[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6086750,"mediaKeyId","2894346-06a9c32a3bf374362ecbe22ac141e901","parentId",2894346,"title","Committee advances bill letting fully disabled veterans access PERS benefits without penalty","audioSeconds",348,"startMs",2808000,"endMs",3156000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2894346-06a9c32a3bf374362ecbe22ac141e901&start=2808&end=3156","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2894346-06a9c32a3bf374362ecbe22ac141e901/thumbnail_2808000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6086750/Alaska/Committee-advances-bill-letting-fully-disabled-veterans-access-PERS-benefits-without-penalty","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086750-2b696eadf98de4833c165b443cde57e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775877116&Signature=oBaiqMNNE-TFPfsgvogdtoBZFb0HYwYTfjgJGpOjsgodlB7SHnWAL3~r6wVSQymIha7vxos8fUdh0Otlpd-KAyAas7VSXh4cAsnK9FibfCvvAt8xmNpHVHqbdyQp9-zyH2hzWMs4XiVOzjcNEIOxQRffdsypVhVi1AMhOilm1PV7ZsgBMBNTnKQpnoxzigdQ6pFy0b~dIFN2uxrHCRej-dPCCdSG3IfELdCkCV8sFQYXem6oSwukMkYubTWjI1O9mFoI0DD0vPfmiI7keQTvh7q2dSULGDoArvPa-~Jqo2H0LiTa0atiBWYgro0PMqx4bpbEutM9Tjp9kKzQuzBQsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska State Legislature","date","2025-04-07T13:30:00Z","article","The House Finance Committee voted to report House Bill 17 out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes after sponsor and staff testimony. Representative David Rauscher (sponsor) said HB17 removes structural barriers that prevent a small group of veterans — those rated 100% totally and permanently disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — from accessing accrued Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) benefits without penalty, provided they have at least five years of credited service.

Rauscher said the bill “does not create new benefits; it simply removes structural barriers for a small group of veterans.” Committee staff read an analysis from the Department of Administration (DOA) into the record describing the mechanics: if enacted, a member seeking to count purchased military service toward retirement could become indebted to the plan for the cost of those years; DOA said the member would have several options to address that indebtedness, including a personal payment, pretax transfers, using deferred compensation or annuity accounts, pretax payroll deductions, salary redirection agreements, or accepting an actuarial reduction in retirement benefits.

Members asked about fiscal costs. Staff and the sponsor said the department provided the best available cost estimates but no definitive dollar amount was available in committee testimony. Craig Valdez, staff to Representative Rauscher, told members there were no additional exact numbers beyond the department’s fiscal note.

Motion and committee action: a committee member moved to report House Bill 17 out of committee with attached fiscal notes and recommendations; there were no objections and the bill was reported out.

Why it matters: supporters said the bill treats military service consistently with civilian service and eases retirement access for veterans severely disabled in service. Committee discussion focused on implementation mechanics and the fiscal effect on the retirement system; DOA’s letter describing repayment options was entered into the record to explain how a member’s indebtedness would be handled.

The committee asked staff to include the fiscal note and DOA correspondence in the committee report. The bill now advances with the committee’s record and will be considered in subsequent legislative stages.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04/07/2025 01:30 PM House FINANCE","oneSentenceSummary","The House Finance Committee on Thursday reported House Bill 17 out of committee with individual recommendations; the bill would allow veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to access accrued PERS retirement benefits without penalty if they have at least five years of credited service.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6086745,"House Finance hears bill to expand Alaska’s EMS 'system of care' to include strokes and heart attacks; fiscal note seeks one staffer and data system",4356,3185000,7541000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2894346-06a9c32a3bf374362ecbe22ac141e901&start=3185&end=7541","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2894346-06a9c32a3bf374362ecbe22ac141e901/thumbnail_3185000.jpg","/articles/6086745/Alaska/House-Finance-hears-bill-to-expand-Alaskas-EMS-system-of-care-to-include-strokes-and-heart-attacks-fiscal-note-seeks-one-staffer-and-data-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086745-a24b64e6054d497270f06ca3663bf192/orig.mp4?Expires=1775877116&Signature=h4BVNLs843cYNuhEVs81khfLT-2OVTZEga~Uprn0PE7tltvsKPP1fDjFwskTZT-kTTJponC3GkeTiAbLkp5DQLLQNhdCBYnNY7zk7DhSLJPhyY1W1Psum4GeCbkFlwFuZMpn12SbTB-Oxb9cLxj38IPQyY58Gy-R5s2bKEtSemAS2a4lntQ3BGMaiXOhFcglZxok1dBS9A-PmsMFslbb-nEaHwUadH~ybZ-EJ6tlTqZF-mwvE3muswJiRUUys85WxKnKoXIYzBxBXBMQ6bV30JiwUKOUrZkyPeXkxBXhSJe4uCO4rdz83SjxYFWqTsVGRrFgoc5Zccdzy2~6cUMbbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Genevieve Mina introduced House Bill 27, a measure to expand Alaska’s emergency medical services (EMS) system of care so it covers time‑sensitive medical emergencies beyond trauma, specifically strokes and severe heart attacks (STEMI). Mina told the House Finance Committee the bill would replicate the state’s trauma designation and registry model — which the committee established in 2010 — so that hospitals, EMS providers and other stakeholders can coordinate transfers, data collection and clinical protocols for stroke and STEMI care.

Mina and invited witnesses described gaps in Alaska’s current system. Neurosurgeon Dr. Lucy He (Providence/Alaska Regional) and longtime paramedic and EMS educator Bridal Webb said the state lacks a consistent statewide registry and voluntary facility‑designation process for stroke and STEMI; they argued those tools are necessary to measure outcomes, identify system gaps and improve triage and transfer decisions.

