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A Publication of Alaska Center for Public Policy

April 25, 2014 - Vol 8, Issue 15

In this Issue

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Please Respect Our Copyright

Bill Watch: Bill Tracking Methodology

Bill Watch: Drugs

Bill Watch: Health Professional Workforce and Education

Bill Watch: Medical Assistance and Health Insurance

Bill Watch: Mental Health Issues

Bill Watch: State Boards and Licenses

Bill Watch: Family Health Issues

Bill Watch: Workers' Compensation

Bill Watch: Public Safety

Bill Watch: Environmental Issues

Bill Watch: General Health Issues

Are You Interested in Learning More about Policy in Alaska?

Alaska Health Policy Calendar

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AHPR Staff and Contributors

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From the Editor

Dear readers,

Last Thursday evening, as I typically do, I scheduled Alaska Health Policy Review for distribution early Friday morning. So it was quite a surprise to me last Friday when I checked my email and the newsletter was not in the inbox. A little digging around as to the source of the problem revealed that Constant Contact, our email newsletter provider, had had a disruption in their service. All was resolved later that day but I thought it worth mentioning in case you missed reading it.

As you all are probably aware, the Alaska Legislature did not end as scheduled on April 20. While you are waiting for the final bell, we invite you to visit the Alaska Health Policy Review Facebook page and share your thoughts and comments on this session's legislative outcomes or any other topic related to the legislative session. No need to limit your comments to those around health and health policy. Let's just make this a general discussion.

This is the final weekly issue of the legislative edition of Alaska Health Policy Review. We return to our regular monthly format in May.

I want to say a special thank you to the legislative edition subscribers. I hope you will consider subscribing again next year.

Thank you everyone for your readership and support. See you in May.

Jacqui Yeagle

Managing Editor

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Please Respect Our Copyright

Alaska Health Policy Review is sent to individual and group subscribers for their exclusive use. Please contact us for information regarding significant discounts for multiple subscriptions within a single organization. Distributing copies of the Alaska Health Policy Review is prohibited under copyright restrictions without written permission from the editor; however, we encourage the use of a few sentences from an issue for reviews and other "Fair Use."

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For all related matters, please contact the managing editor, Jacqui Yeagle.

Bill Watch: Bill Tracking Methodology

Bills listed in Alaska Health Policy Review were selected based on a series of subjective criteria to determine whether they were "health or health policy-related." Then we carefully watch new bills as they are filed and add the pertinent bills to the screened list. The bills are divided into several general categories. This facilitates finding bills that match readers' particular areas of interest.

The information listed for each bill includes the bill number, the short title, the committee in which the last action on the bill took place, and the date on which the last action on the bill took place.

Abbreviations have been used for committee names. The committee names and their abbreviations are:

(H) HSS: House Health and Social Services Committee
(S) HSS: Senate Health and Social Services Committee
(H) L&C: House Labor & Commerce Committee
(S) L&C: Senate Labor & Commerce Committee
(H) EDC: House Education Committee
(S) EDC: Senate Education Committee
(H) FIN: House Finance Committee
(S) FIN: Senate Finance Committee
(H) JUD: House Judiciary Committee
(S) JUD: Senate Judiciary Committee
(H) STA: House State Affairs Committee
(S) STA: Senate State Affairs Committee
(S) RLS: Senate Rules Committee
(H) CRA: House Community and Regional Affairs Committee
(S) CRA: Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee
(H) TRA: House Transportation Committee
(S) TRA: Senate Transportation Committee
(H) RES: House Resources Committee
(S) RES: Senate Resources Committee
(H) MLV: Military and Veterans' Affairs
(H) EDT: Economic Development, Trade & Tourism Committee
(H) FSH: Fisheries

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Bill updates are current as of April 24, 2014, at 8:00 PM.

Note: Green text indicates activity in the last seven days.

Bill Watch: Drugs

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 53 Consultation for Opiate Prescription	Heard and held in (H) HSS	03/26/13
HB 90 Vitamin D Supplements	Referred to (H) FIN	04/09/14
HB 178 Reclassifying Certain Drug Offenses	Heard and held in (H) JUD	04/08/13
HB 213 Golf Course Alcoholic Beverage Licenses	Heard and held in (H) L&C	02/28/14
HB 324 Controlled Subst. Prescription Database	Scheduled but not heard in (H) FIN on 04/04/14	04/03/14
HB 362 Synthetic Drugs	Heard and held in (H) JUD	03/26/14
HB 369 Immunity for Drug Related Offense	Passed Senate	04/24/14
HB 370 AWCB Controlled Substance Prescriptions	Scheduled to be heard on 04/19/14 in (S) JUD; meeting canceled	04/19/14
SB 162 Hydrocodone Prescription By Optometrists	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/18/14
SB 56 Reclassifying Certain Drug Offenses	Heard and held in (H) FIN	04/12/14
SB 66 Imitation Controlled Substance	Referred to (H) JUD	04/15/14
SB 173 Synthetic Drugs	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/19/14
SB 186 Controlled Substances Advisory Committee	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/18/14

