Legislature(2003 - 2004)

03/28/2003 01:47 PM House JUD

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 25 - HEALTH CARE SERVICES DIRECTIVES                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 0053                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR McGUIRE  announced that the  final order of  business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 25, "An  Act relating to health care decisions,                                                               
including  do not  resuscitate orders  and the  donation of  body                                                               
parts,  and  to  powers  of attorney  relating  to  health  care,                                                               
including  the  donation of  body  parts;  and providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."  [The latest version was CSHB 25(HES).]                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0059                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   BRUCE  WEYHRAUCH,   Alaska  State   Legislature,                                                               
sponsor, noted that during the  22nd legislature, a version of HB
25,  then sponsored  by Representative  Bill  Hudson, passed  the                                                               
House without opposition,  and that this year,  with changes made                                                               
in  the  House Health,  Education  and  Social Services  Standing                                                               
Committee, along  with provisions regarding  what has come  to be                                                               
known  as  the  "Five  Wishes," HB  25  now  includes  provisions                                                               
pertaining to the  Uniform Anatomical Gift Act.   He relayed that                                                               
his  interest  in  this  legislation stems  from  the  fact  that                                                               
although his father had previously  established power of attorney                                                               
and health care directives for himself,  he did not tell his wife                                                               
where he kept  that documentation; as a consequence,  no one knew                                                               
what his preferences for end-of-life  treatment were, and thus he                                                               
ultimately lingered in a very poor state for more than a year.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WEYHRAUCH suggested  that many  people don't  end                                                               
their lives they way they  would wish simply because they haven't                                                               
given  clear directives  regarding  their end-of-life  decisions.                                                               
He noted  that the Five Wishes  grew out of a  national movement.                                                               
House Bill  25 incorporates provisions regarding  advanced health                                                               
care  directives into  one place  in statute:   for  example, the                                                               
organ  donation program,  the living  will program,  the "Comfort                                                               
One  Do-Not-Resuscitate  (DNR)  Program", and  "expanded  durable                                                               
power of attorney forms."  The  language in HB 25 attempts to lay                                                               
out  an  extensive,  comprehensive approach  to  all  end-of-life                                                               
matters  such  as  organ   donations,  mental  health  treatment,                                                               
disposition of  the body,  and other issues.   He  mentioned that                                                               
there are some proposed amendments in members' packets.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0391                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ANDERSON  moved  to  adopt CSHB  25(HES)  as  the                                                               
working document.   There  being no  objection, CSHB  25(HES) was                                                               
before the committee.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Number 0398                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
PAUL MALLEY,  President, Aging With  Dignity, relayed  that Aging                                                               
With Dignity  is the organization  which created  and distributes                                                               
the Five Wishes advanced directive  that has become somewhat of a                                                               
national model  for effective advanced  care planning.   The Five                                                               
Wishes advanced  directive document  is now used  by more  than 2                                                               
million  Americans  and  is being  distributed  by  approximately                                                               
5,000  organizations  including  hospitals; hospices;  places  of                                                               
worship;  [private] companies  that distribute  it to  employees;                                                               
the U.S.  Department of  State, the  U.S. Department  of Justice,                                                               
and the Food  and Drug Administration (FDA),  to their employees;                                                               
the  State  of  Florida,  to   its  employees;  and  other  large                                                               
employers.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MALLEY noted  that Aging  With  Dignity was  founded by  Jim                                                               
Towey in 1996, and that Mr.  Towey was legal counsel for 12 years                                                               
to Mother Teresa of Calcutta and  did volunteer work in her homes                                                               
for the dying in India and  Mexico, where he saw how important it                                                               
is to  care for the  dying with the  utmost dignity.   Mr. Malley                                                               
said that  Mr. Towey  contrasted the  care those  people received                                                               
with how the dying are  treated in America, where oftentimes they                                                               
are not receiving the  kind of care at the end  of life that they                                                               
would wish.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MALLEY relayed  that the  Five Wishes  document was  written                                                               
with three goals in mind.  The first  goal was to make it easy to                                                               
use  and understand,  so  that  people could  sit  down in  their                                                               
living rooms  and fill it  out with  their families.   The second                                                               
goal  was  to include  more  than  just medical  issues,  because                                                               
national  research has  shown that  when people  are asked  about                                                               
care at the end  of life, they say things like, "I  want to be at                                                               
home if  that's possible" or "I  want to have my  family with me"                                                               
or "I don't  want to be in pain," and  similar types of personal-                                                               
care preferences.   In contrast,  in the past, the  only question                                                               
