As I write this, the Senate is debating the state operating budget (specifically Amendment 16 right now). When budgets are being reduced, budget time is always more difficult. We expect the Senate will pass its version tonight and send it back to the House for concurrence. We expect the budget will go into conference committee early next week to resolve differences in the House and Senate versions of the budget as the Legislature moves toward a planned April 19 adjournment.
The Medicaid reform and expansion bills are continuing to take up a great deal of time and energy of the Legislature. We don’t see a clear path to any consensus about reform, or expansion, or reform and expansion at this point, but there are still 15 days left in the session.
Workers’ Compensation
House Bill 178 extends the time for the workers’ compensation medical review committee to report back recommendations on workers’ compensation fees. NFIB strongly supported legislation last year to do the review with time frames we knew were tight. That does get folks moving, however, but sometimes it is too quick. We expect the committee to have recommendations to the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development by June and then move them to the Workers’ Compensation Board and on to the regulation process. We expect the final action by November. House Bill 178 extends the due date from July 1 to December 1. This bill will be heard in House Labor & Commerce on April 8.
State Income Tax
House Bill 182, by Rep. Paul Seaton, begins the discussion on increasing revenues. It proposes a personal income tax equal to 15 percent of a person’s federal income tax. We expect it will not be heard by the end of this session, but it may be a facilitator for discussions over the interim and into next year’s legislative session.
Daylight Savings Time
Senate Bill 6, ending daylight saving time, will be heard in the House State Affairs committee April 9. After complete silence on the Senate side, the Anchorage business community has come out in full force to oppose the bill. They will join most tourism businesses, especially those in Southeast, in opposing the bill.
Past Reports
