Rep. Beth Kerttula and Sen. Menard pose with Matt and Sue, the office marmots. Both legislators are eagerly awaiting the historic first Alaska Marmot Day.
Alaskans and their young state will officially celebrate the newest tradition to be established in the Last Frontier February 2nd. Alaska Marmot Day pays homage to our very own marmot, an iconic creature that populates so many regions of Alaska.
[Excerpted from Senator Menard's newsletter]
SB 101, Student Questionnaires and Surveys (sponsor Senator_Bettye_Davis@legis.state.ak.us) is scheduled for a hearing in the House Health and Social Services Committee on Tuesday, February 2nd. This bill allows for passive parental consent for students taking the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS.)
ACTION NEEDED:
PLEASE Contact House H&SS Committee members before the 3 p.m. hearing on Tuesday. Testify in favor of the bill from you local Legislative Information Office at the hearing on Tuesday. To find your office: http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/misc/lios.php
Reports find that excise tax will have reduce benefits and raise costs for employees
WASHINGTON – Two reports released December 8, 2009 by federal unions found that the so-called “Cadillac” tax on higher-cost health plans contained in the U.S. Senate health care bill would actually affect average plans like those under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). The reports suggest that the excise tax would result in significant health benefit cuts and shifting of costs to employees, as plans try to avoid the tax.
The reports were released by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), American Postal Workers Union (APWU), National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA). They were joined by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.).
“These studies show us that the excise tax will further drive up the skyrocketing health care costs and will make it impossible for federal workers to achieve the health security they need.