people have  commonly been asked  is whether  they wish to  be on                                                               
life-support  treatment, which  is  a question  that many  people                                                               
simply  don't wish  to talk  about.   And the  third goal  was to                                                               
facilitate communication.   He mentioned that  situations similar                                                               
to  the  one  that   Representative  Weyhrauch  described  happen                                                               
frequently,  adding that  facilitating communication  is possible                                                               
when working with a document that is written in layman's terms.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MALLEY noted  that when  Aging with  Dignity introduced  the                                                               
Five  Wishes document,  it had  the support  and guidance  of the                                                               
Robert Wood  Johnson Foundation, and  had legal counsel  from the                                                               
American Bar  Association's Commission on [Law  and Aging], which                                                               
looked  at the  existing  advanced-care-planning laws  of all  50                                                               
states.    At  that  time,  there were  33  states  that  allowed                                                               
residents to  put their wishes  in their  own words instead  of a                                                               
"state-written mandatory  form" for  a durable power  of attorney                                                               
for health care, or for their  living will.  Currently, there are                                                               
15 states, including Alaska, that  require residents to put their                                                               
wishes on a "state-written form."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0737                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. MALLEY  pointed out that  HB 25  would change that,  with the                                                               
benefit  being that  Alaska residents  will  be able  to say,  in                                                               
their own  words, what's important to  them if they get  sick and                                                               
can  no longer  speak for  themselves.   This is  a trend  that's                                                               
picking up  speed across  the country,  he noted;  in just  a few                                                               
years, three states  have actually made the  change - California,                                                               
Hawaii,  and West  Virginia -  and several  other states  are now                                                               
considering legislation to do so  - Alaska, Texas, Indiana, Ohio,                                                               
and  Wisconsin.   The  changes  proposed  by  HB 25  have  proven                                                               
effective and helpful, he remarked.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. MALLEY, in conclusion, shared the following experience:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Last month  I was in New  England and had just  given a                                                                    
     presentation, and  a woman, I  could see her  coming up                                                                    
     to me  from the back  of the crowd,  had a tear  in her                                                                    
     eye.   And she said that  it had been a  year since her                                                                    
     husband had passed away.  And  she said for the last 28                                                                    
     days of his life he was  in a coma, and he'd filled out                                                                    
     his  Five Wishes  document before.   And  they had  his                                                                    
     Five Wishes document  sitting by his bedside.   And she                                                                    
     said, "this was  wonderful because all of  our family -                                                                    
     his  sons,  his daughters  -  his  doctors, his  nurses                                                                    
     could  come  in and  pick  up  that document  and  know                                                                    
     exactly what he wanted."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     She said:   "My  family wanted  so badly  to be  a good                                                                    
     care giver to  him but we didn't know what  to do.  But                                                                    
     we looked in  Five Wishes and found out  that he wanted                                                                    
     to have pictures  of his grandkids nearby,  and that he                                                                    
     wanted to have certain music  played; that he wanted us                                                                    
     to be there with him as much  as we could.  And we were                                                                    
     able  to  do  something  because  he  expressed  that."                                                                    
     "Then, when the doctors told  us that he was not likely                                                                    
     to recover  and we had  to make a decision  about life-                                                                    
     support treatment,"  this woman  said that she  went to                                                                    
     her son, and  her son said, "Absolutely  not; we cannot                                                                    
     do  this;  we  cannot   remove  Dad  from  life-support                                                                    
     treatment because  it will  kill him."   And  she said,                                                                    
     "Here's this document that your  father filled out, and                                                                    
     he showed us  his Five Wishes."  And the  son looked at                                                                    
     it and  said, "This  is in  Dad's handwriting,  this is                                                                    
     what he wanted,  it's not our decision to  make, it was                                                                    
     Dad's  decision, and  he made  it, so  this is  what we                                                                    
     need to do."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0847                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. MALLEY continued:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     So the family  was able to make the  decision, and they                                                                    
     were at  peace with it.   That  same day, as  they were                                                                    
     looking through his  Five Wishes -- one  of the options                                                                    
     in  Five Wishes  that you  have to  choose is  that you                                                                    
     want  your  family  members to  make  peace  with  each                                                                    
     other, if that's possible, before  your death; it's not                                                                    
     always possible, but it's something  to think about and                                                                    
