Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
02/11/2026 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB210 | |
| HB195 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 195 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 293 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 210 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
February 11, 2026
4:27 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Zack Fields, Co-Chair
Representative Carolyn Hall, Co-Chair
Representative Ashley Carrick
Representative Robyn Niayuq Frier
Representative Dan Saddler
Representative Julie Coulombe
Representative David Nelson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Representative Justin Ruffridge
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 210
"An Act relating to occupational disability benefits for peace
officers and firefighters; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED HB 210 OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 195
"An Act relating to the prescription and administration of drugs
and devices by pharmacists; relating to reciprocity for
pharmacists; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 293
"An Act relating to the practice of genetic counseling; relating
to the licensure of genetic counselors; establishing the Genetic
Counseling Advisory Council; relating to the duties of the State
Medical Board; relating to telehealth by licensed genetic
counselors; relating to medical malpractice liability of
licensed genetic counselors; relating to immunity from civil
liability for a licensed genetic counselor providing free health
care services; and prohibiting unfair discrimination under group
health insurance against genetic counselors."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEAR
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 210
SHORT TITLE: PEACE OFFICERS/FIREFIGHTERS: DISABILITY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KOPP
04/30/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/30/25 (H) L&C, FIN
05/16/25 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
05/16/25 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
02/02/26 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
02/02/26 (H) Heard & Held
02/02/26 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
02/09/26 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
02/09/26 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
02/11/26 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 195
SHORT TITLE: PHARMACIST PRESCRIPTION AUTHORITY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MINA
04/15/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/15/25 (H) HSS, FIN
04/29/25 (H) HSS AT 3:15 PM DAVIS 106
04/29/25 (H) Heard & Held
04/29/25 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
05/01/25 (H) HSS AT 3:15 PM DAVIS 106
05/01/25 (H) Moved HB 195 Out of Committee
05/01/25 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
05/02/25 (H) HSS RPT 6DP 1NR
05/02/25 (H) DP: PRAX, GRAY, SCHWANKE, RUFFRIDGE,
MEARS, MINA
05/02/25 (H) NR: FIELDS
05/02/25 (H) L&C REFERRAL ADDED AFTER HSS
05/14/25 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
05/14/25 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
05/15/25 (H) L&C AT 9:00 AM BARNES 124
05/15/25 (H) Heard & Held
05/15/25 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
05/16/25 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
05/16/25 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
02/11/26 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
JUSTIN MACK
Alaska Professional Firefighters
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 210.
MICHAEL O'CONNER, representing self
Flagstaff, Arizona
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 210.
ROBERT TEELING, representing self
Bullhead City, Arizona
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 210.
SCOTT LANIER, representing self
Bullhead City, Arizona
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified discussing experience getting
disability benefits.
DOUGLAS SCHRAGE, Fire Chief
Anchorage Fire Deptartment.
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 210.
BOB WILLIAMS
Alaska Retirement Management Board
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided testimony regarding retirement
structuring pertaining to HB 210.
REPRESENTATIVE GENEVIEVE MINA
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, reintroduced HB 195.
KATY GIORGIO, Staff
Representative Genevieve Mina
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of prime sponsor, Representative
Genevieve Mina, introduced the Committee Substitute (CS) to HB
195.
BRANDY SEIGNEMARTIN, PharmD
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony in support of HB
195.
ASHLEY SCHABER, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy
Alaska Native Medical Center
Member
Alaska Board of Pharmacy
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of the Alaska Board of Pharmacy,
gave invited testimony in support of HB 195.
ACTION NARRATIVE
4:27:04 PM
CO-CHAIR ZACK FIELDS called the House Labor and Commerce
Standing Committee meeting to order at 4:27 p.m.
Representatives Nelson, Coulombe, Frier, Fields, and Hall were
present at the call to order. Representatives Saddler and
Carrick arrived as the meeting was in progress.
HB 210-PEACE OFFICERS/FIREFIGHTERS: DISABILITY
4:27:27 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 210, "An Act relating to occupational
disability benefits for peace officers and firefighters; and
providing for an effective date."
4:28:02 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS opened public testimony on HB 210.
4:28:18 PM
JUSTIN MACK, Alaska Professional Firefighters, testified in
support of HB 210. He noted that Alaska Professional
Firefighters represents over five hundred professional fire and
emergency medical service (EMS) workers across the state. He
said that the proposed bill would recognize the challenging work
that Alaska's public safety members are asked to do. He said
that as a 15-year firefighter with the Anchorage Fire Department
and as president of the Anchorage Firefighters Union, he has
seen several members undergo career ending injuries, both
physical and mental health related. He noted that firefighters
are asked to respond to dangerous and unstable conditions, often
with limited information. He noted that while they are trained
for these emergencies, it is understood that there may be
injuries. He noted that firefighters work long hours and there
is a rising distress call volume. He said that this proposed
bill would be a much-needed fix.
