I’ve held hearings recently in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), companies that contract with health insurers to manage the coverage of prescription medication. In many other states, investigations have shown that PBMs drive up the cost of medications and don’t compensate local pharmacies fairly — pushing them out of business. Committee members have heard shocking testimony of instances where PBMs have delayed Alaskans’ access to necessary, even lifesaving, prescriptions.

The Committee is considering Senate Bill 121, which I co-sponsored, to lower the cost of prescription drugs and ensure Alaskans have access to the medications they need. I don’t support placing a lot of regulations on the private sector, but I do believe that Alaskans need to have protections in place when Lower 48 corporations have a chokehold on a business relationship. The Committee will continue to investigate the situation and consider the best course of action to ensure Alaska pharmacies have a level playing field when contracting with PBMs.

Senate Bill 196, which would make drug and alcohol testing easier for both employers and employees, had its first hearing in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. The bill would allow employers to collect samples of an employee’s saliva using a swab or cup. Collecting and testing a urine sample, which is currently allowed in State law, can require time to travel to an off-site facility, and is susceptible to cheating unless the sample collection is observed by another person. In contrast, a saliva sample can be easily collected at the job site without needing a restroom and can be certain to be from the employee without significantly invading their privacy. While urine tests provide evidence of the use of a drug over a longer window of time, saliva can show the presence of drugs in a person’s system more quickly and at lower concentrations for some substances.

Senate Bill 168 had a second hearing in the Senate Resources Committee. I introduced this bill to ensure hunters are fairly compensated when game is confiscated and later found to be lawfully harvested. In these situations, the meat from that animal is long gone by the time the court decides in the hunter’s favor and can’t be returned. I’ve incorporated feedback from the Departments of Public Safety, Fish and Game, and the Alaska Court System into the bill’s language to ensure it’s a workable and fair solution.

I am honored to be your State Senator and I want to hear from you. You’re welcome to call my office at 907-283-7996 or email me at Sen.Jesse.Bjorkman@akleg.gov. I hope you’ll take the time to share your questions and ideas.