     to talk about.  Well, this  man had put a big star next                                                                    
     to that.   And his two  sons saw that.   These were two                                                                    
     sons who  hadn't spoken  in five years.   And  that day                                                                    
     that their father died, they  spoke for the first time,                                                                    
     and for the ... year  since [then they] have been great                                                                    
     friends.   And  that  speaks to  the  human element  in                                                                    
     what's involved at the end  of life - the conversations                                                                    
     that  need to  happen that  so  often don't  - that  by                                                                    
     passing  this  legislation,  you  are  encouraging  and                                                                    
     promoting  in the  homes and  the  families in  Alaska.                                                                    
     So, I thank you for that.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GARA thanked Mr. Malley  for his work, adding that                                                               
"this  is  akin to  a  civil  rights  movement that  you've  been                                                               
working on."                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 0965                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
EDIE ZUKAUSKAS, Staff Attorney,  Disability Law Center of Alaska,                                                               
Inc., explained  that the  Disability Law  Center is  mandated by                                                               
the federal  government to protect  and advocate  for individuals                                                               
with   disabilities,   and   its  obligations   are   to   pursue                                                               
administrative, legal,  and other  appropriate remedies  that are                                                               
necessary  to  protect  the  rights  of  these  individuals  with                                                               
disabilities, and  to protect the  individuals from  abuse and/or                                                               
neglect.  She  said that she is the "mental  health attorney" and                                                               
has the  specific duty of  working on behalf of  individuals with                                                               
mental illness.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS  said that she became  involved with HB 25  as soon                                                               
as she heard that the  "previous mental health treatment bill was                                                               
being replaced,"  because she needed  to ensure  that individuals                                                               
with mental illness retained  their hard-earned protections while                                                               
receiving the benefits  of "this new bill."  She  then listed the                                                               
entities and  individuals she  has worked  with toward  that end,                                                               
and  mentioned  that in  addition  to  the amendments  that  were                                                               
adopted  in  the  House Health,  Education  and  Social  Services                                                               
Standing  Committee, she  has  provided Representative  Weyhrauch                                                               
with other suggested amendments  for the House Judiciary Standing                                                               
Committee to consider.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS turned members' attention  to proposed Amendment 1,                                                               
which read [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     At  page  3-4. insert  (b)(1)  Except  in the  case  of                                                                    
     mental illness, an individual.......                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
          (2)  In the case of mental illness, a declaration                                                                   
          may be revoked in whole or in part at any time by                                                                   
          the principal if the principal is neither                                                                           
          incapable nor incompetent.  A revocation is                                                                         
          effective when a capable, competent, principal                                                                      
          communicates the revocation to the attending                                                                        
          physician or other provider.  The attending                                                                         
          physician or other provider shall note the                                                                          
          revocation as part of the principal's medical                                                                       
          record.  The authority of a named agent and an                                                                      
          alternative agent named in the declaration                                                                          
          continues in effect as long as the declaration                                                                      
          appointing the agent is in effect or until the                                                                      
          agent has withdrawn.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS.  ZUKAUSKAS  mentioned that  proposed  Amendment  1 refers  to                                                               
revocation  in  so far  as  it  affects individuals  with  mental                                                               
illness, and  that "incompetent" is  included because it  is part                                                               
of  the  legal definition.    On  the reasoning  behind  proposed                                                               
Amendment 1, she  relayed that consumers feel  that this advanced                                                               
directive is not  effective at all because of  the possibility of                                                               
coercion,  intimidation,   or  undue  influence  when   they  are                                                               
incapacitated.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GARA sought  clarification that proposed Amendment                                                               
1 is intended to amend proposed Sec. 13.52.020.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS said it is.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG surmised,  then, that proposed Amendment                                                               
1 would be inserted on page 4, line 3.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS.  ZUKAUSKAS agreed,  adding that  proposed  Amendment 1  would                                                               
create a subsection (b)(1) and a subsection (b)(2).                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 1290                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR   McGUIRE  stated,   "Representative   Samuels  has   moved                                                               
Amendment  1" [text  provided previously].    She indicated  that                                                               
there being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS turned members' attention  to proposed Amendment 2,                                                               
