Labor & Employment (Workers' Compensation)

HB 355 expands Alaska's agricultural loan program to cover additional farm activities like land clearing, farm development, storage, and equipment purchases, explicitly including agricultural cooperatives as eligible borrowers alongside individual farmers. It also modifies workers' compensation coverage by excluding certain workers, such as part-time babysitters, cleaning staff, seasonal harvest workers, and commercial fishermen, from protection under the program. The bill establishes new loan repayment terms allowing up to five years of delayed principal and interest payments and outlines fee structures for loan services. These changes aim to better support agricultural operations while clarifying who qualifies for workers' compensation benefits.

HB 345 would amend Alaska's workers' compensation law to exempt certain independent contractors from coverage. Specifically, it adds a new exemption category requiring individuals to meet all seven criteria, such as having a written contract, working without employer control over their methods, bearing business expenses, and meeting IRS requirements. This change would directly affect agricultural cooperative members who qualify as independent contractors under these new standards. The bill does not alter coverage for most other workers, who remain subject to Alaska's standard workers' compensation protections.