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Alaska2026Vetoed

HB96

Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board Act

Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 12:25 AM

In one sentence

This bill establishes an advisory board to study wages, working conditions, and payment rates for home care workers in Alaska.

What it does

  • Establishes the Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board within the Department of Health.
  • Requires the board to investigate worker pay, benefits, recruitment, retention, training requirements, and service levels.
  • Mandates that state agencies provide data, information, or testimony when reasonably requested by the board.
  • Orders the board to submit a written report every two years with findings and recommendations on rates, working conditions, and unpaid care issues.
  • Directs the department to publish an annual report showing average and median hourly wages for home care workers.

Who it affects

  • Home care agencies that provide covered services like chore or respite care.
  • Workers who provide direct personal care in homes across Alaska.
  • People receiving home care services, including those relying on family members for unpaid care.
  • State government officials, including the Commissioner of Health and legislative committees.

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill was vetoed by the governor, so it did not become law unless lawmakers later overrode the veto.
  • The board can only advise on payment rates; the department makes the final decision on setting those rates but must consider the board's recommendations.
  • The official text provided cuts off before listing all specific types of services included under 'covered services'.

Plain language

Terms to know

Covered Services
Specific types of Medicaid-funded home care defined in the bill, such as chore services or hourly respite care for people with disabilities or seniors.
Enrollee
A person who is signed up to receive covered health and social service benefits from the state program.
Biennial Report
An official written report that must be created and submitted once every two years.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill textStored full record

Official summary

HOME CARE EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADV BOARD An Act establishing the Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board; relating to payment for personal care services; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 6/24/263150
  2. (H) 1:55 P.M. 6/8/26 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR3058
  3. (H) MANIFEST ERROR(S)3036
  4. (S) VERSION: CSHB 96(L&C) AM2795
  5. (S) RETURN TO (H), TRANSMIT TO GOV NEXT2795
  6. (S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): YUNDT, CRONK, KAWASAKI, DUNBAR, OLSON, CLAMAN2804
  7. (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE2795
  8. (S) PASSED Y19 N12794
  9. (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHB 96(L&C) AM2794
  10. (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/19 CAL2758
  11. (S) READ THE SECOND TIME2758
  12. (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/18/20262758
  13. (S) FN2: (DOH)2686
  14. (S) NR: KAUFMAN, MERRICK, KIEHL2686
  15. (S) DP: OLSON, HOFFMAN, CRONK2686
  16. (S) FIN RPT 3DP 3NR2686
  17. (S) Minutes (SFIN)Min
  18. (S) Moved CSHB 96(L&C) AM Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --Text
  19. (S) FINANCE at 01:30 PM SENATE FINANCE 532Text
  20. (S) Scheduled but Not HeardText

Changes

Amendments

1 stored

AM 1

AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC 2308