Bill Watch: Health Professional Workforce and Education

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 6 Pharmacy Audits	Referred to (H) FIN and L&C	01/16/13
HB 7 Practice of Naturopathy	Referred to (H) HSS and L&C	01/16/13
HB 43 University Institutes of Law and Medicine	Referred to (H) EDC and FIN	01/16/13
HB 44 Advance Health Care Directives Registry	Heard and held in (H) HSS	02/14/13
HB 160 Licensing of Athletic Trainers	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/22/14
HB 269 Immunity for Temp. Health Care Provider	Effective date of law 04/09/14	04/10/14
HB 311 Direct-Entry Midwives	Referred to (H) L&C	02/19/14
SB 8 Pharmacy Audits	Scheduled but not heard in (S) L&C by request of sponsor	04/16/14
SB 80 Out-of-State Physician Licensing	Moved out of (S) FIN	03/19/14
SB 112 Immunity for Temp. Health Care Provider	Scheduled but not heard in (S) L&C on 02/27/14	02/27/14
SB 156 Direct-Entry Midwives	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/18/14

Bill Watch: Medical Assistance and Health Insurance

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 116 PERS Credit for Military Service	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/18/14
HB 124 Public Retiree Med. Benefits: Dependents	Referred to (H) STA and FIN	02/15/13
HB 134 Medicaid Payment for Mediset Prescription	Moved out of (S) HSS	04/16/14
HB 173 Restrict Medicaid Payment for Abortions	Heard and held in (H) FIN	02/25/14
HB 191 Long-Term Care Insurer Competition	Referred to (H) L&C	03/17/14
HB 196 School District Employee Health Insurance	Heard and held in (H) L&C	04/08/13
HB 203 Reimbursement of Health Insurance Claims	Scheduled but not heard in (H) L&C on 04/09/14	04/09/14
HB 290 Expand Medicaid Coverage	Scheduled to be heard in (H) HSS on 04/03/14; hearing canceled	04/03/14
HB 300 Air Ambulance Services	Heard and held in (H) L&C	02/21/14
HB 356 Advisory Committee on Wellness	Heard and held in (S) STA	04/18/14
HCR 8 Expand Medicaid Under Affordable Care Act	Referred to (H) HSS	03/20/13
HJR 14 Delay Implementing Affordable Health Care Act	Returned to (S) RLS	04/14/13
SB 30 Teachers & Pub Employee Retirement Plans	Heard and held in (S) STA	04/08/14
SB 49 Restrict Medicaid Payment for Abortions	Effective date of law 07/16/14	04/17/14
SB 90 School District Employee Health Insurance	Heard and held in (S) FIN	04/12/13
SB 101 Medical Assistance Eligibility	Referred to (S) HSS	04/12/13
SB 150 Expand Medicaid Coverage	Referred to (S) HSS	01/31/14
SB 159 Air Ambulance Services	Chapter 13 SLA 14; effective date of law 04/24/14	04/24/14
SB 165 PERS Credit for Military Service	Referred to (S) L&C	02/07/14
SJR 4 Military Pensions	Referred to (S) CRA and STA	01/23/13

Bill Watch: Mental Health Issues

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 210 Student Restraint, Seclusion, Psyc Drugs	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/19/14
HB 214 Mental Health Patient Rights & Grievances	Scheduled but not heard in (H) JUD on 04/09/14	04/10/14
HB 267 Approp: Mental Health Budget	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/20/14
HB 313 Mitigating Factor: Combat-Related PTSD	Referred to (H) JUD	03/24/14
HB 355 Mental Health First Aid Training	Heard and held in (H) HSS	03/27/14
HB 366 Involuntary Commitment	Passed Senate	04/23/14
SB 20 Approp: Mental Health Budget	Heard in (S) FIN	01/31/13
SB 39 Statutory Refs to Mental Retardation	Heard and held in (S) HSS	02/11/13
SB 121 Approp: Mental Health Budget	Heard and held in (S) FIN	01/30/14
SB 204 Student Restraint, Seclusion, Psyc Drugs	Referred to (S) EDU	02/24/14

