05/14/2021 01:00 PM Senate FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 117                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination  date of the Board of                                                                    
     Certified Direct-Entry  Midwives; and providing  for an                                                                    
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:27:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DAN ORTIZ, SPONSOR, introduced himself.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CAROLINE HAMP,  STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE DAN  ORTIZ, introduced                                                                    
herself.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Ortiz stated that  the bill renewed the Board                                                                    
of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
KRIS  CURTIS,   LEGISLATIVE  AUDITOR,  ALASKA   DIVISION  OF                                                                    
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT, discussed the  sunset audit of the board.                                                                    
She  remarked that,  overall, the  audit concluded  that the                                                                    
board  served the  public interest  by  holding meetings  in                                                                    
accordance  with state  laws and  by effectively  certifying                                                                    
midwives. The  board adopted regulatory changes  to improved                                                                    
the profession,  however it failed  to pursue  the statutory                                                                    
changes due  to concerns  over related  costs. Additionally,                                                                    
the  audit  found  that  the peer  review  process  was  not                                                                    
effectively monitored.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop OPENED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson queried the percentage  of mortality rates of                                                                    
children born to midwives.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:35:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BETHEL   BELISLE,  CHAIR,   BOARD  OF   CERTIFIED  MIDWIVES,                                                                    
ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), replied  that there was less                                                                    
than  the national  standard of  mortality and  morbidity in                                                                    
the  state at  potentially less  than one  demise every  few                                                                    
years.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wilson  recalled  some concern  about  whether  the                                                                    
board  needed additional  medical  supervision. He  wondered                                                                    
about those concerns.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Belisle  replied  that  the   board  was  a  standalone                                                                    
profession. She  recalled that  the statutory  changes would                                                                    
allow for  even more  ability to  be a  standalone practice.                                                                    
She remarked  that many  practices in  the recent  year were                                                                    
working  toward arrangements  with  local medical  providers                                                                    
and   hospital   systems   for  better   collaboration   and                                                                    
accountability.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator  von  Imhof  remarked  that   the  response  to  the                                                                    
recommendation about the  board pursuing regulatory changes,                                                                    
the board  changed the  education requirement.  She wondered                                                                    
whether  the change  in  education had  been  in place,  and                                                                    
whether there had been a change in behavior.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Belisle  replied that the  change did  not retroactively                                                                    
apply to  the midwives. She  remarked that it  had increased                                                                    
accountability.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:40:39 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:41:17 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop thanked Ms. Holtkamp (secretary) for her                                                                        
service and hoped that she would have a successful birth.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
HB 117 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                              
consideration.