HB 96 Alaska House · 34th Legislature (2025-2026)

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

HB 96 establishes a Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board within Alaska's Department of Health. The board, composed of 10 members representing home care providers, direct care workers, home care recipients, rate reviewers, seniors, and disability advocates, will advise on payment rates for home care services and investigate workforce conditions like wages and benefits. It requires the board to meet at least three times yearly, include public testimony, and focus on ensuring payment rates meet federal requirements and support a stable workforce. The bill directly affects home care workers, providers, and recipients of home care services in Alaska by creating a structured process to address payment adequacy and working conditions.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Vetoed

Jul 2026

Introduced Feb 12, 2025 Vetoed Jul 3, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

CSHB 96(L&C) am → Enrolled HB 96 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was finalized into its enrolled version, removing committee-specific headers and sponsor lists while adding the official 'Laws of Alaska' title page. Substantive policy changes include a minor expansion of the board's duties to track wait times and authorized hour usage, and a formatting correction to the member appointment list that clarifies the distinction between voting and nonvoting representatives.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains the same, establishing the Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board, but the final text includes a more detailed mandate for the board to investigate wait times and service hour utilization.

REQUIREMENT

The board's investigative duties were expanded to include monitoring wait times for covered services and the percentage of authorized hours used.

TECHNICAL

The appointment list for board members was reformatted to clearly distinguish between voting and nonvoting members, removing the original 'as follows' introductory phrase.

Removed internal committee headers, sponsor lists, and draft markings to finalize the bill for official enactment.

Added the official 'Laws of Alaska' title page and chapter number placeholder.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jul 3, 2026

Vetoed

(H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 6/24/26

lower

May 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

(S) PASSED Y19 N1

upper

May 15, 2026

Upper · Passed

(S) Moved CSHB 96(L&C) AM Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --

upper

Apr 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

(H) PASSED Y35 N5

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

(H) AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

(H) L&C CS ADOPTED UC

lower

Apr 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

(H) Moved CSHB 96(L&C) Out of Committee

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Moved CSHB 96(L&C) Out of Committee -- Recessed to 3:15 pm --

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Committee

(H) FIN REFERRAL ADDED AFTER L&C

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Moved CSHB 96(HSS) Out of Committee -- Delayed to 4:00 p.m. --

lower

1 primary · 23 co-sponsors