Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
04/01/2011 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Superintendent, Bering Strait School District (bssd) | |
| HB38 | |
| SB1 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HB 38 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 1 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 38-UNIVERSITY INSTITUTES OF LAW AND MEDICINE
8:26:12 AM
CHAIR DICK announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 38, "An Act authorizing the establishment of
institutes of medicine and law at the University of Alaska."
8:27:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT KAWASAKI, Alaska State Legislature, stated
that HB 38 would authorize the establishment of Institutes of
Medicine and Law at the University of Alaska. He reported on
the difficulty of providing enough doctors and lawyers for the
needs of the state.
8:29:35 AM
ALICIA MARYOTT, Staff, Representative Scott Kawasaki, Alaska
State Legislature, presented HB 38, paraphrasing from the
sponsor statement, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Alaska remains one of only six states that have no
medical school and the only state without a law
school. Alaska has a shortage of doctors which is
likely to worsen as the state's population increases
and ages. The cost of healthcare and legal services
will only continue to rise. That is why it is time to
invest in education and build the workforce Alaska
will need for the next 20 years.
Law and medical students are required to go out of
state for their education, therefore Alaska suffers
even more. Most students tend to remain in the area in
which they earn their degrees. Conversely, the 'Alaska
Family Medicine Residency' has an extremely high rate
of return in which 70% of the 55 graduates have
remained in Alaska. By enabling the University of
Alaska to build schools of medicine and law; it
creates a better foundation for future doctors and
lawyers to stay in Alaska for their higher education.
Alaska shouldn't deny opportunity to the best and
brightest and export their talents, nor import
professionals from the lower 48 who don't have a
connection to the state. They deserve the chance to
attend medical or law school, without the high cost of
transferring out of state, possibly moving back,
tuition, and without the limitations set on programs
such as WWAMI which only allows 20 students per year
into medical school. I urge your support encouraging
the University of Alaska to train the next generation
of Alaskan doctors and lawyers through House Bill 38.
8:31:57 AM
MS. MARYOTT, addressing the fiscal note, said that the cost was
indeterminate. She relayed that HB 38 would authorize studies
to be conducted for the establishment of Medical and Law
Schools.
8:33:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked if the University of Alaska had
indicated the number of students that could attend a medical
school.
8:33:34 AM
MS. MARYOTT, in response to Representative P. Wilson, said that
currently there were only 20 students admitted to the
Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI) program,
and that there was a waiting list.
8:33:53 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON opined that a problem with WWAMI was that
the required medical residency positions weren't available in
Alaska, and that this could also be a limitation for a medical
school.
8:34:58 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI agreed that residencies were a factor in
"getting doctors to Alaska." He pointed out that a pediatrics
residency had recently been established. He reported that half
of physicians licensed in the US were foreign trained as there
were not enough medical personnel graduating from US schools
each year to serve the needs of the population.
8:36:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON agreed that more doctors and nurses
were needed, but she questioned the need for more lawyers.
8:37:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI explained that Alaska was the only state
in the union which didn't have a law school. He pointed out
that many issues, such as tribal sovereignty and mineral
leasing, were unique to Alaska, and that the legal community
would be enhanced by in-state training.
8:38:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE asked how many unfilled physician positions
existed in Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI replied that there were not enough
physicians in the nation, and that there was a shortage in
Alaska.
8:39:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE commented that there was a balance of
students coming to and leaving Alaska to work in the medical
profession, and that a lot of other factors entered into the
attraction of a facility to medical professionals. He suggested
that the problem be more closely defined as to whether there
were other issues for attracting medical professionals.
8:42:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI, in response to Representative Feige,
referred to earlier reports defining critically needed jobs
within Alaska, and stated that medical professionals always
topped the list.
8:43:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if the proposed medical school would
include dental training.
8:44:19 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI replied that the proposed bill had been
left "appropriately broad" to allow the Board of Regents to
address the need.
8:45:08 AM
MARSHALL SEVERSON stated his support for HB 38. He reported
that he was a lifelong Alaskan, and had been educated at the
University of Alaska. He opined that Alaskans should not have
to leave the state to further their education in medicine or
law. He pointed out that Alaska was the only state without a
law school. He expressed concern with "a legal culture wholly
formed outside the state of Alaska, taught by professors in
schools with no Alaska sensitivity or fundamental understanding
of the complex aspects of Alaska and its unique needs." He
offered his belief that a local law school would improve legal
services. He suggested that it would make better economic sense
to spend educational resources within the state on both schools
of medicine and law.
