[{"_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",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":73},"mediaId",6342616,"mediaKeyId","2253815-0e0c325b6f6722d7f11adb547cc0ca86","parentId",2253815,"title","Committee votes to report PFD cleanup bill after recap and no public testimony","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",2523000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2253815-0e0c325b6f6722d7f11adb547cc0ca86&start=2523&end=2523","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2253815-0e0c325b6f6722d7f11adb547cc0ca86/thumbnail_2523000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6342616/Alaska/Committee-votes-to-report-PFD-cleanup-bill-after-recap-and-no-public-testimony","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6342616-edcaeab29df86c892d828f91a87399b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770930267&Signature=P1UuysO10QvxreY288P12zDAgkeUosbVBy-d8mVGJMI8RhkahEt~iOD4f092htH7LDvsMgCmp25AyAQFMxl~1AU1wphAxXunPx1cLZAwQ~FwSs2nl9FUBVFNzxZUCtiXGuWWi89lmQNybC5ZtSyOvA3qgE7EZ0KNtqw88yTwN3KHq1v~7wuhRhlLIguev4FoRN5bjYkTfUHXoAlhPLGZ0wYJQCnRgKSH5EHTrXmNUB5infPoeY5NrJhodUEWteP3l7D7r5unEHt9J29XKveYp6AIOejUFJm9yAK-ttfAtSn~byNOFu3zSNecaC2ALUDBMz0czecnDzU1YIFXd14fIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska State Legislature","date","2025-02-07T00:00:00Z","article","Senator Jesse Kiel (Senate District B) briefed the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Feb. 7 on Senate Bill 77, a technical cleanup bill for the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) Division. Senator Greg Bjorkman presided over the session in Belcher Room 105 in Juneau.

Kiel said SB 77 is a PFD-division cleanup and explicitly not a change to the dividend formula. The bill addresses allowable-absence rules to clarify eligibility (including Merchant Mariner training, college breaks during the academic year, and medical care obtained outside Alaska) and makes three operational changes intended to improve security and efficiency: requiring fingerprinting of applicants and certain employees, stopping the public distribution of lists of PFD applicant names, and allowing the division to send electronic notices when a PFD is levied if an applicant opts in.

Kiel reminded the committee that the bill had first been heard on Feb. 3 and that the session on Feb. 7 would include a recap and an opportunity for public comment. No members of the public present in the room or online testified on SB 77.

After the recap and absence of public testimony, a committee member moved to report SB 77 (identified in the motion as version 34-LS0394) out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. The motion was met with no objection; the chair announced that SB 77 moves from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes and asked members to remain afterward to sign the paperwork.

Ending

The committee adjourned at 2:11 p.m.; it plans to reconvene Feb. 10 to hear additional bills.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","02/07/2025 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 77, a set of administrative changes for the Permanent Fund Dividend Division, was reported out of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes after a committee motion and no public testimony.","taxTitle","Labor & Commerce, Standing Committees, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Alaska","taxId",16915,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6342621,"Committee hears bill to allow payroll cards as a wage-payment option; ADP urges electronic pay to replace paper checks",616,1939000,2555000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2253815-0e0c325b6f6722d7f11adb547cc0ca86&start=1939&end=2555","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2253815-0e0c325b6f6722d7f11adb547cc0ca86/thumbnail_1939000.jpg","/articles/6342621/Alaska/Committee-hears-bill-to-allow-payroll-cards-as-a-wage-payment-option-ADP-urges-electronic-pay-to-replace-paper-checks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6342621-a3c29f3753f73efd32fcaa4730c127fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770930267&Signature=EVzAn5N5ffP6un8Hj2De9h6TGRHGxepxu5ZHVABHBnKFa62671nufjpXnBLlmUvJuq7OIyJ~2tfYOi0HBSVeuJf7nT7d2FYipmhweRkPwrqW6tHXGHFgeOO7Sb6Zq2pezPxBaaYIQ1tWCdO-1Lt5yTgj2H6Ku4JAFX-QH4aV-LHAYQvmbA7hC-tYZ1VmcGGxagOmaOGci2WC53QFZsTMS4OxCuBjqLKyZRJJ4WBJmVC4Dn-ojJih4G2WubsUxfHG9FMgqronjzB9fVrsd0hA~t~KOE8E4ONZ8obNqQDUs23yAUzsd7-Kep~GDdcncC3KNJNoW87bTPkg6T-EZqo-Tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Greg Bjorkman, chair of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, opened discussion on Senate Bill 79 on Feb. 7 in Juneau. SB 79 would add a statutory option allowing employers to pay wages to a payroll card account when an employee voluntarily authorizes the account or has not specified a deposit account.

