2005-01-21                     House Journal                      Page 0126
laws since statehood.  However, the recent severe acute respiratory                                 
syndrome crisis demonstrated the need to modernize them.  Alaska is                                 
no longer protected from world disease outbreaks by geographical                                    
isolation.  Modern air links rapidly put Alaskans at risk from                                      
infectious diseases originating on the other side of the globe.  In a                               
recent study, Alaska was noted as the only state in the nation with                                 
inadequate legal authority to respond to a public health emergency.                                 
                                                                                                    
The Department of Health and Social Services (department) routinely                                 
uses the traditional public health disease control tools of                                         
epidemiological surveillance and investigation, and historically has                                
used isolation and quarantine to stop the spread of disease in the rare                             
times it has been warranted.  Today, new global health threats, coupled                             
with heightened expectations in the modern American social and legal                                
environment for protection of individual rights, require the department                             
to have more clearly defined legal authorities to act to protect the                                
public while protecting the due process rights of infected individuals.                             
This bill would give the department the needed flexibility to protect                               
Alaskans from public health threats.  The department would be                                       
authorized to offer medication to infected individuals who wish to take                             
it.  However, the department would not have authority to force                                      
medication upon infected individuals.                                                               
                                                                                                    
The bill also would provide for powers to deal with public health                                   
issues that could arise in a declared disaster emergency.                                           
                                                                                                    
I urge your support of this important bill.                                                         
                                                                                                    
                                Sincerely yours,                                                    
                                /s/                                                                 
                                Frank H. Murkowski                                                  
                                Governor"                                                          
                                                                                                    
HB 96                                                                                             
HOUSE BILL NO. 96 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                        
the Governor, entitled:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
     "An Act making findings relating to marijuana use and                                          
     possession; relating to marijuana and misconduct involving a                                   
     controlled substance; and providing for an effective date."