which read [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     At page  28, line  4, delete "guardian  or conservator"                                                                    
     and insert "person"                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS  indicated that proposed Amendment  2 would clarify                                                               
the definition of "guardian".                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG  remarked  that "guardian"  is  already                                                               
defined, though differently, in AS 13.26.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  McGUIRE  offered  that  Ms.   Zukauskas  is  proposing  to                                                               
eliminate that existing definition.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG  argued  that  that  is  not  what  Ms.                                                               
Zukauskas  is proposing,  and opined  that  proposed Amendment  2                                                               
would simply  be adding a  different definition.  He  pointed out                                                               
that the  existing definition of  "guardian", in AS 13.26,  has a                                                               
very  specific  meaning  as  it  relates  to  the  "incapacitated                                                               
persons' chapter  of the  Uniform Probate Code."   He  noted that                                                               
with regard to the definition  in proposed AS 13.52.390, the same                                                               
term is being  used in a slightly different way.   He offered his                                                               
concern that  this might  create confusion  because it  will then                                                               
become a question of whether one  is "a 13.26 guardian or a 13.52                                                               
guardian."   He mentioned  that a  guardian is  a person  who's a                                                               
guardian  of another  person -  one who  makes decisions  for the                                                               
person,  whereas a  conservator  is the  person  who manages  the                                                               
affairs of the estate.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Number 1479                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ROBERT  B.  BRIGGS,  Staff Attorney,  Disability  Law  Center  of                                                               
Alaska,  Inc., explained  that the  definitions in  proposed Sec.                                                               
13.52.390 relate only to terms as  they would be used with regard                                                               
to the  health care decisions  referred to in proposed  AS 13.52.                                                               
He  posited that  proposed  Amendment 2  would  address the  very                                                               
concern expressed  by Representative  Gruenberg, because  it will                                                               
limit the  definition to, "a  judicially appointed  person having                                                               
the authority to make a  health care decision for an individual".                                                               
He acknowledged that perhaps this  concept could be solidified by                                                               
cross-referencing the definition in AS 13.26.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  surmised that  they might just  want to                                                               
do that.   He mentioned that  under AS 13.26, an  institution can                                                               
be appointed as  a conservator, and that under Title  1, a person                                                               
can include a company.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. BRIGGS  offered to work  on a definition that  will encompass                                                               
all  of  the  entities  that  are capable  of  [qualifying  as  a                                                               
guardian with regard to proposed AS 13.52].                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  remarked that  this might  also include                                                               
the Office of Public Advocacy (OPA).                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  McGUIRE asked  Representative Weyhrauch  whether he  would                                                               
prefer  for  the  committee  to   go  ahead  and  adopt  proposed                                                               
Amendment 2  and he could  work out the technical  details later,                                                               
or  whether  he would  prefer  for  the  committee to  set  aside                                                               
proposed Amendment 2 until that issue is resolved.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
[Representative Weyhrauch  replied from the  audience; therefore,                                                               
his answer was not audible on tape.]                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR McGUIRE, in response  to Representative Weyhrauch's answer,                                                               
asked  for  a   motion  to  adopt  Amendment   2  [text  provided                                                               
previously].                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 1585                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
AN UNIDENTIFIED COMMITTEE MEMBER stated, "So moved."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  McGUIRE  asked  whether   there  were  any  objections  to                                                               
Amendment 2.   There being no objection, Amendment  2 was adopted                                                               
"with  the caveat  that [Representative  Weyhrauch would  work on                                                               
the details of the definition further, with those interested]."                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS turned members' attention  to proposed Amendment 3,                                                               
which read:                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     At  page  29, lined  3-4,  insert  after line  3,  (20)                                                                  
     "incompetent" means  that, in the opinion  of the court                                                                  
     in  a guardianship  proceeding under  AS 13.26,  in the                                                                  
     opinion of two physicians  that include a psychiatrist,                                                                  
     or in  the opinion  of a  physician and  a professional                                                                  
     mental health clinician, a  person's ability to receive                                                                  
     and  evaluate  information effectively  or  communicate                                                                  
     decisions  is  impaired  to such  an  extent  that  the                                                                  
     person  currently lacks  the  capacity  to make  mental                                                                  
     health treatment decisions.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     At page 29,  line 9, insert after line  9, (23) "mental                                                                  
     health  treatment"  means electroconvulsive  treatment,                                                                  
     treatment with  psychotropic medication,  and admission                                                                  
     to  and retention  in a  facility for  a period  not to                                                                  