The Department of Health provided a fiscal note estimating a first‑year cost of about $240,000 (FY2026). The DOH proposal funds one new staff position to manage registries and convene subject‑matter committees and includes purchase of a data system to manage stroke and cardiac event records. DOH said funding for FY2026 would be primarily general fund (UGF) match ($211,700) with federal receipts of approximately $28,900.

Committee members asked detailed operational and policy questions. Representatives raised the realities of rural medevac and village clinical capacity, the voluntary nature of facility designation, how prehospital personnel would make diversion decisions in the field, and whether the state could repurpose an existing vacancy instead of adding a new position. Department and stakeholder witnesses said the trauma unit currently runs a statewide trauma registry and that replicating registries and a voluntary certification process for stroke/STEMI would require dedicated staff time and site visits.

Committee next steps: with roughly 18 minutes left in the scheduled hearing the committee set HB27 aside for further work and directed staff to include the fiscal note in the record. Members asked for additional information about current hospital participation in national stroke/STEMI accreditation programs, details about medevac and Coast Guard coordination for transfers, and options for staffing the DOH function (vacancy repurposing vs new position).

Why it matters: advocates said timely recognition and routing of stroke and severe heart‑attack patients can dramatically reduce death and long‑term disability by getting patients to the right facility and intervention quickly. DOH and providers said a registry and voluntary facility designation are foundations for quality improvement and federal grant eligibility; the fiscal note seeks modest initial investment to create that infrastructure.

The bill was set aside for additional follow‑up and will return to committee once staff and sponsors provide requested information.","Representative Genevieve Mina introduced House Bill 27 to expand Alaska’s EMS system of care to include stroke and severe heart‑attack (STEMI) protocols, voluntary facility designation and a statewide registry.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":44,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6086755,"House Finance committee advances bill to dedicate court-fee revenue to civil legal aid",2427,381000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2894346-06a9c32a3bf374362ecbe22ac141e901&start=381&end=2808","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2894346-06a9c32a3bf374362ecbe22ac141e901/thumbnail_381000.jpg","/articles/6086755/Alaska/House-Finance-committee-advances-bill-to-dedicate-court-fee-revenue-to-civil-legal-aid","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086755-b7e8be3f4d5009f5132fc7a1180d8cc9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775877116&Signature=TVXi55~rh811Q20HX8laW-40DLnSXFDwmclafBEEH3Uo6rdaBqQrATx1-Sanhe6MzWFp4D7aQZSiklc6ea2EaEnrtk6jvFmbH8JpqcpScqA0jsLHv-CqfHwnZFXYAfKjRtlHJX7fAfYT-~8KQQDOpO3Pc4PEVsYVY5IsniOybbPcERF3dYdcbAbq0-dHDBmGGYmzE392T9J~yYzN5YUb-8pRh3cez4Sh3gXziRvM87Xys5M32frKNlLIYXO8iQGPd3OWdKkrk~wAH1VomCiYBJgwhljy9KDNSHb0OOCgO3sOirUlScGASK2HZ226E~Qvky~LXwnNwVs0gCI3EQy35A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Finance Committee Co‑Chair Foster moved Thursday to advance House Bill 48, which would change statutory language to dedicate a portion of court filing fees to the Civil Legal Services Fund and direct a specified share to the Alaska Legal Services Corporation. The committee voted to move the bill out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes after a brief debate and invited testimony.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Sarah Hannan, told the committee the change “simply changes in the statute the percentage from the civil legal services fund that could be appropriated to the Alaska Legal Services Corporation.” She and ALSC representatives said the change creates a stable revenue stream for civil legal aid to serve low‑income Alaskans.

The bill drew both support and fiscal concern. Representative Josephson, among supporters, described services ALSC provides — including family law, elder advocacy, housing and domestic‑violence work — and said those services can reduce downstream state costs by keeping people housed and connected to benefits. ALSC testimony to the committee said the organization’s total budget is about $10.3 million and that federal funding accounts for roughly 40–50% of that budget. The ALSC representative said private fundraising (the “Partners in Justice” campaign) raises roughly $250,000–$300,000 annually.

ALSC told the committee it handled just over 6,200 cases in state fiscal year 2024 and that it turns away roughly 40–50% of applicants when capacity or eligibility limits are reached. In explaining program eligibility, ALSC said it generally serves people at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines and can flex to higher thresholds in limited circumstances.

Opponents and skeptics on the committee, including Representative Johnson and others, said redirecting court filing fees into a dedicated fund effectively reduces the unrestricted general fund revenue available for core state services. Representative Allard urged nonprofits to raise private funds rather than rely on new statutory revenue streams; Representative Staff noted that the change would redirect court fee receipts that otherwise flow into the General Fund. Several members said the committee’s decision to advance the bill should not be read as endorsement of additional spending given current budget pressures.

Motion and committee action: a committee member moved to report House Bill 48 out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes; there were no recorded objections and the bill passed out of committee.

Why it matters: supporters say a stable funding stream for civil legal aid preserves access to services for veterans, elders, domestic‑violence survivors and other low‑income Alaskans; critics say the measure redirects general‑purpose revenue at a time the state faces fiscal constraints.

The committee directed staff to file the committee report; sponsors offered brief closing remarks. The bill now proceeds in the legislative process with the committee’s recommendation and the attached fiscal notes.","The House Finance Committee voted to move House Bill 48 out of committee with individual recommendations; the bill would change statute to dedicate a portion of court filing fees to the Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC). Committee members questioned the timing and fiscal effect as the state faces tight budgets.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances bill letting fully disabled veterans access PERS benefits without penalty

House Finance hears bill to expand Alaska’s EMS 'system of care' to include strokes and heart attacks; fiscal note seeks one staffer and data system

House Finance committee advances bill to dedicate court-fee revenue to civil legal aid