STRA-260507-1330

Good afternoon. I'd like to call this meeting of the Senate Transportation Committee to order. The time is 1:37 PM. We are in Butrovich Room 205. Today is Thursday, May 7th, 2026.

Members present are Senator Keele, Senator Rauscher, Senator Tobin, and myself, Senator Senator Bjorkman. Senator Steadman is excused. Let the record reflect that we have a quorum to conduct business. Welcome everyone to Senate Transportation. Please turn off or silence your cell phones and join me in welcoming our recording secretary Heather Ramseth and our L.A.O.

Moderator Chloe Miller. We have one item on our agenda today, that is HB 302, travel insurance, sponsored by the Honorable Representative Carolyn Hall. While this is the first hearing on this bill, We did hear the companion legislation, Senate Bill 244, on March 31st. We have a committee substitute on members' desks, hopefully in their packets. May I have a motion, please?

Yes, Mr. Chairman. I move committee substitute for House Bill 302, version 34-LS1436/g, as in Galena, as our working document. Is there any objection? Hearing and seeing no objection, HB 306 version 34-LS1436/g as in Galena is before us as a working document. I will now invite my staff, Ms. Laura Asche, to the table to present the changes provided for in the committee substitute.

Thank you, Chair Bjorkman. For the record, Laura Asche, staff to Senator Bjorkman in the Senate Transportation Committee. The change The change from version N to version G on House Bill 302 is on page 11, line 23. Language was added to clarify that the language in AS 21.42.801(a) does not limit the authority of the Director of the Division of Insurance under AS 21-42.130. Very well.

Thank you. I did make an error earlier in referring to this bill as a different number. It is indeed House Bill 302. Are there any questions for Ms. Asche?

Seeing and hearing no questions, with us to present the underlying bill and give us a brief recap is staff to the Honorable Representative Carolyn Hall, Keith Bruce. Mr. Bruce, welcome to Senate Transportation. Please join us at the table, state your name for the record, and begin your brief recap.

Good afternoon, Chair Bjorkman, Vice Chair Tobin, and the members of the Senate Transportation Committee. For the record, my name is Keith Bruce, staff to Representative Carolyn Hall. Thank you for hearing House Bill 302, an act relating to travel insurance today. This bill modernizes Alaska's travel insurance statutes. These statutes were last touched in 2013, and industry changes in the intervening time have made it clear that our statutes are fragmented, with sometimes unclear lines of authority and coverage gaps.

House Bill 302 repeals our 2013 statutes and addresses these oversights. HB 302 is a companion legislation to SB 244, and there are no substantive differences between these bills. Like SB 244, HB 302 mirrors model legislation created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the National Council of Insurance Legislators. Which has already been adopted in 42 other states. Both these bills strike a balance between the consumer, the insurance industry, and regulatory bodies by providing clear rules, standards, and definitions for the travel insurance market.

By enhancing consumer protections and clarifying rules, HB 302 will provide comfort to travel insurance buyers, encourage travel insurance providers, and support our state's regulators. These benefits will encourage Alaska's already thriving travel industry. We have myself, Heather Carpenter, Duke DeHaas, and Karen Alvarado to answer any questions the committee might have. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Bruce.

Are there any questions for Mr. Bruce?

Do members have any questions for the Division of Insurance?

Or Mr. DeHaas.

All right, well, very good. Hearing and seeing no further questions or committee discussion, Mr. Bruce, do you have any closing remarks before we set this bill aside? Uh, no, that is all. Thank you, Chair. Very well.

At this time, we will set House Bill 302 aside for further consideration at a future meeting. That concludes our brief meeting for today. The Senate Transportation Committee will meet again on Tuesday, May 12th, 2026, when we will take public testimony on House Bill 217, autonomous vehicles, and House Bill 302, travel insurance. As there is no further business to come before the committee today, we are adjourned at 1:42 PM.