Representative Cissna Launches Health Caucus

On Wednesday February 4, over 30 people joined Representative Sharon Cissna (D-Anchorage) for the first meeting of the House and Senate Joint Legislative Health Caucus in Juneau. The topic for Wednesday’s meeting was “Fiscal Hemorrhaging in Health Services, A discussion of how to decrease health cost drivers: Chronic Conditions and Crisis Prevention”. Speakers at this meeting included Doug Bruce (Director of the State of Alaska Public Health Division), Beverly Wooley (Director of Health and Human Services for the Municipality of Anchorage), and Merry Carlson (Director of North Slope Borough Health Department).

For more information on upcoming meetings of the Health Caucus please call Representative Cissna’s office at 1-800-922-3875.

Military Reservists' Benefits Protected
Elton pleased with Administrative Order modeled after Senate Bill 26

Senate Bill 26, sponsored last year by Senator Kim Elton (D-Juneau) and former Senator Robin Taylor (R-Wrangell), gave the Governor the ability to make up the difference in pay and continue some or all health benefits for reservists and their families when a state-employee is called to active duty. An administrative order signed today will now make that happen. While the bill was retroactive to September 11, 2001, the Governor’s order applies from today forward. Now state-employed reservists called to active duty to continue to receive group life and health benefits for themselves and their families. The administrative order takes effect immediately.

Ellis wants accurate vote count

Senate Bill 296, introduced by Senate Minority Leader Johnny Ellis (D-Anchorage), will assure all Alaskan voters that their votes will be accurately counted by requiring an auditable paper trail for electronic voting. Under Ellis’s bill, voting machines would produce a paper record that voters could check before leaving the voting booth to make sure the machine has accurately recorded their vote. These paper receipts would constitute a separate record of the vote, available to settle any dispute over the machine count. Alaska currently uses machines that optically scan a paper ballot, automatically creating a paper trail that can be hand-counted if necessary. However, the Division of Elections has recently purchased touch-screen machines to make voting easier for physically disabled voters. The purpose of the bill was to avoid problems experienced by other states and counties, problems that have led to questionable outcomes and frustrated voters.

Upcoming Events-

Saturday, February 7th- The Anchorage Legislative Caucus will hold a town meeting to hear from constituents in the Assembly Chambers at Loussac Library (3600 Denali St., parking is available). Each person will have 3 minutes to speak.

Putting Alaskans First - Moving Alaska Forward