     exceed 17 days.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS.  ZUKAUSKAS relayed  that proposed  Amendment 3  would clarify                                                               
the  meaning of  "incompetent" as  it applies  in the  revocation                                                               
provision, and would  clarify what is included  in the definition                                                               
of "mental health treatment".                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 1672                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to adopt Amendment 3.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG asked  a question  concerning the  term                                                               
"electroconvulsive treatment".                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS remarked that what  had once been called "electric-                                                               
shock"   is    now   called   "electroconvulsive"   or    ECT   -                                                               
electroconvulsive therapy.   She added that as far  as she knows,                                                               
ECT is  not used in Alaska;  rather, the language is  being added                                                               
to the definition under the  assumption that advanced health care                                                               
directives will be reciprocal in participating states.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   GRUENBERG  asked   whether  conforming   changes                                                               
regarding the term "electroconvulsive"  need to be made elsewhere                                                               
in statute.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS  indicated that  if such were  the case,  she would                                                               
have no objections.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 1741                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS  made a  motion to  amend Amendment  3, to                                                               
add  the   phrase,  "renumber  accordingly".     There  being  no                                                               
objection, Amendment 3 was amended.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  said he had no  objections to Amendment                                                               
3 [as  amended], but  asked that research  be done  about whether                                                               
conforming  changes regarding  the term  "electroconvulsive" will                                                               
need to occur to other statutes.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 1765                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  McGUIRE   noted  there  were  no   further  objections  to                                                               
Amendment 3, as amended.   Therefore Amendment 3, as amended, was                                                               
adopted.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS turned members' attention  to proposed Amendment 4,                                                               
which read [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     At page 4, delete lines 20-29, and insert:                                                                                 
          Sec. 13.52.030. Decisions by surrogate.  (a)                                                                        
     Except  in  the  case  of mental  health  treatment,  a                                                                    
     surrogate  may  make  a  health  care  decision  for  a                                                                    
     patient  who is  an adult  or emancipated  minor if  an                                                                    
     agent or guardian has not  been appointed, or the agent                                                                    
     or  guardian  is  not   reasonably  available,  if  the                                                                    
     patient  has been  determined to  lack capacity  by the                                                                    
     primary physician;                                                                                                         
          (b) A surrogate may make a decision regarding                                                                         
     mental health treatment  for a patient who  is an adult                                                                    
     or emancipated  minor if an  agent or guardian  has not                                                                    
     been  appointed,  or  the  agent  or  guardian  is  not                                                                    
     reasonably  available, the  mental health  treatment is                                                                    
     needed on an emergency basis,  and the patient has been                                                                    
     determined to lack capacity by                                                                                             
               (1) two physicians that include a                                                                                
               psychiatrist; or                                                                                                 
               (2) one physician and a professional mental                                                                      
               health clinician"                                                                                                
     Reletter accordingly  subsections beginning on  page 4,                                                                    
     lines 30 and following.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. ZUKAUSKAS  said that  proposed Amendment  4 would  define the                                                               
limits of  authority for a  surrogate, adding that it  will carve                                                               
out  an exception  showing  that  a surrogate  may  not make  any                                                               
[mental]  health  care treatment  decisions  and  yet will  still                                                               
enable individuals to  take advantage of the  "death with dignity                                                               
that's intended by this bill."                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
[On members' copies  of proposed Amendment 4, a  slanted line ran                                                               
across the  proposed new subsection  (b); after  some discussion,                                                               
it was determined that that mark  was an error created during the                                                               
copying  process, and  that proposed  Amendment 4  does stipulate                                                               
that  the   remainder  of  proposed   Sec.  13.52.030   would  be                                                               
relettered.  Thus proposed Amendment 4 is as provided above.]                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 1890                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS made a motion to adopt Amendment 4.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. BRIGGS added  that Amendment 4 will clarify  when a surrogate                                                               
can act if the issue relates to mental health treatment.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 1966                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  McGUIRE noted  there were  no objections  to Amendment  4.                                                               
Therefore, Amendment 4 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 2003                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JENS  SAAKVITNE, Executive  Director, Life  Alaska, after  noting                                                               