Bill Watch: State Boards and Licenses

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 239 Extend Board of Examiners in Optometry	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/16/14
HB 240 Extend Board of Chiropractic Examiners	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/16/14
HB 241 Extend Board of Marital & Family Therapy	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/16/14
HB 242 Extend PT & Occupational Therapy Board	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/16/14
HB 273 Extending Council on Domestic Violence	Referred to (S) FIN	02/19/14
HB 323 Licensing Radiologic Technologists	Referred to (H) L&C	02/21/14
HB 328 Board/Licensing of Massage Therapists	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/17/14
HB 361 Licensing of Behavior Analysts	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/23/14
HB 376 Extend Alaska Health Care Commission	Heard and held in (H) FIN	04/07/14
SB 124 Extending Council on Domestic Violence	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/08/14
SB 135 Extend Alaska Health Care Commission	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/17/14
SB 166 Board of Nursing; Nurses	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/19/14
SB 188 Board/Licensing of Massage Therapists	Referred to (S) L&C	02/21/14
SCR 1 State Food Resource Development Group	Referred to (S) RLS	03/13/13

Bill Watch: Family Health Issues

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 96 Chemicals in Children's Products	Scheduled but not heard in (H) L&C	04/08/13
HB 139 Sexual Orientation Discrimination	Bill reprinted	01/27/14
HB 184 Newborn Screening for Heart Defects	Scheduled in (H) HSS, meeting canceled	04/09/13
HB 211 Employment of Persons with Disabilities	Awaiting transmittal to governor; fiscal note correction	04/07/14
HB 228 Nursing Mothers in Workplace	Referred to (H) L&C	01/21/14
HB 229 Medical Assistance Eligibility	Referred to (H) HSS	01/21/14
HB 258 Wrongful Death of an Unborn Child	Referred to (H) RLS	03/12/14
HB 261 Extend Senior Benefits Payment Program	Referred to (H) HSS	01/21/14
HB 263 Extend Senior Benefits Payment Program	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/21/14
HB 280 Education for Deaf & Hearing Impaired	Referred to (H) EDC	01/27/14
HB 348 High-Risk Chemicals for Child Exposure	Referred to (H) L&C	02/26/14
HB 374 Statewide Immunization Program	Scheduled but not heard in (H) HSS on 03/25/14	03/26/14
HCR 18 Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/14/14
HCR 21 Child Abuse Prevention Month	Permanently filed Legislative Resolve 36	04/16/14
HJR 29 Social Security Disability/SSI Appeals	Referred to (H) HSS	02/26/14
SB 6 Funding for School Meals	Moved out of (S) EDC	04/05/13
SB 17 Extend Special Education Service Agency	Returned to (S) RLS	04/02/13
SB 118 Extend Senior Benefits Payment Program	Referred to (S) HSS	01/22/14
SB 126 Paid Sick Leave	Referred to (S) L&C	01/22/14
SB 131 Sexual Orientation Discrimination	Heard and held in (S) HSS	02/24/14
SB 143 Home Community-Based Care; Military	Referred to (S) HSS	01/29/14
SB 151 High-Risk Chemicals for Child Exposure	Referred to (S) JUD	02/24/14
SB 163 Employment of Persons with Disabilities	Heard and held in (S) L&C	02/12/14
SB 169 Statewide Immunization Program	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/19/14
SB 200 Wrongful Death of an Unborn Child	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/17/14
SCR 13 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/17/14
SJR 20 Military Sexual Trauma	Referred to (S) RLS	03/28/14

Bill Watch: Workers' Compensation

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 141 Worker's Compensation Medical Fees	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/21/14
HB 149 Workers' Comp for State Firefighters	Heard and held in (H) L&C	03/31/14
HB 294 Workers' Compensation: Death Benefits	Referred to (H) L&C	02/03/14
HB 316 Workers' Compensation Medical Fees	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/23/14
HB 377 Controlled Substances and Workers Comp	Referred to (H) HSS	03/14/14
SB 35 Workers' Comp.: Coll Bargaining/Mediation	Referred to (S) L&C	01/25/13
SB 198 Workers' Compensation Medical Fees	Referred to (S) L&C	02/24/14

