04/17/2023 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                  SB 94-PROFESSION OF PHARMACY                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:59:52 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of SENATE  BILL NO.  94  "An Act  relating to  the                                                               
Board  of  Pharmacy;  relating   to  the  practice  of  pharmacy;                                                               
relating   to   pharmacies;   relating   to   prescription   drug                                                               
manufacturers;   relating  to   prescriptions  for   epinephrine;                                                               
relating to the administration of  epinephrine; and providing for                                                               
an effective date."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
He noted  that this was  the second hearing  of the bill  in this                                                               
committee and requested a brief recap.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:00:57 PM                                                                                                                    
JANE  CONWAY,   Staff,  Senator   Cathy  Giessel,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, stated that SB  94 updates statutes                                                               
relating  to the  profession of  pharmacy. This  is a  multi-year                                                               
collaboration  over  multiple boards  and  chairs.  The Board  of                                                               
Pharmacy worked  alongside the Pharmacist's Association  to draft                                                               
this   piece  of   legislation  that   will  modernize   statutes                                                               
regulating pharmacy,  an evolving field that  experienced changes                                                               
during the COVID-19 pandemic.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:03:19 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on SB 94.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:03:49 PM                                                                                                                    
EMILY  KNOWLES, representing  self, Anchorage,  Alaska, testified                                                               
in  support of  SB  94.  She said  this  bill will  significantly                                                               
impact her  practice by providing  greater clarity  regarding the                                                               
role of  pharmacists in epinephrine accessibility,  allowing them                                                               
to   prescribe  epinephrine   auto-injectors,   and  making   the                                                               
lifesaving medication  more readily  available across  the state.                                                               
In  addition  to  relieving   redundancy  and  updates  regarding                                                               
regulatory concerns, SB  94 would reallocate one of  two seats on                                                               
the  Board of  Pharmacy  currently reserved  for  members of  the                                                               
public  to  a  pharmacy  technician,  which  would  otherwise  be                                                               
unfulfilled. Allowing  pharmacy technicians, who are  integral in                                                               
day-to-day pharmacy  practice, to  have a voice  on the  board is                                                               
imperative and will serve to further advance the profession.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:06:14 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN asked  how pharmacy  technicians'  point of  view                                                               
would differ from that of pharmacists seated on the board.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:06:36 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  KNOWLES  answered  that  the  tasks  performed  by  pharmacy                                                               
technicians  and pharmacists  are quite  different. Additionally,                                                               
many pharmacy  technicians are seeking  growth and  are dedicated                                                               
to gaining experience in the field.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:07:27 PM                                                                                                                    
MARGARET SODEN,  representing self, Fairbanks,  Alaska, testified                                                               
in support of  SB 94. She is a retired  pharmacist who previously                                                               
served on the  Alaska Board of Pharmacy. She said  that there are                                                               
two items  in this  bill that she  is particularly  interested in                                                               
updating. The  first is  replacing one of  the two  public member                                                               
seats  with a  pharmacy technician  seat. Those  seats have  been                                                               
difficult to fill and have  remained vacant. Pharmacy technicians                                                               
have become  an integral part  of the profession and  their input                                                               
is vital. The second item  is adoption of regulations for retired                                                               
pharmacist status,  which would bring Alaska  into alignment with                                                               
other states.  She obtained her  Alaska pharmacy license  in 1970                                                               
and would  like to  retire that license.  Her license  is active,                                                               
but she is not actively practicing in the pharmaceutical field.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:09:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN closed  public testimony  on SB  94. He  said the                                                               
public  may email  written testimony  to slac@akleg.gov  for this                                                               
bill or any bill.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BJORKMAN held SB 94 in committee.