Sevea Bieber, staff to Senator Bjorkman, summarized the bill and identified the statutory sections the bill would add and amend (adding AS 23.10.044 and updating AS 23.10.040). Bieber said the bill is intended to provide employers an electronic-pay option that can reduce the costs and logistical difficulties of issuing paper paychecks, and to give unbanked employees a way to receive wages without check-cashing fees.

Amy Miller, senior director of government affairs for Automatic Data Processing (ADP), testified in support of the bill. Miller said ADP — which processes payroll for a large share of U.S. workers — supports eliminating the requirement that employers offer paper paychecks and described consumer protections and features of payroll-card products. Miller told the committee that SB 79 preserves employee choice: employers could continue offering direct deposit or paper checks, collective-bargaining arrangements remain protected, and state-employee payment rules are not affected.

Committee staff outlined key protections in the bill’s sectional analysis: employers using payroll-card accounts would have to notify employees of terms and fees; payroll cards must provide at least one cost-free withdrawal per pay period up to the employee’s net wages and cost-free balance checks by phone and electronically; employers could not require employees to pay application, participation, card-issuance or annual replacement fees, or charge for transferring wages to the account or for point-of-sale purchases; and payroll-card accounts must be insured on a pass-through basis by an entity that insures bank deposits. The bill also includes language protecting collective-bargaining rights.

Miller argued payroll cards can reduce delays and access problems associated with paper checks, especially in Alaska where weather or mail delays can prevent timely payment. She said payroll cards provide free savings features, fraud protections, and prevent overdraft/NSF fees that can arise with other payment methods. ADP cited national adoption rates for electronic pay and noted that more than 30 states allow employers to pay wages electronically.

No public opponents testified. Committee members asked procedural questions about the bill’s pedigree and amendments; Senator Grama Jackson asked whether the version before the committee was the original House version or an amended version and was told it was the original. The committee took no final vote and set SB 79 aside for further consideration at a future meeting.

Ending

The committee will consider the bill again at a later date; no formal action was taken during the Feb. 7 session.","Senate Bill 79 would permit employers to pay wages to payroll-card accounts when employees authorize it or have not provided bank-account deposit details; the committee heard proponent testimony from ADP and set the bill aside for later consideration.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6342625,"Senate Labor and Commerce hears audits, testimony supporting extensions for three licensing boards",1572,414000,1986000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2253815-0e0c325b6f6722d7f11adb547cc0ca86&start=414&end=1986","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2253815-0e0c325b6f6722d7f11adb547cc0ca86/thumbnail_414000.jpg","/articles/6342625/Alaska/Senate-Labor-and-Commerce-hears-audits-testimony-supporting-extensions-for-three-licensing-boards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6342625-6be241db23e22bea51c8831ff142c373/orig.mp4?Expires=1770930267&Signature=mqja1ngfYNVTI2pr-9CLxJv71jX28LSlrId67AoK-fV3HGMD7J9rqUv9or4-yrhv2I7sJNRrx9G2vVQNwtf-DASIH0hSa2ZqKZq~n6qqiXZ5F6xNlchUKjuJpBs~JLKBK8NJLck5bqWKsxgw3aIUfr5Rt3HCvs1A9KFFIxABrLoh17Wlofbjhzs5CdgeZNWm-RF1INDXAgJChKE2BGHGFqGG-7AIkc9g6Ey5x6njCQxpFccyRKuGbTRbLU~v27nrP-9GPk5Uo4QJZKv6plhg~WmL7wX4w1D45nHDbhUCy3wjAAT2ngY0WTpDuVtEW3WOJmHqMyL~UwnR68Z4wS6R1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Greg Bjorkman, chair of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, opened a Feb. 7 committee hearing in Juneau on Senate Bill 80, which would extend statutory sunset dates for three state licensing boards.