8:48:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked if he was an attorney.
MR. SEVERSON replied that he was not an attorney.
8:48:50 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON commented that, as there was a shortage
of nurses in Alaska, there was a need for more nurses, but she
was not sure of the need for more attorneys.
8:49:47 AM
WENDI COMPTON shared that she was a graduate of University of
Alaska, and that she supported HB 38. She expressed her desire
to attend law school, but stated that she did not want to leave
her family while she attended school outside the state. She
pointed out that there were not any incentive programs to
support Alaskan students going to law school. She stated that
the cap on federal student loans for law students, $158,000,
would barely cover tuition, whereas the cap on student loans for
medical students was significantly higher. She stated:
Alaskan students interested in pursuing a career in
law are significantly disadvantaged. We do not
qualify for in-state student discounts for the law
schools we apply to unless we change our residency.
Most law schools provide in-state student residency
discounts which can be up to 10 percent of the
student's tuition.
She continued and pointed out:
Alaskan students interested in going to law school are
required to pay more money in tuition and have to make
the hard choice to leave our families, jobs and
community ties behind while we attend school in
another state.
She offered her belief that a law school in Alaska would keep
law students in Alaska, where they would work for Alaskans, and
"help preserve the Alaskan way of life."
8:52:33 AM
DAN KENNEDY, CPA, addressed the proposed Institute of Law, and
said that his graduating high school daughter was going to
attend University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), with the desire to
then attend a law school. He pointed out that his daughter was
the valedictorian of her high school class, and he suggested
that, if she leaves Alaska for school, it would be another
example of the "brain drain" from Alaska.
MR. KENNEDY offered his comments on the medical school proposal.
He reported that his other daughter was studying at the Air
Force Academy, with a desire to become a flight surgeon. He
noted that this also required education outside Alaska. He
pointed out that both his daughters were raised in Alaska, and
he reflected on the enhanced benefits for Alaska if they
remained in the state.
8:58:30 AM
WENDY REDMAN, Executive Vice President, University of Alaska
Statewide Systems, stated support for HB 38, and acknowledged
the increasing shortage of physicians in Alaska. She noted that
there were existing medical education programs in the state,
with an ongoing review to increase these opportunities. She
reported that the University of Alaska (UA) was continually
working with the Alaska Health Care Coalition and the Alaska
Workforce Investment Board for options to expand medical
education and physician placement. She noted that the short
term options to a medical school included expansion of the WWAMI
program, cash incentives for physicians to practice in
underserved communities, enhancement of the telemedicine
capabilities, and addition of medical residencies throughout
Alaska. She said that the need for a law school was not as well
documented. She reported that the University was not currently
prepared to commit to the development of either a medical or law
school without further review and analysis of the costs and
infrastructure requirements. She pointed out that everything
that was currently being put into place were necessary elements
in order for a medical school to exist. She offered support for
HB 38.
9:03:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI pointed out that many law students do
not practice law, but that the use of an advanced degree was
valuable. He asked Ms. Redman if a law school in Alaska would
make monetary sense, and he opined that the facilities were
already available. He directed attention to the immediate
success of the nursing program at UA.
9:05:01 AM
MS. REDMAN replied that the need should justify the cost, as law
was an expensive program to offer, and that a needs assessment
was necessary.
9:06:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON questioned if the limited number of WWAMI
residencies in Alaska was a problem. He asked if there were any
residencies available in Alaska.
9:07:27 AM
SUZANNE TRYCK, Alaska WWAMI representative, agreed that it was a
limiting factor, and explained that, in 2014, there would be
more medical school graduates than there were residency training
opportunities. She listed the 12 residencies in Alaska Family
Medicine, the 4 residencies in pediatrics, and the psychiatry
and family medicine residencies that were being developed. She
reminded the committee that residencies accepted nationwide
applicants, not just from WWAMI schools.
9:09:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI restated the interest of Alaskans to
have these facilities available in Alaska.
[HB 38 was held over.]
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