Bill Watch: Public Safety

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 45 Electronic Bullying in School	Scheduled to be heard in (S) JUD on 04/19/14	04/19/14
HB 54 Placement of a Child in Need of Aid	Moved out of (H) JUD	04/10/13
HB 55 Authorize Firearms for School Personnel	Referred to (H) EDC and JUD	01/16/13
HB 73 Crimes; Victims; Child Abuse and Neglect	Heard and held in (H) FIN	04/02/13
HB 82 Sexual Assault: Probation/Parole Officer	Referred to (H) JUD and FIN	01/22/13
HB 232 Disability Designation on ID/License	Heard and held in (H) STA	03/04/14
HB 233 Sexual Abuse/Assault Prevention Programs	Moved out of (H) EDC	04/02/14
HB 236 Use of Headlight Required	Referred to (H) TRA	01/21/14
HB 295 PERS Credit/Injured Police & Firefighters	Referred to (H) L&C	02/03/14
HB 336 Alcohol Sales Near Schools/Church	(S) FIN referral removed	04/16/14
HB 360 Regulation of Smoking	Heard and held in (H) HSS	03/25/14
HCR 19 Supporting Efforts of Recover Alaska	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/15/14
HCR 21 Child Abuse Prevention Month	Permanently filed Legislative Resolve 36	04/16/14
HJR 4 Oppose Gun Control Orders & Legislation	Scheduled but not heard in (S) JUD	03/27/13
SB 11 Knives, Gravity Knives, & Switchblades	Referred to (S) JUD	03/27/13
SB 36 Missing Vulnerable Adult Response Plan	Referred to (S) RLS	04/02/13
SB 81 Treatment Programs for DUI Offenses	Referred to (S) STA and JUD	03/18/13
SB 91 Hazing	Moved out of (S) EDC	04/10/13
SB 108 Limit Public Access to Criminal Records	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/21/14
SB 122 Use of Electronic Devices While Driving	Referred to (S) STA	01/22/14
SB 123 Prohibit Use of Cell Phone While Driving	Referred to (H) JUD	02/28/14
SB 187 Child Welfare: Confidential Information	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/20/14
SB 209 Regulation of Smoking	Scheduled to be heard in (S) FIN on 04/11/14 at 9:00 AM in Senate Finance 532	04/03/14
SB 212 Assaults on Emergency Responders	Referred to (S) JUD	03/17/14
SCR 20 Sexual Assault Awareness Month	Permanently filed Legislative Resolve 39	04/1714

Bill Watch: Environmental Issues

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 77 Land Disposals/Exchanges; Water Rights	Scheduled but not heard in (S) RES	03/17/14
HB 89 Aquatic Invasive Species	Referred to (S) FIN	04/15/13
HB 163 Regulation of Solid Fuel Burning Devices	Heard and held in (H) RES	02/03/14
HB 201 Pesticides and Broadcast Chemicals	Scheduled but not heard in (H) FSH	02/13/14
HB 215 Label Genetically Modified Food	Referred to (H) RES	01/21/14
HB 224 Ban Neonicotinoid Pesticides	Referred to (H) RES	01/21/14
HB 238 Procurement Pref: AK Grown Fish/Ag Prods	Referred to (H) FIN	04/02/14
HB 249 Ban Genetically Engineered Seeds & Plants	Referred to (H) RES7	01/21/14
HB 264 Solid Fuel Burning Heating Devices	Referred to CRA	01/21/14
HB 279 Enforcement of EPA Regs	Referred to (H) RES	01/27/14
HB 344 Invasive Aquatic Plant Species Control	Scheduled to be heard in (H) RES on 03/10/14; hearing canceled	03/10/14
SB 29 Cruise Ship Wastewater Discharge Permits	Heard and held in (S) FIN	02/07/13
SB 158 Label Genetically Modified Food	Referred to (S) RES	02/05/14
SB 197 Naturally Occurring Asbestos	Referred to (S) RLS	04/11/14

Bill Watch: General Health Issues

BILL NUMBER AND SHORT TITLE	STATUS	DATE
HB 144 Biometric Information for ID	Referred to (H) STA and JUD	02/27/13
HB 221 State Commission for Human Rights	Referred to (H) STA	01/21/14
HB 226 Commission on the Status of Women	Referred to (H) STA	01/21/14
HB 227 Paid Sick Leave	Referred to (H) L&C	01/21/14
HB 250 Medical Malpractice Actions	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/16/14
HB 251 Affordable Care Act Navigators	Referred to (H) HSS	01/21/14
HB 259 Advance Health Care Directive	Referred to (H) HSS	01/21/14
HB 281 Prescription Without Physical Examination	Transmitted to House with amendments	04/24/14
HJR 20 Medical Device Tax	Awaiting transmittal to governor	03/21/14
HJR 25 Vietnam Vets: Service-Related Diseases	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/17/14
SCR 14 H&SS Regional Best Practice Models	Awaiting transmittal to governor	04/17/14
SJR 28 Vietnam Vets: Service-Related Diseases	Referred to (S) HSS	02/21/14

Are You Interested in Learning More about Policy in Alaska?

