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Legislation Extending the Alaska Commission on Aging to be Heard by Senate Finance
“Providing these benefits to Alaska’s senior population, the fastest growing in the nation, is integral to ensuring our community’s continued prosperity." - Senator Scott Kawasaki
JUNEAU – Earlier this year, Senator Scott Kawasaki, D – Fairbanks, introduced Senate Bill 189, to extend the Alaska Commission on Aging (ACoA), which is currently set to expire later this year. A House Companion Bill, HB 283, was introduced by Representative Maxine Dibert, D – Fairbanks. Senate Bill 189 is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, March 7 2024 at 9:00 am.
The Commission provides important support for Alaskan seniors by designing the State Plan for Senior Services every four years. This plan lays out how the state’s government agencies will conduct themselves in distributing and allocating many important services, including meals, transportation, safety and protection, adult day services, senior housing, vocational training, and legal assistance. The Commission also gathers and organizes data for their yearly Senior Snapshot, a summary of data including population, health and poverty trends that helps the state to better understand the overall dynamics of its aging population.
“Providing these benefits to Alaska’s senior population, the fastest growing in the nation, is integral to ensuring our community’s continued prosperity. Without the Commission, the framework under which these programs are structured and the funding that drives them would both disappear,” said Sen. Kawasaki.
The Commission additionally allows the state to receive approximately $5.7 million in federal funding each year by fulfilling the obligations of the federal Older Americans Act. These dollars are dedicated to supporting the numerous programs formerly mentioned which the ACoA organizes.
“I am extremely honored to be sponsoring this bill on behalf of Alaska’s seniors,” said Rep. Diebert. “Given that our senior population is the fastest growing per capita in the country, the Commission on Aging is an important part of bringing the necessary attention and care to Alaskan elders who need it most.”
Constituents are welcome and encouraged to provide public testimony during the Senate Finance Committee meeting. The testify via telephone, Alaskans can call the following numbers based on their community:
Juneau: (907) 586-9085
Anchorage: (907) 563-9085
Outside of Anchorage and Juneau: (844) 486-9085
Alaskans can also submit testimony directly to Senator Kawasaki at Sen.Scott.Kawasaki@akleg.gov
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