Commissioners announce fee changes

ANCHORAGE — Gov. Mike Dunleavy was joined by a bevy of his commissioners and Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink to address the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak that has made its way to Alaska.

A total of 14 additional people tested positive on Tuesday and another 10 on Wednesday, giving Alaska 143 people total who have tested positive for COVID 19 out of 5,022 people who have been tested. Zink said that the 2.8 percent of positives is a good sign, noting that the World Health Organization recommends that if 10 percent or more of tests come back positive, not enough testing is being conducted. Wednesday saw the fourth case in the Mat-Su with the first person testing positive in Wasilla. The Valley’s three previous cases had been travel associated or were close contacts with someone who had tested positive, but the cause of the most recent positive test in Wasilla is still under investigation.

“We’re going to do everything we can to stabilize this economy until we get through this period of time where we are social distancing in order to help build up our health care capabilities, our capacity,” said Dunleavy. “We’re hoping it’s a nothing burger and by doing what we’re doing, we work towards that goal to make sure that our health care system is not overwhelmed.”

Zink said that additional supplies of personal protective equipment were delivered Tuesday and that rapid Abbott testing is becoming available in Alaska.

“Some of our urgent cares already have the Abbott test and they are asking for reagent and we’ve been notified that additional Abbot machines as well as the actual supplies to go with them are on their way and should be up here mid next week so that we can figure out the best places to distribute them around the state,” said Zink. “We’re really trying hard to push the testing capacity and capability within the state as much as possible. Our guidelines for testing are actually probably the broadest in the country right now. Most other states have had to significantly pull back on their testing restriction because they're having so many cases and a limited amount of testing supplies. We see ourselves early on that curve.”

Zink will lead a press conference on Thursday focused on the health perspective of battling coronavirus and said that the state’s website with information on where cases are will be updated to show testing in rural areas. Department of Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum announced the indefinite extension of Health Mandates 2 and 3. Mandate 2 closing state Libraries, Archives and Museums and Mandate 3 closing restaurants and bars to all patrons within the facility were both extended until rescinded. Dining establishments may still provide take out or delivery food service, but until Health Mandates 2 and 3 are rescinded, must not serve food within their business. Department of Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka announced that drivers licenses and registration and boat licenses and registrations will not need to be renewed until May 11 and that the Federal deadline for Real ID’s has been extended to October 1 of 2021. Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Jason Brune said that the DEC will practice enforcement discretion and is looking at suspending late fees, payments and interest accrual on air quality, spill prevention and response, environmental health and water departments.

“We are going to be lenient,” said Brune.

Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Corri Feige announced that the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation is looking at potentially suspending fees for 2020 for over 600 business in Alaska that have Conditional Use Permits to conduct business in Alaska’s state parks. Feige said that the Division of Forestry is suspending personal firewood collection and the Division of Mining Land and Water are suspending interest payments and late fees on state land sale contracts. Feige said that DNR is also considering suspending fees for airplane tour operators, farmers, and hunting guides. Department of Commerce Commissioner Julie Anderson said that fees for renewing business licenses and professional licenses were suspended and programs for small business are available on the state’s website.

“The department of commerce understands the deep economic impacts the public emergency has had on many companies big and small. While your doors are not currently open for business, the administration persists in finding ways to provide meaningful economic support to Alaskans during this trying time,” said Anderson.

Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Tamika Ledbetter said that the one week waiting period has been waived for weekly benefit dependents and the actively seeking employment provision has been waived, meaning if you have been affected by a business closure or are caring for a family member with coronavirus that you are not required to seek employment. Ledbetter said that as part of Trump’s supplemental Unemployment Insurance funding, additional $600 a week payments may be available. Ledbetter also said that self employed people are covered for the first time under the Federal measures.

“Employees at the Department of Labor and Workforce Development are working extremely hard to ensure that Alaskans have the resources needed to get through this difficult time. Across the board we are working to build flexibility in the way that we do business,” said Ledbetter.

Dunleavy said that travel at the Anchorage airport was down 90 percent from this time last year. After the announcement of the $1.25 billion per state in Federal aid and the legislature passing a budget early Sunday morning, Dunleavy has not yet declared what he will do regarding vetoes of the state budget, but has said that the $1.25 billion will be used to pay for anything related to coronavirus.

“We hope to be able to get through this as I say by threading a needle where we can take care of the health of Alaskans but also make sure that we have an economy to get back to as soon as we get beyond the health aspect of this virus, this pandemic,” said Dunleavy. “Your congress, your senate, your house of representative, business leaders across the world, financial leaders across the world almost to a one said that what the world needs now is to stabilize that relationship between the worker and the business and to be able to give the worker the income that they don't have right now because we’ve shut them down, the permanent fund would come in very handy. We’re about the only state that has that mechanism.”