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Relief for laid-off workers speeding through Legislature

Suzanne Downing
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Relief for laid-off workers speeding through Legislature

The Alaska House passed HB 308, which will waive work-seeking requirements for those collecting unemployment insurance, extending that requirement to 120 days.

The bill has the support of Gov. Mike Dunleavy and passed the House 38-0, with two members excused. The bill:

  • Allows Alaskans who are unable to work, or who are underemployed because of public health measures, to become eligible for unemployment benefits and help prevent the spread of COVID-19;
  • Waives the standard 1-week waiting requirement to begin receiving unemployment insurance benefits;
  • Increases the weekly per-dependent benefit from $25 to $75, providing relief for families who have lost childcare and income simultaneously.

The bill has a companion measure in the Senate and is expected to move quickly to the floor of the Senate by Friday.

The bill reflects the Trump Administration’s signing of H.R. 6021, which is an emergency relief package driving unemployment benefit relief to states. It required Alaska to develop some flexibility in its own legislation.

Dunleavy asks feds for waiver on REAL ID deadline

Suzanne Downing
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Dunleavy asks feds for waiver on REAL ID deadline

The Dunleavy administration has asked the federal government for an extension on the REAL ID deadline, due to the ongoing national emergency caused by the COVID virus outbreak.

The REAL ID law stipulates that on Oct. 1, 2020, all people will need a REAL ID-compliant identification, such as a REAL ID driver’s license or a U.S. passport, in order to board commercial flights, enter federal buildings or gain access to American nuclear plants.

In many parts of rural Alaska, people have not yet acted to bring their identification into compliance. The new Alaska driver’s license that is REAL ID compliant has certain design features that indicate the holder of the card has been verified by the state Division of Motor Vehicles.

Nationally, according to the Department of Homeland Security, only 95 million out of 276 million total drivers and ID cards met the Real ID standards, although many Americans hold passports, and those are considered REAL-ID compliant and may be used to get through the TSA checkpoints at airports.

No response has yet been received by the Department of Homeland Security, sources in the Administration said.

Recallers relent, call end to signature gathering due to COVID outbreak

Suzanne Downing
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Recallers relent, call end to signature gathering due to COVID outbreak

The official signature gathering on the petition to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy has been suspended, as of March 18.

According to a social media message from the paid staff of the Recall Dunleavy Committee, the signature gathering in Anchorage had been paused a week ago. However, several observers said that they saw it and some documented it continuing in the malls, even after a state of emergency had been announced.

Meda Dewitt with Recall Dunleavy said on Wednesday: “No one should be gathering signatures anywhere at this time. Please always follow CDC guidelines. We have been working on contingency plans. Stay tuned.”

The group is believed to have about 30,000 of the 71,252 signatures it needs to force a recall election of the governor. The group had hoped to collect the signatures by April to force the question onto a special election ballot. However, unless the group can convince the court to allow it to collect signatures digitally, it may not make that goal, since the state is now in a state of emergency due to a rapidly spreading virus.

Cases of the virus have popped up in Ketchikan, Seward, Anchorage, and Fairbanks, with a total of nine cases in the state so far. All were travel related, but several appeared to be asymptomatic for some time, which means community transmission is now highly likely, if other communities’ experiences are repeated in Alaska.

The CDC and the State of Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink has advised that people keep a six-foot distance from each other during the outbreak.

However, although the Recall Dunleavy group had stopped its pop-up event signature gathering and static gathering on March 13, it had urged individual signature gatherers to continue their efforts. Out-of-state signature gathering has also continued, according to several social media reports from individuals who had signed the petition.

Fourth illegal recall petition pops up in Palm Springs

Work requirements waived for food stamp recipients

Suzanne Downing
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Work requirements waived for food stamp recipients

The Dunleavy Administration has received a waiver from the federal government for the requirement that food stamps recipients who are able bodied adults without dependents must be employed, minimally at least.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) finalized a rule to narrow state options to waive work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.

Under federal law that went into effect in December, able-bodied individuals 18 through 49 who are not disabled or caring for children or other dependents – may only access food assistance through SNAP for three months in a 36-month period, unless they are working at least 20 hours a week or are enrolled in an employment or training program.

In 2017, 2.8 million of these persons participated in SNAP, representing 7 percent of total food stamp program enrollees.