that  Life Alaska  is  a  tissue and  organ  donor program,  said                                                               
simply that he supports HB 25 and is available for questions.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 2030                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
RONALD A. COWAN,  Long Term Care Ombudsman,  Alaska Mental Health                                                               
Trust Authority,  Department of  Revenue (DOR), said  simply that                                                               
he  supports HB  25  with  its amendments  and  is available  for                                                               
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Number 2085                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MARGUERITE STETSON,  Executive Council Member for  Advocacy, AARP                                                               
Alaska, said that  she supports HB 25, stating  that the advanced                                                               
directives  - the  Five Wishes  -  are important.   A  discussion                                                               
regarding a  person's wishes should  take place within  a family,                                                               
she added.   A  number of years  ago, the AARP  had a  program to                                                               
encourage people to  have advanced directives, and  at that time,                                                               
she relayed, she and her  husband talked about their feelings and                                                               
wrote down  on paper, using  the advanced directive  format, what                                                               
they wanted to happen.  She  remarked that most hospitals now ask                                                               
a person whether he/she has an advanced directive.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. STETSON said that when  her husband passed away suddenly last                                                               
year while they were vacationing  in Arizona, the first thing the                                                               
doctor in  the emergency room  asked her was whether  her husband                                                               
had an  advanced directive.   Fortunately,  her husband  did, and                                                               
she said that it  was important that she knew he  did not want to                                                               
be  placed on  life support  when the  medical outcome  indicated                                                               
there was  no hope; she also  noted that because her  husband had                                                               
filled out an  advanced directive, she knew that he  wanted to be                                                               
cremated.   These  were all  difficult decisions  that had  to be                                                               
made within 24 hours, in a state  where they did not reside.  She                                                               
mentioned  that  her  advice  to   anyone  is  that  an  advanced                                                               
directive, or Five Wishes, should  be discussed and a form should                                                               
be completed by everyone.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 2139                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHARLOTTE DAVIS said that she is  a public health nurse "with the                                                               
elders," and is speaking as  a private citizen.  She complimented                                                               
everyone that has been working  on the bill, acknowledged that it                                                               
has taken quite a long time to  get it where it currently is, and                                                               
relayed that  folks in Fairbanks  have been following  the bill's                                                               
progress.   She  mentioned that  in  November 2002,  there was  a                                                               
study performed by  Last Acts that graded the state  of Alaska as                                                               
an "E" - the lowest grade  - on its advanced directives policies,                                                               
not because it  didn't have certain programs, but  because it did                                                               
not have  a single, comprehensive  advanced directive  that would                                                               
enable people to express things in  their own way.  She said that                                                               
HB 25 is an important bill and she supports it.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. DAVIS  explained that  she teaches classes  to those  who are                                                               
interested  in "doing  advanced  directives"  and helping  elders                                                               
from different cultures complete  their advanced directives.  She                                                               
mentioned  that there  are  some things  which  are confusing  to                                                               
people that  HB 25 will help  clear up.  However,  she added, she                                                               
does have some questions and  comments about certain areas of the                                                               
bill.  She  said, "First of all,  when we came out  with a living                                                               
will, that still creates quite  a bit of confusion between living                                                               
will and  regular will"; thus,  she added, she really  likes "the                                                               
'advanced directive for health care' title."                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. DAVIS  said that  confusion still exists  between a  power of                                                               
attorney,  a durable  power of  attorney for  health care,  and a                                                               
power of  attorney [for health care],  warning that complications                                                               
may arise where  "those" aren't spelled out clearly.   She turned                                                               
to page  2, lines 13-14,  and noted  that subsection (b)  says in                                                               
part,  "An adult  or emancipated  minor  may execute  a power  of                                                               
attorney for  health care"; meanwhile, in  the definition section                                                               
on  page  26,  lines  20-21,  it  says,  "'advanced  health  care                                                               
directive'  means  an  individual   instruction  or  a  power  of                                                               
attorney  for health  care".   She  offered  the suggestion  that                                                               
subsection  (b) be  changed  to read,  "An  adult or  emancipated                                                               
minor  may  execute  an  individual instruction  or  a  power  of                                                               
attorney  for health  care decision",  in order  to clarify  this                                                               
point as much as possible and  move away from the terms "power of                                                               
attorney" and "power of attorney for health care".                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. DAVIS then  turned to language beginning on page  2, line 30,                                                               
