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KEEPING IN TOUCH
Phone: (907) 465-3892
Toll-Free: (866) 465-3892
Address:
State Capitol, Room
418,
Juneau, AK 99801
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Visit akleg.gov to track bills, watch committees and more!
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
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Hello from Juneau! I hope everyone is surviving the spring snow!
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Anchorage Assembly elections will be happening next Tuesday, April 2nd. Be sure to plan ahead and make time to get out and vote!
Find your polling location HERE.
Before you head to the polls, make sure you're equipped with the info you need to make an informed decision. This series from Alaska Dispatch News does a good job of summarizing where each of the candidates stand on the issues: click here.
Also, don't forget to read up on the ballot propositions! To find information on each proposition that will be on the ballot,
click here
(and scroll down the page).
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As you may know, the Department of Transportation has a project underway that will eventually widen Jewel Lake Road, providing a two-way left turn lane between 88th Ave and Strawberry. This project will also extend the sidewalk on the East side of Jewel Lake between 82nd Ave and 88th Ave, create room for bike lanes, improve drainage, ensure curbs are ADA accessible, and add lighting, striping and signing to the area.
This goal of this construction is to increase safety and reduce rear-end and angle crashes.
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Right now, the project is still in the Right-of-Way appraisal and purchasing process, but construction is on track to begin in 2018.
I’ll be sure to keep you updated as I hear more!
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Conflict of Interest Reform - HB 44 and HCR1
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This week, House Bill 44 and House Concurrent Resolution 1 were moved from their last committee of referral, House State Affairs, and will soon be moving to the House Floor for a vote. I am proud to be carrying these two pieces of legislation that would increase transparency between the public and the legislature. HCR 1 would strengthen the rules when a legislator must declare of a conflict of interest before they vote on a bill. Currently, a single, anonymous objection can force a legislator with a conflict to vote. HCR 1 would require a 2/3 vote to take place for a legislator to withdraw from voting, making it more likely legislators with a true conflict won’t be able to vote, and putting this information on the public record.
HB 44 would change the Legislature’s definition of a conflict of interest, which now says a conflict exists is only when a bill being voted on would financially benefit someone the legislator is negotiating with for employment. HB 44 strengthens the definition to include votes that would financially benefit a legislator’s employer, the legislator’s immediate family and the spouse’s employer. I’m excited to see both HB 44 and HCR 1 come to a vote in the coming weeks.
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Also on the move this session is House Bill 43, known as the “Right to Try.” HB 43 would allow terminally ill patients who have exhausted all available treatments and do not qualify for clinical trials to gain faster access to safe, but experimental drugs in an effort to save their own lives.
Similar bills have now passed in 34 states with strong, bi-partisan support. HB 43 would ensure Alaskans have the same access to potentially life-saving treatments when they need it most.
I’m hopeful this bill will pass out of Judiciary Committee next week, and move to the House floor for a vote in the coming weeks.
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Balance Billing Protection - HB 193
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I recently introduced House Bill 193 at the request of a constituent, and look forward to working this bill through the legislative process. HB 193 aims to protect consumers from “balance billing.” Balance billing, also known as surprise billing, happens when an insurance company doesn’t cover the cost of an out-of-network provider and the patient is left to pay the bill. Balance Billing often occurs in emergency situations when a patient is unable to ask if the medical provider on-hand is in their insurance network. During emergency situations like this, it seems unfair to burden a patient with additional medical costs they had no control over, and believed were covered by their insurance. HB 193 would stop the practice of balance billing in emergency situations, protecting patients from surprise and costly medical bills.
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Congrats from a Proud Alum!
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As an alumnus of Dimond High, I was proud to take a moment to congratulate the Dimond High boy's basketball team on the House floor for their recent 2017 ASAA Championship win. Congrats also to the DHS girl's team for finishing with a strong 2nd.
Always proud to be a Lynx!
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Representative Jason Grenn
House District 22
Sand Lake, Jewel Lake, West Dimond & Kincaid
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Office of Representative Jason Grenn
State Capitol, Room 418
Juneau, AK 99801
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