The committee heard a legislative audit and invited testimony from board chairs and industry representatives explaining why those boards should remain in place.

Legislative Auditor Chris Curtis told the committee that each board met the public-interest standard in the most recent audits and offered targeted recommendations. Curtis said the audit recommended a shorter extension for the Marijuana Control Board to allow time to review a recent Governor’s advisory task force report and a new licensing information system, while recommending longer extensions for the Board of Massage Therapists and the Big Game Commercial Services Board to provide regulatory stability.

“The Marijuana Control Board was operating in the public’s interest,” Chris Curtis said as she described findings and recommendations in the audit report. Curtis listed recommendations including better documentation of permit files, completion of the new licensing and enforcement information system, and consideration of requiring a majority of board members to approve regulation changes. The Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) commissioner concurred with the audit’s findings except for the recommendation on majority votes, and the marijuana board chair likewise objected to changing the voting threshold on regulation changes.

Board chairs and stakeholders described board functions and supported SB 80. Aneta Atwell, chair of the Board of Massage Therapists, summarized the board’s role in reviewing licensing and renewal issues, evaluating applications from out-of-state schools, and handling disciplinary matters. Aaron Bloomquist, chair of the Big Game Commercial Services Board, described licensing and regulatory work for guides and transporters and said the board had recovered from operating deficits to a surplus through fee and licensing actions. Sam Rohrer, president of the Alaska Professional Hunters Association, told the committee the association “strongly supports” extending the Big Game Commercial Services Board, saying the board provides oral testing and a public avenue to shape regulations that affect guides.

Sylvan Robb, director of the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, described steps the division has taken in response to auditor recommendations, including reclassifying licensing positions, creating additional supervisory roles, and instituting regular training to improve oversight and documentation.

Committee members spoke in favor of respecting auditors’ recommendations. No formal vote on SB 80 was taken; Chair Bjorkman said the committee would set the bill aside for further consideration at a future meeting.

What the audit found and next steps

- Marijuana Control Board: audit recommended a short extension (audit text recommended a three-year extension) to allow review of major issues identified by a Governor’s advisory task force and to let auditors assess implementation of a new licensing information system; the board is a five-member panel that regulates cultivation, manufacture and sale of marijuana. The commissioner and the board chair agreed with most audit recommendations but opposed a statutory change requiring a majority vote to approve regulations.

- Board of Massage Therapists: audit recommended a six-year extension and made four improvement recommendations, including procedures to ensure licenses are not approved on outdated documentation and considering fee adjustments so licensing fees cover regulation costs; the board has five members.

- Big Game Commercial Services Board: audit recommended a six-year extension and two improvements, including oversight procedures to ensure licensing documentation is complete and a review of whether two private landholder seats remain necessary; the board reported 1,438 active licenses as of January 2023 and is composed of nine members.

The committee did not take final action and will revisit the bill at a later date.

Ending

Senator Bjorkman closed the SB 80 segment after committee questions and testimony, and the committee moved on to consider other bills on the agenda.","The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee received legislative audits and testimony supporting renewal of sunset dates for the Marijuana Control Board, the Board of Massage Therapists and the Big Game Commercial Services Board; lawmakers set the bills aside for later consideration.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee votes to report PFD cleanup bill after recap and no public testimony

Committee hears bill to allow payroll cards as a wage-payment option; ADP urges electronic pay to replace paper checks

Senate Labor and Commerce hears audits, testimony supporting extensions for three licensing boards