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Alaska2026Passed Legislature

SB154

Creating a Board to Study Home Care Worker Pay and Conditions

Last scannedSep 14, 2026, 12:32 AM

In one sentence

This law creates an advisory board in Alaska to study wages, working conditions, and payment rates for home care workers who provide personal services.

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 in home care jobs.
  • Directs the board to advise state officials on payment rates for covered services under Medicaid programs.
  • Mandates that the board submit a written report every two years with findings and recommendations to lawmakers.
  • Requires state agencies to provide data or testimony when reasonably requested by the board.

Who it affects

  • Home care workers who provide covered services such as personal care, chore services, respite, or habilitation.
  • Agencies that employ home care workers in Alaska and are certified providers.
  • People receiving covered home care services and their families providing unpaid care.
  • State agencies responsible for health, labor, and workforce development.

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill does not set a specific date when the new board will begin its work.
  • The law requires officials to consider the board's advice, but it does not force them to follow all recommendations exactly unless they differ significantly from recommended rates.

Plain language

Terms to know

Covered Services
Specific types of help paid by the state under Medicaid programs, including personal care, chore services, respite breaks, and habilitation training.
Enrollee
A person who is signed up to receive covered home care services from the state program.
Biennial Report
A written report that must be created and submitted every two years with findings on wages, working conditions, and service rates.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill text

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. (S) Heard & HeldText
  2. (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532Text
  3. (S) COSPONSOR(S): GRAY-JACKSON1834
  4. (S) COSPONSOR(S): GIESSEL, TOBIN1809
  5. (S) REFERRED TO FINANCE1318
  6. (S) FN1: (DOH)1318
  7. (S) DP: DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON1318
  8. (S) NR: BJORKMAN, MERRICK1318
  9. (S) L&C RPT 2NR 2DP1318
  10. (S) Minutes (SL&C)Min
  11. (S) Moved SSSB 154 Out of CommitteeText
  12. (S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)Text
  13. (S) COSPONSOR(S): DUNBAR, BJORKMAN1306
  14. (S) Minutes (SL&C)Min
  15. (S) Heard & HeldText
  16. (S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)Text
  17. (S) L&C, FIN915
  18. (S) SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE INTRODUCED-REFERRALS915
  19. (S) L&C, FIN681
  20. (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS681