Legislature(1997 - 1998)
04/02/1997 01:40 PM House FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE BILL 66
"An Act giving notice of and approving the entry into,
and the issuance of certificates of participation in, a
lease-purchase agreement for a centralized public
health laboratory facility."
GREGORY HAYES, DR., CHIEF, STATE PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORIES,
ANCHORAGE, provided an overview of the handout. [Copy on
file]. He spoke to the proposition of a new public health
lab located in Anchorage which would include the medical
examiners lab and the functions of the Juneau and Anchorage
laboratories and would be designed and constructed through
debt financing.
The unique role of public health laboratories are to assess
infectious disease in partnership with private laboratories,
specializing in disease surveillance and recognition of new
and re-emerging diseases and applying critical state of the
art technology for rapid testing of large numbers of
specimens, in face of an epidemic.
Mr. Hayes provided examples of how public health labs have
historically benefited the public by addressing the epidemic
gastroenteritis and contamination of king crab, epidemic
gastroenteritis in the Tourism Industry-May 1992,
tuberculosis outbreaks in rural villages, and the rabies
expertise in Pilot Point exposure in 1995.
He explained the public health lab mission statement:
* Essential component of state and national
public health systems providing a different
purpose than private labs;
* To provide scientific and technical
information for disease prevention;
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* First line of defense in recognizing and
controlling spread of communicable diseases;
* Accomplish core public health functions and
responsibilities in partnership with private
and federal laboratories.
Dr. Hayes addressed the need to build a new facility. He
emphasized that it would save money while maintaining an
essential public service more cheaply and efficiently. To
have new advances requires new technologies and a modern,
well-designed, adaptable, safe laboratory, which is a 21st
Century necessity. He stressed that the status quo cannot
continue. The State can not afford nor does it need four
separate labs. The current arrangement for the medical
examiner is untenable.
Dr. Hayes pointed out that the Legislature almost approved
the new lab during the last session. That legislation would
have combined the Anchorage and Juneau public health labs
and medical examiner into a new lab in Anchorage, leaving
the Fairbanks public health lab operating.
The current labs spaces are inadequate and crowded,
consuming 15,000 square feet. The proposed architectural
and laboratory standards require 23,400 gross square feet.
Construction of this facility would be adequate for at least
fifty years. Construction would start in 1999 @ $482/square
foot. Costs would reflect:
* Special utility & ventilation requirements;
* Special containment;
* Explosion proof;
* Morgue;
* Security access; and
* High floor loading & floor ceiling heights.
Co-Chair Therriault asked what the building complex would
house. Dr. Hayes reiterated that there would be technical
area, a darkroom, shared storage, microbiological center,
immunology area, molecular diagnostic area, classroom
training, support areas, employee areas, specimen processing
unit; utility space and waste storage, bulk storage,
housekeeping, reception areas, technical administrative and
billing offices and a conference room. There also would be
an embalming room, shower room, body holding room, and a
place where the chief medical examiner, pathologist and
chief investigator would co-locate, a photo lab and
receiving area. This area would total 5,915 square feet.
In response to Co-Chair Therriault, Dr. Hayes informed
members that the library/conference room would be
technically for staff to keep their journals, whereas, the
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classroom would be an area for educating and training other
labatorians in the State.
In response to Co-Chair Therriault, Dr. Hayes noted that he
had answered all questions posed by the Senate Finance
Committee during his overview presentation.
MIKE PROBST, DR., ANCHORAGE, MEDICAL EXAMINER, ANCHORAGE,
explained that the medical examiner currently has space in
two buildings. The space occupied in the laboratory was not
designed as a morgue for people; it was designed to do post
morgue examinations on animals. Also, the demands to do DNA
testing technology by the crime laboratory has increased in
the past few years and the Department needs the space
currently being occupied by the medical examiner.
Representative J. Davies cited that construction cuts would
be around $12 million dollars. He inquired what the
remaining $6 million dollars would be budgeted for.
TOM WILLIAMS, FACILITY MANAGER, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
SOCIAL SERVICES, stated that the full cost would include not
only the construction cost but also the design and equipment
costs. There would be a savings of $200 thousand dollars
per year in comparison to the existing situation.
Currently, leased costs paid in Anchorage and Juneau would
be consolidated creating also a savings in personnel costs.
Over the life time of the building, those savings could
provide for the cost of the facility. The recommended space
is projected to cover the State's needs for up to a fifty
year time period.
Representative Martin MOVED to report CS HB 66 (HES) out of
Committee with individual recommendations and with the
accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was
so ordered.
CS HB 66 (HES) was reported out of Committee with a "no
recommendation" and with a fiscal note by the Department of
Administration dated 2/5/97, the Department of Health and
Social Services dated 2/5/97, the Department of Revenue
dated 2/5/97 and a zero fiscal note by the Department of
Public Safety dated 2/5/97. #
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 3:10 P.M.
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