Do you have a public policy topic you want to explore? Let us know. Alaska Center for Public Policy seeks to sponsor community-led special research projects. We may be able to provide mentoring for your project idea.

ACPP also seeks volunteers to help with organizational efforts. The following volunteer positions are available. Other ideas are also welcome.

Affordable Care Act researcher: Are you curious about what's in the new health care law? Join us to track the implementation of the ACA. Duties may include

Report to ACPP staff and general public on progress and changes to the law.
Write white papers, 3 - 5 pages in length, on aspects of the ACA of choice, in consultation with ACPP staff.
Attend community meetings about the ACA.
Update the ACPP blog and Facebook page with relevant information and promote public events.
Generate topic-related content for Alaska Health Policy Review (i.e., get published!).
Commitment: 10 hours a week.

General topics researcher: Do you need a reason to research the policy issues that matter to you? Pick a topic and start investigating! Duties may include

Conduct policy-related research; write articles for the ACPP blog, Facebook page, and Alaska Health Policy Review.
Prepare press releases.
Write two white papers, 3 - 5 pages in length, on policy-related topics of choice, in consultation with ACPP staff.
Commitment: 10 hours a week.

Development/marketing coordinator: Do your long-term goals include being a lead researcher with several important grants under your belt? Do you have ideas for capacity building and marketing? Take the first step toward your goals as an intern at ACPP. Duties include

Consult with ACPP staff to research and respond to grant proposals.
Develop a marketing plan for ACPP.
Commitment: 10 hours a week.

Communications and social media coordinator: Are you an expert with fancy social media apps and technology? Do you want to use your skills to support a fun and passionate non-profit communicate the latest on hot policy topics in Alaska? Duties for this position include

Manage the ACPP blog and Facebook page.
In conjunction with ACPP staff, develop strategies to share the work of ACPP with the general public.
Commitment: 10 hours a week.

Do you want the skills and knowledge needed to debate the latest policy topics with your friends and colleagues? Look no further, the Alaska Center for Public Policy can help you!

For more information contact Kelby Murphy, or visit ACPP and complete an application.

Alaska Health Policy Calendar

This calendar of health policy and related meetings is current as of April 24, 2014.

Power of Aging in Alaska Symposium

When: Thursday, May 1, 2014, from 8:20 AM - 5:30 PM

Where: Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage

Other information: Seniors, baby boomers, caregivers, policymakers, providers, and the public are invited to attend the symposium, which is designed to deliver the knowledge and tools needed to develop a strong voice in improving senior services, promoting senior-friendly communities, increasing opportunities for senior community enhancement, and empowering seniors to successfully age in Alaska. The event is sponsored by The Trust, Alaska Commission on Aging, and other partners.

Contact information: To RSVP, download a RSVP form to complete and fax, mail, or email; call 907-465-3250; or email.

Business of Clean Energy in Alaska

When: Thursday and Friday, May 1 and 2, 2014

Where: Dena'ina Center, Anchorage
Other information: This two-day event, sponsored by Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP), features experts from across the country and the world who will talk about the economic benefits of developing renewable energy and energy efficiency in Alaska. Conference-goers have the chance to network with elected officials, utility leaders, and business executives from across the state. Registration -- with discounts for registering early -- is now open.
Contact information: Email Katie Marquette or call her at 907-929-7770, ex 14 for more information.

If you have knowledge of a health policy event that you think should be included in our calendar, please email Jacqui Yeagle. Thank you.

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The Alaska Health Policy Review is issued electronically, weekly during the regular legislative session and monthly the rest of the year. A standard individual 12-month subscription to the Alaska Health Policy Review is available for $600. Note: Current subscribers will see the change in cost reflected in their next invoice.

During the legislative session, Alaska Health Policy Review features a bill tracking section so you can stay informed about the status of health-related bills just by opening your email! Other features include interviews with health policy makers, original and reprinted health policy research, and a calendar of health policy-related events.

Discount rates apply for multiple recipients in the same organization, legislators, and small nonprofit organizations. Don't miss an issue! Direct orders, comments, and inquiries to Alaska Center for Public Policy by email or by phone at 907-276-2277.

Alaska Health Policy Review Staff and Contributors

Kelby Murphy, Proofreader

Jacqui Yeagle, Managing editor