11              department shall provide traumatic or acquired brain injury services under a waiver in

12              accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1396 – 1396p (Title XIX, Social Security Act), this chapter,

13              and regulations adopted under this chapter, if the department has received approval

14              from the federal government and the department has appropriations allocated for the

15              purpose. In addition to the annual assessment required in (b) of this section, the

16              department shall establish in regulation additional standards for eligibility and

17              payment for the services.

18                          (b)  Before the department may terminate payment for services provided under

19             (a) of this section, the recipient must have had an annual assessment to determine

20             whether the recipient continues to meet the standards established by regulation under

21             (a) of this section.

22                         (c)  In this section, “traumatic or acquired brain injury” has the meaning given

23             in AS 47.80.590.

24        * Sec. 5. AS 47.80 is amended by adding new sections to read:

25                                         Article 5A. Traumatic or Acquired Brain Injury.

26                           Sec. 47.80.500. Statewide traumatic or acquired brain injury program. (a)

27                  A statewide traumatic or acquired brain injury program is established in the

28                  department for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness and availability of

29                  information and services for the prevention and treatment of traumatic or acquired

30                  brain injury in the state. The department shall consult and collaborate with state

31                  agencies, private nonprofit entities, and other organizations in the state that provide

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1                  brain injury services in implementing all aspects of the program.

2                                (b)  The program established under this section must include

3                                             (1)  review and consideration of data collected under (c)(1) of this

4                  section;

5                                            (2)  supervision and coordination of services provided to persons with

6                traumatic or acquired brain injury;

7                                             (3)  evaluation of standards and laws pertaining to the prevention of

8               traumatic or acquired brain injury and to the treatment, care, and support of persons

9               with traumatic or acquired brain injury;

10                                         (4)  assessment of the availability of acute and long-term treatment,

11            care, and support options in and outside the state for persons with traumatic or

12            acquired brain injury;

13                                        (5)  evaluation of the need for and scope of community services for

14             persons with traumatic or acquired brain injury throughout the state;

15                                       (6)  investigation of the models of service coordination that can be

16             replicated at a local level in the state;

17                                      (7)  coordination and expansion of publicly and privately funded

18            residential and nonresidential acute and long-term services to persons with traumatic

19             or acquired brain injury, including education, referral, and home and community-

20             based services;

21                                    (8)  facilitation of admissions to and discharges from acute and long-

22             term care facilities for the treatment of traumatic or acquired brain injury;

23                                    (9)  identification and description of available treatment and care

24             facilities of all types for persons with traumatic or acquired brain injury based on

25              length of stay, patient capacity, available services, and barriers encountered to

26             community placement after discharge;

27                                (10)  a plan that describes recommendations for the development of a

28             statewide service delivery continuum of comprehensive rehabilitative, supportive

29             living, and community programs.

30                    (c)  The department shall

31                               (1)  establish and implement a traumatic or acquired brain injury

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1               registry of information from service providers that includes

2                                                      (A)  health status, including age, cause, and severity of injury

3              and region of brain affected;

4                                                     (B)  acute recovery period;

5                                                    (C)  location of the

6                                                               (i)  event that caused the injury;

7                                                              (ii)  hospital treating the injury; and

8                                                              (iii)  residence of the person with traumatic or acquired

9                                       brain injury;

10                                                (D)  access to and use of rehabilitation services, including

11                           behavioral, vocational, and long-term care services;

12                                                (E)  access to and use of neuropsychological assessment;

13                                                (F)  status of long-term recovery at five-year intervals;

14                                                (G)  financial and social effects on family;

15                                                (H)  cost associated with services;

16                                       (2)  establish standards and recommendations for improvement of

17             prevention, assessment, treatment, and care of persons with traumatic or acquired

18             brain injury in the state;

19                                       (3)  contract with service providers and qualified entities to carry out

20            the purposes of this section;

21                                       (4)  provide a standardized reporting form for use in gathering data for

22            the registry.

23                          (d)  In (c) of this section, “service provider” means a public or private entity

24            that provides health education, group shelter, or criminal justice services to individuals

25            in the state.

26                   Sec. 47.80.590. Definition. In AS 47.80.500 – 47.80.590, “traumatic or

27           acquired brain injury” means an insult from physical force or internal damage to the

28           brain or its coverings, not of a degenerative or congenital nature, that produces an

29           altered mental state and that results in a decrease in cognitive, behavioral, emotional,

30           or physical functioning.

This above Highlighted laugage is what would allow them to write helmet laws if the laugage we want struck out is still in the bill when it is passed

HOUSE BILL NO. 181

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE – FIRST SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES KAWASAKI, Gruenberg

Introduced:  3/12/09

Referred:   Transportation, Judiciary

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

“An Act relating to the use of headlights when operating a motor vehicle.”

1.   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

2.   * Section 1. AS 28.35 is amended by adding a new section to read:

3.                   Sec. 28.35.195. Use of headlights required. A person may not operate a

4.          motor vehicle on a highway unless the headlight system required by law for that motor

5.          vehicle is illuminated.

6.           A person who violates this section is guilty of an infraction.

*
*
*
*

*

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 73(JUD)

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE – FIRST SESSION

BY THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Offered:  3/20/09

Referred:  Finance

Sponsor(s):  SENATORS MENARD, Paskvan

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

1.  “An Act relating to the use of headlights when operating a motor vehicle; and providing

2.   for an effective date.”

3.  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

4. * Section 1. AS 28.35 is amended by adding a new section to read:

5.          Sec. 28.35.195. Use of headlights required. A person may not operate a

6.       motor vehicle on a highway unless the headlight system required by law for that motor

7.       vehicle is illuminated. A person who violates this section is guilty of an infraction.

8.         * Sec. 2. This Act takes effect October 1, 2009.

Having just returned from testifying at the House Health and Social Services Committee meeting I would like to report that the language in the bill that we felt was a backdoor into Helmet Laws has been removed. I would like to thank Co-Chair Rep. Wes Keller of Wasilla for making the amendment that removed the 11 words that could have led to new mandatory helmet laws. I will bee posting the new bill language as soon has they get it posted on the Legislatures Website.

We still need to work on the Senate Bill still and get it removed from it too.

Boyd