and noted  that according  to this  portion of HB  25, one  of at                                                               
least two individuals  used as a witness for a  power of attorney                                                               
for  health  care may  be  related  to  the principal  by  blood,                                                               
marriage, or  adoption, or may  be entitled  to a portion  of the                                                               
principal's estate.  However, on  the sample form contained in HB
25,  on page  25, both  statements  to be  signed -  one by  each                                                               
witness -  contain language stipulating  that the witness  is not                                                               
related by blood, marriage, or adoption,  nor, to the best of the                                                               
witness's  knowledge, entitled  to a  portion of  the principal's                                                               
estate.    She   indicated  that  this  conflict   [ought  to  be                                                               
corrected].                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  DAVIS remarked  that because  there are  a variety  of forms                                                               
being  used, and  because many  people fill  out these  different                                                               
forms  without assistance,  she  is sometimes  reluctant to  give                                                               
credence to the advanced health  care directives of an elder when                                                               
the  only witnesses  signing the  form  are family  members.   In                                                               
response to  a request by  Chair McGuire, Ms. Davis  provided her                                                               
phone  number  so  that   Representative  Weyhrauch  could  speak                                                               
further with her after the meeting about the issues she raised.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 03-25, SIDE B                                                                                                            
Number 2328                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ANDERSON   turned  to   language  in   Section  2                                                               
regarding  unclaimed bodies.    He asked  Mr.  Saakvitne of  Life                                                               
Alaska whether he would have  any objections to an amendment that                                                               
would allow the state to cremate all unclaimed bodies.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SAAKVITNE  said  he  would  have no  objection  to  such  an                                                               
amendment, since the  time period during which it  is possible to                                                               
harvest viable  organs and tissue  is extremely  short, rendering                                                               
unclaimed bodies unsuitable for that purpose.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 2299                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
RICHARD RAINERY, Executive Director,  Alaska Mental Health Board,                                                               
Office  of  the  Commissioner,  Department  of  Health  &  Social                                                               
Services (DHSS), indicated simply  that the [Alaska Mental Health                                                               
Board] supports HB 25 as amended.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 2263                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SHELLY  OWENS,   Health  Program  Manager,  Community   Health  &                                                               
Emergency   Medical   Services,   Division  of   Public   Health,                                                               
Department of  Health &  Social Services  (DHSS), said  that both                                                               
the division  and the  department support HB  25.   She mentioned                                                               
that the  heart of  the bill  is the  Five Wishes  program, which                                                               
expands Alaska's  living will  directive.   She relayed  that the                                                               
consolidation  of Alaska's  laws regarding  advanced health  care                                                               
directives is based  on the structure of  the Uniform Health-Care                                                               
Decisions Act  (UHCDA) promulgated by the  National Conference of                                                               
Commissioners on Uniform State Laws  (NCCUSL).  She said that her                                                               
division has  been tracking HB  25 to ensure that  the provisions                                                               
of the  "Comfort One Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR)  Program" have been                                                               
incorporated in the bill.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 2193                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG directed attention  to page 17, line 12.                                                               
He asked  Ms. Owens  whether she would  interpret the  phrase "do                                                               
not resuscitate orders" to mean an  order coming from a person or                                                               
from a court.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS.  OWENS explained  that by  definition, a  do not  resuscitate                                                               
(DNR) order is an order from a physician.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR McGUIRE  pointed out that  a DNR  order is defined  on page                                                               
27,  line  27:    "(11)   'do  not  resuscitate  order'  means  a                                                               
directive    from   a    licensed   physician    that   emergency                                                               
cardiopulmonary  resuscitation should  not be  administered to  a                                                               
qualified patient".                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  asked whether the language  on page 17,                                                               
beginning  on  line 4,  would  give  an  agent the  authority  to                                                               
override a  physician's DNR  order if  the agent's  authority has                                                               
not been limited by the person/patient.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  OWENS,   after  noting  that  the   language  Representative                                                               
Gruenberg is referring to is  located in the sample form, posited                                                               
that  if  there is  a  conflict  between  the form  and  statute,                                                               
statute would  prevail.  She  said that  she is assuming  that an                                                               
agent's ability to  disapprove a DNR order refers to  a DNR order                                                               
that comes  into effect after a  person has lost the  capacity to                                                               
express his/her  preferences.  She  said that  her interpretation                                                               
of  "disprove" as  used in  the form  does not  mean the  same as                                                               
"revoke" as  used on  page 8  in proposed  AS 13.52.060(f).   She                                                               