The statewide waiver means all these enrollees in food stamps are exempt for the time being.

Many Alaskans who might suddenly qualify for SNAP benefits under the current economic circumstances brought about by the COVID outbreak might not be able to find employment in Alaska due to the closures of restaurants, bars, and other service establishments.

Our existing policy permits us to waive work requirements for SNAP for good cause.   Our teams are working on implementation for all recipients of the SNAP program for the duration of the state’s efforts in dealing with the effects of the virus.  

“As this is all very new for many of us and for our federal partners too, we are working to make sure we are taking advantage of any and all options to ease the burden and workload for eligibility requirements of our programs to make it easier for people to qualify and remain eligible during this critical time. This means the waiver applies to work requirements for ABAWDS and to the general work requirements,” said a source in the Department of Health and Social Services.

For more information on how to apply for SNAP benefits, go to this link.

ConocoPhillips shuts down travel to North Slope camps

Suzanne Downing
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ConocoPhillips shuts down travel to North Slope camps

Those on the North Slope are sheltering in place during the COVID outbreak. ConocoPhillips has taken major steps today to prevent the COVID virus from reaching North Slope oil field workforce.

Effectively immediately, all business-critical North Slope personnel supporting ConocoPhillips operations (both contractor and ConocoPhillips employees) are extending their shift by two weeks.

All flights north for regularly scheduled shift changes have been cancelled for the next two weeks. The company will be working to arrange transportation off the Slope for those who cannot extend their stay.

All non-essential personnel will leave the North Slope at the end of their current shift and asked to work from home or placed on extended leave until further notice, as appropriate.

All Anchorage based employees have been encouraged to work from home unless their job requires they come into the office.

The company has also asked all workers who live or have traveled out of state and are scheduled to travel to the North Slope to self-quarantine for two weeks before the start of their next scheduled shift.

By self-quarantine, the company means that workers should not travel outside of Alaska and should comply with all measures issued by the CDC and State of Alaska. If circumstances change, the company may require stricter self-quarantine measures.

The company will be demobilizing its exploration drilling rigs (Doyon 142 and Doyon 141) when they finish the wells they are currently drilling. Doyon 142 will be redeployed at Kuparuk.

The company is not planning on shutting production. The only change for the time being this year is the reduced drilling activity in Kuparuk and Alpine that was announced as part of the ConocoPhillips news release issued on Wednesday addressing steps the company is taking in light of the drop in oil price.  

The company does not have a timeframe for resuming business as usual, according to a company memo that said, “We will be monitoring conditions on a daily basis.”

“As we move through this, our priorities remain: protect the health and wellbeing of our workforce and their families; help mitigate the spread of the virus; and safely run our business,” the memo stated.

Supplemental budget includes COVID funds

Suzanne Downing
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The Alaska Senate has passed House Bill 234, the largest supplemental budget in Alaska history, at $612 million. The bill includes more community assistance funding: $33.5 million in relief, in addition to the $14.1 million already appropriated to help communities mitigate the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.

The bill passed unanimously, 16-0.

Details of the package, which were requested by the governor: 

  • $8.5 million in grants to municipalities for COVID-19-related commercial passenger vessel operations;
  • $5.5 million for medical and protective equipment, including testing supplies;
  • $3.5 million for transportation to housing for medical assistance;
  • $2.5 million for housing individuals under quarantine;
  • $1.5 million for the state epidemiology lab for IT systems related to testing;
  • $1.5 million for personnel including lab, support, emergency operations, and 24-hour
  • facility staff; and
  • $500,000 for public distribution of vital health recommendations and information.

The bill also provides funding for last year’s unpaid wildfire and healthcare costs:

  • $142 million in state funds and $160 million in federal funds for Medicaid services, including $8.3 million to restore the Adult Preventive Dental Program;
  • $110.5 million for wildland firefighting costs incurred last summer and fall;
  • $8.6 million to restore Adult Public Assistance.
  • $7.1 million for the Alaska Marine Highway System.
  • $6.7 million for the Department of Public Safety to address a shortfall within the Alaska State Troopers and Alaska Wildlife Troopers due to a lower than expected vacancy rate;
  • $6 million to help the Alaska Psychiatric Institute increase its capacity;
  • $3 million to address severe damage caused in Anchorage, Kenai, and Mat-Su by the December 2018 earthquake.