4:29:56 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS, after ascertaining there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 210.
4:30:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HB 210,
labeled 34-LS0938\A.1, Wayne, 2/2/26, which read as follows:
Page 1, line 1, following "Act":
Insert "relating to coverage for disability from
diseases for certain firefighters;"
Page 1, following line 3:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Section 1. AS 23.30.121(b) is amended to read:
(b) For a firefighter covered under
AS 23.30.243,
(1) there is a presumption that a claim for
compensation for disability as a result of the
following diseases is within the provisions of this
chapter:
(A) respiratory disease;
(B) cardiovascular events that are
experienced within 72 hours after exposure to smoke,
fumes, or toxic substances; and
(C) the following cancers:
(i) primary brain cancer;
(ii) malignant melanoma;
(iii) leukemia;
(iv) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma;
(v) bladder cancer;
(vi) ureter cancer;
(vii) kidney cancer;
(viii) prostate cancer; and
(ix) breast cancer;
(2) notwithstanding AS 23.30.100(a),
following termination of service, the presumption
established in (1) of this subsection extends to the
firefighter for a period of three calendar months for
each year of requisite service but may not extend more
than 60 calendar months following the last date of
employment;
(3) the presumption established in (1) of
this subsection applies only to an active or former
firefighter who has a disease described in (1) of this
subsection that develops or manifests itself after the
firefighter has served in the state for at least six
[SEVEN] years and who
(A) underwent [WAS GIVEN] a qualifying
medical examination
(i) upon the first employment as [BECOMING]
a firefighter that did not show evidence of the
disease;
(ii) at least once every two years [(B) WAS
GIVEN AN ANNUAL MEDICAL EXAM] during [EACH OF] the
first six [SEVEN] years of employment as a firefighter
that did not show evidence of the disease; and
(B) [(C)] with regard to diseases described
in (1)(C) of this subsection, demonstrates that, while
in the course of employment as a firefighter, the
firefighter was exposed to a known carcinogen, as
defined by the International Agency for Research on
Cancer or the National Toxicology Program, and the
carcinogen is associated with a disabling cancer."
Page 1, line 4:
Delete "Section 1"
Insert "Sec. 2"
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
CO-CHAIR FIELDS objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER explained that the proposed amendment
would fall within the title and intent of the proposed
legislation. He noted that firefighters and peace officers face
special vocational hazards and should not face financial
consequences if they should have a work-related disability. He
said the proposed amendment simply expands disability coverage
for firefighters. He explained that state law allows a
presumption that firefighters who contract certain diseases and
cancers, often do so as the result of their work and therefore
should receive workers' compensation benefits. The current law
sets up several "hoops" that firefighters need to jump through
to ensure protection; this includes getting costly annual
medical examinations. He said that this places stress on
departments and personnel, and if someone misses an examination,
then they risk losing any benefits from disability coverage. He
said that the amendment simply says that firefighters need
medical exams every other year and for six years. He said that
this would ensure that firefighters are not unduly penalized for
missing one exam early in their career, and it relieves smaller
departments and even larger departments from ongoing medical
costs associated with medical examinations. He reiterated that
he believes the proposed amendment is in alignment with the
proposed bills intent to ensure that Alaska's first responders
are supported.
4:32:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP noted that he and Representative Saddler had
discussed the proposed amendment and was assured that it was in
line with the spirit of the bill. Following the meeting, his
team investigated the issue and found a key Alaska Supreme Court
Decision, Adamson v. Municipality of Anchorage, which
interpreted the firefighter presumption statute. The supreme
court ruling confirmed that once firefighters met their
statutory requirements, the presumption that their condition is
work-related applies. He said that this means that employers,
not firefighters, must prove that the illness is unrelated to
the job. The court also stated that employers cannot suggest
that cancer has unknown causes, and this reinforced the
standards already in statute.
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP raised concerns about any unintended
consequences with the amendment, particularly, blurring the line
between workers' compensation issues and disability benefits
that are already addressed in the bill. He noted that the House
Finance Committee would hear the bill next and could grapple
with this issue. He recommended keeping the bill in its current
format and not adopting the proposed amendment.
4:34:37 PM
CO-CHAIR HALL asked how long presumptive coverage lasts and
whether there was any consideration to extending this type of
coverage.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER responded that he believes it ends at age
60, or possibly 65. He said that there is a hard chronological
end to it. He noted that like all legal decisions, this may
require careful review.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER moved to withdraw Amendment 1. There
being no objection, Amendment 1 was withdrawn.
