04/04/2017 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

        HB 164-PROTECT: VULNERABLE ADULTS/LONG TERM CARE                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:44:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ  announced that the  next order of  business would                                                              
be  HOUSE BILL  NO. 164,  "An Act  relating to  the protection  of                                                              
vulnerable adults and residents of long term care facilities."                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:44:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TERESA HOLT,  Long Term  Care Ombudsman, Office  of the  Long Term                                                              
Care Ombudsman,  Alaska Mental Health Trust  Authority, Department                                                              
of Revenue, paraphrased  from a statement explaining  the proposed                                                              
committee substitute  [Included in  members' packets],  which read                                                              
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
       The CSHB 164 makes simple changes to the original                                                                        
     version.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     • In section 4, it corrects drafting error on page 4                                                                       
        line 5 to reflect the accurate statute citation of                                                                      
        AS 47.62.015 (instead of AS 42.62.015).                                                                                 
    • In section 3, aligns additional paragraphs under AS                                                                       
        47.24.011 with proposed amendment  language requested                                                                   
        elsewhere in  the bill that  changes references  from                                                                   
        "central  information   and   referral  service   for                                                                   
        vulnerable adults"  to "vulnerable adult  centralized                                                                   
        intake office".                                                                                                         
    • In sections 10 and 11 clarifies that resident means                                                                       
        resident of a long term care facility.                                                                                  
      • In section 14 retains the definition for senior                                                                         
        citizen housing.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:47:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EDGMON  moved  to  adopt  the  proposed  committee                                                              
substitute (CS)  for HB 164, labeled 30-GH1815\D,  Glover, 4/3/17,                                                              
as the working document.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:47:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ objected for discussion.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:48:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ  removed her  objection.   There being  no further                                                              
objection,  the proposed  committee  substitute (CS)  for HB  164,                                                              
labeled 30-GH1815\D,  Glover, 4/3/17,  was adopted as  the working                                                              
document.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ opened public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:48:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WILLIAM HARRINGTON  stated that this was "an important  bill."  He                                                              
stated  that  the  "boomer  tsunami   has  yet  to  fully  unleash                                                              
millions of  people at  the last, most  difficult stage  of life."                                                              
He opined that  when the physical or mental selves  alleviate each                                                              
other, "life as  a person of competence is gone,  but the motor is                                                              
still  running."    He  said  that  long  term  care  was  such  a                                                              
frightening issue  on so  many levels, that  a person  should have                                                              
the right to self-termination.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:50:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DENISE DANIELLO,  Executive Director, Alaska Commission  on Aging,                                                              
Division  of  Senior  and  Disabilities  Services,  Department  of                                                              
Health and  Social Services (DHSS),  said that the  Commission had                                                              
submitted  a letter  of support  for the changes  in the  proposed                                                              
committee  substitute.     She  stated  that  her   office  worked                                                              
collaboratively with  the Office of  the Long Term  Care Ombudsman                                                              
regarding  planning   and  advocacy  activities.     She  declared                                                              
support for the proposed bill.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:50:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ closed public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:51:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   SULLIVAN-LEONARD,  noting   that  Ms.   Holt  had                                                              
responded  quickly to  her concerns,  stated her  support for  the                                                              
proposed bill.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:51:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EDGMON  moved  to  report CSHB  164,  labeled  30-                                                              
GH1815\D,  Glover,  4/3/17,  out   of  committee  with  individual                                                              
recommendations  and the accompanying  fiscal notes.   There being                                                              
no objection,  CSHB 164(HSS)  was reported  from the House  Health                                                              
and Social Services Standing Committee.