Anchorage will get an additional $4.5 million,

The bill, which originated in the House, needs concurrence from the House before it goes to the governor’s desk for approval.

Fourth, fifth, sixth coronavirus cases: Ketchikan, Anchorage, Fairbanks

Suzanne Downing
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Fourth, fifth, sixth coronavirus cases: Ketchikan, Anchorage, Fairbanks

NEW HEALTH MANDATES FROM STATE: CLOSING RESTAURANT

Ketchikan, Anchorage, and Fairbanks are the locations of new cases of coronavirus of coronavirus in Alaska. All cases are considered travel-related cases, with people who had traveled in the Lower 48.

Dr. Anne Zink, the chief medical officer for the state, took a previous advisory that says if you traveled within 14 days to a Level 3 country, home quarantine yourself for 14 days and made it a mandate.

Another health mandate statewide, effective March 18 at 5 pm, all bars, breweries, restaurant, food, kiosks, closed to dine in services. No on-site consumption is permitted.

The mandate does not include grocery stores but does include salad bars.

Zink said all Alaskans should minimize gatherings or being around other people in close settings.

The people with the virus are quarantined in their homes. Zink said 80 percent of those who get the virus will not need hospitalization, and so it’s best for them to stay at home.

Sen. Cathy Giessel, president of the Senate, said the Legislature stands with Gov. Dunleavy. “We stand with the governor in addressing the economic impact.”

Dunleavy asked Alaskans to take the issue more seriously. There is no vaccine. “We all need to do our part. This is a new virus. This is a virus that is easily spread. If you’re a young person you may not know that you have the virus,” he said. But he admonished young people to practice social distancing.

Sweep: Bernie Sanders loses Florida, Illinois, Arizona

Suzanne Downing
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2
Sweep: Bernie Sanders loses Florida, Illinois, Arizona

Bernie Sanders lost the primary in three big states tonight: Florida and Illinois. And he lost bigly.

Joe Biden has 1,147 delegates to Sanders’ 861 delegates.

Ohio on Monday delayed its primary election, which had been scheduled for today. The state’s health director ordered the polls closed, and after a tense court battle, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld the decision. The new date is June 2.

Across today’s three primary states, turnout appeared light.

The online betting site, Predictit.org is now showing Biden far in the lead for Alaska, which has historically been Sanders country.

The betting map on March 17, 2020
The Predictibetting map on Feb. 14, 2020

Adieu, LeDoux

Anchorage Daily Planet
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Adieu, LeDoux

THE ANCHORAGE DAILY PLANET

Dead Republican voters in House District 15 must be rejoicing today with state voter misconduct and election interference charges being filed against Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux and two cohorts.

If you will recall, LeDoux, a staunch Republicrat and the District 15 incumbent, was absolutely agog after election officials in the 2018 District 15 GOP primary election discovered seven absentee ballot applications — seven — from dead people, not to mention absentee votes cast in the names of at least two very much alive people who said they had not voted.

In all, officials yanked 26 ballots because of residency or legitimacy questions. All the ballots with residency or legitimacy questions, it is worth noting, were for LeDoux.

Unbeknownst to Alaskans, all that triggered a quiet, two-year investigation that culminated with 18 charges against LeDoux, her former chief of staff Lisa Simpson, and Simpson’s son, Caden Vaught. Those charges include five felonies and 13 misdemeanors. The trio was issued summonses to appear in court April 3.

While the case grinds through the justice system, it will be more than a trifle interesting to see how the powers-that-be in the House – the same folks who depend on LeDoux to help control the Democrat-led chamber – deal with her, as she has not been indicted, much less convicted of a crime. They could issue a stern tsk-tsi-tsk, strip her of committee posts, or censure her. Or, they could do nothing.

Precedent is hard to find. Two senators were removed from office in the 1980s – Sen. Milton “Ed” Dankworth, after he was convicted of conflict of interest, and George Homan, after his bribery conviction.

None of the current charges appear to involve the dead voters, but the Department of Law is to be commended for doggedly pursuing the case in the people’s interest – even if the dead voters appear to have escaped justice for the time being. There is nothing as important in our civic affairs as fair and honest elections, the very backbone of our political system.

As for LeDoux, the chips will fall where they may. She should be sure she is not standing beneath them. Perhaps this would be a good time to bid public life an adieu.

Read The Anchorage Daily Planet at this link.

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