remarked that not even a physician  can revoke a DNR order except                                                               
at the  request of  the patient.   She acknowledged  that perhaps                                                               
the term "disapprove" may not be the best term.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG said  he is  still unclear  whether the                                                               
language "approve  or disapprove" allows  an agent to  override a                                                               
physician's  DNR  order  if  the  patient  has  not  specifically                                                               
limited  the agent's  authority.   He suggested  that this  is an                                                               
issue that still needs to be clarified.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 1901                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SIOUX PLUMMER  DOUGLAS, Juneau Hospice Foundation;  Juneau End of                                                               
Life Task  Force, testified in support  of HB 25.   She explained                                                               
the Juneau End of Life  Task Force instigated the introduction of                                                               
this legislation  almost three years  ago.   She said that  HB 25                                                               
has  improved  upon that  original  legislation,  making it  more                                                               
comprehensive, and clearer and easier  to understand.  She opined                                                               
that HB  25 is good  public policy  that will help  Alaskans help                                                               
themselves, and urged  swift passage of HB 25.   She relayed that                                                               
during  the past  four years,  several members  of her  immediate                                                               
family  passed away,  adding that  personal experience  has shown                                                               
her how much  a lack of information can complicate  the last days                                                               
of one's life.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 1778                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MARIE  DARLIN,  Coordinator,  Capital   City  Task  Force,  AARP,                                                               
relayed  that AARP  is in  support  of HB  25 and  has been  very                                                               
involved with  this legislation since  its inception.   She urged                                                               
the committee to pass HB 25 this  year.  She opined that HB 25 is                                                               
needed  and  will help  people  as  they make  their  end-of-life                                                               
decisions.    She  added  that  the  AARP  is  pleased  with  the                                                               
amendments because they will help clarify some issues.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Number 1713                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SAM  TRIVETTE,  President,  Retired Public  Employees  of  Alaska                                                               
(RPEA), Alaska  Public Employees  Association/American Federation                                                               
of Teachers (APEA/AFT), after mentioning  that health care is one                                                               
of  the  RPEA's  primary  issues,   relayed  that  from  personal                                                               
experience, he  knows that not being  able to go to  one place in                                                               
statute to  find all the answers  regarding end-of-life decisions                                                               
can make things very difficult  for surviving family members.  He                                                               
mentioned that  he has friends that  deal with these issues  on a                                                               
regular  basis, that  they have  reviewed  HB 25,  and that  they                                                               
support it.  He also said that the RPEA strongly supports HB 25.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. COWAN, turning back to the  issue of whether an agent has the                                                               
authority -  absent any  limitations placed on  the agent  by the                                                               
principal  - to  disapprove  of  a DNR  order,  remarked that  he                                                               
interprets  the  language in  question  to  mean that  the  agent                                                               
would,  indeed,  have  the  authority.     He  said  that  he  is                                                               
encouraged by  language on  page 3, beginning  on line  18, which                                                               
stipulates that  the agent  is to make  health care  decisions in                                                               
accordance  with the  principal's instructions,  and that  absent                                                               
those instructions,  the agent  must make a  decision that  is in                                                               
the principal's  best interest based  upon the  agent's knowledge                                                               
of  the principal.   He  opined that  this is  important because,                                                               
according to  his experience in  working with the  elderly, there                                                               
have been  a number of times  when physicians have taken  it upon                                                               
themselves to  issue DNR orders  without anybody's  input because                                                               
they believed  that the person's  health situation was  such that                                                               
he/she may  not have a very  good quality of life  were he/she to                                                               
survive.   He said that he  likes the protection afforded  by the                                                               
agent being  able to override  a physician's DNR order  when that                                                               
order is issued without the authority of the principal.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ANDERSON  referred to  page 3, lines  28-30, which                                                               
reads:   "(k)  An  advance  health care  directive  is valid  for                                                               
purposes of this  chapter if it complies with this  chapter or if                                                               
it was  executed in compliance with  the laws of the  state where                                                               
it was  executed".  He asked  if this language means  that Alaska                                                               
would be bound by the advanced directives of other states.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WEYHRAUCH, in response,  referred to Ms. Stetson's                                                               
experience when her  husband died while they were  on vacation in                                                               
[Arizona].                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR McGUIRE  announced that HB  25 would  be held over  for the                                                               
purpose of  allowing the sponsor  to research some of  the issues                                                               
raised.                                                                                                                         

Document Name Date/Time Subjects