4:36:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE raised concerns regarding the cost of
implementing these benefits. She noted that the fiscal note is
indeterminate and mentioned that it would require revision since
expenses were not certain. She asked Representative Kopp
whether the state could afford the increase in benefits.
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP confirmed that the state could afford to
accommodate the increase in benefits. He explained that the
trust funds are well funded. The Public Employees' Retirement
System (PERS) disability trust fund has approximately $98.9
million and the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) fund had
approximately $9.8 million. He noted that the PERS fund was
significantly overfunded and given the small number of public
safety employees impacted from the bill, there was no risk to
the fund.
4:38:35 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS reopened public testimony on HB 210.
4:38:44 PM
MICHAEL O'CONNER, representing self, noted that he worked for
Anchorage Police Department for 11 years and had a line of duty
injury in 2022. He said that he separated from employment under
disability and has been receiving disability benefits from the
State of Alaska since. He appreciated HB 210 and the effort to
address the lack of support that injured first responders
receive when serving Alaska communities. He wished to discuss
HB 210 and some possible options moving forward.
MR. O'CONNOR explained that the new payout proposal of 75
percent of an individual's salary once disabled was a step in
the right direction. He added that many people injured in the
line of duty often go out on workers' compensation where they
receive a significant reduction of pay prior to leaving
employment. He said that he received 80 percent base pay for 10
months prior to transitioning to disability benefits which
currently pay out at 40 percent of salary. He said that as the
committee continues discussions, to consider averaging an
employee's high-three years to make a better reflection of true
income.
MR. O'CONNOR noted that another option could be setting the
benefit at 50 percent of an individual's high-three salary but
making it a lifetime benefit. He noted that given that
disability ends at the 25-year mark, there may be a lot of life
left after benefits stop.
MR. O'CONNOR noted that the requirements for disabled
individuals to reapply every year causes stress and financial
uncertainty. Furthermore, some have been unable to get loans
because they cannot show stable or consistent income. He
concluded by thanking the committee for supporting disabled
employees and welcomed any questions.
4:42:38 PM
ROBERT TEELING, representing self, noted that he was an Alaska
State Trooper for six years and was injured in the line of duty.
He reiterated that the 40 percent disability payment is based on
the employee's base pay during the 12 months prior to departing
service. He stated that annual medical checkups create undue
stress. He explained that doctors move or change practices and
it can be difficult to find consistent medical care in Alaska.
He explained that his disability process was mishandled twice,
and despite having a recent evaluation, he needed to return in
the upcoming March. He said that this means that there are six
months before checkups and it would complicate the financial
situation.
MR. TEELING also raised attention to Alaska State Troopers
working in rural communities. He said that they often live in
state housing and do not bring a vehicle with them. Some
spouses often need to leave their job to accommodate troopers
living in rural communities and have no home outside of state
housing. He said that if a trooper is injured while serving in
a rural community that family may experience housing challenges,
including challenges at getting a mortgage, vehicle loan, or
other necessities. He said that this is not hypothetical but a
real situation that an Alaska State Trooper may face.
MR. TEELING noted that while Alaska requires annual evaluations
for disability, some states use a one- or two-year review and
allow benefits to continue to the 25-year mark. He said that
for troopers, the 25 years of benefits are counted from the
start date. He said that some troopers may never qualify for
Social Security or Social Security disability because injuries
may be sustained early in a career. He reiterated that moving
to a 75 percent mark would help first responders significantly,
but evaluation of annual reviews and housing challenges were
also worth reviewing.
4:48:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked Mr. Teeling whether he was
currently on disability and for how long.
MR. TEELING confirmed that he was on disability and noted that
he has been on it since 2022. He noted that during this time,
he sustained a brain injury.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked about the nature of the annual
medical examination requirement and asked Mr. Teeling whether he
could describe the process.
MR. TEELING responded that it constitutes visiting a general
practitioner as well as whatever specialist the state may deem
necessary, which could include a psychological assessment. He
said that this was to determine whether or not a disabled
individual could serve as a peace officer again. He noted that
to obtain disability benefits, this determination needed to be
made. He noted that it is required to re-evaluate peace officer
eligibility on a year-after-year basis, which to him was not
practical.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked whether there were automatically
additional examinations after checkups and asked for additional
clarification.
MR. TELLING responded that the state determines what kinds of
tests are necessary for disability eligibility. He said that
often medical records and other paperwork are sent for an
independent review and it could be a week or even a month until
eligibility is determined.
4:51:19 PM
SCOTT LANIER, representing self, noted that he was hired as an
Alaska State Trooper in 2010 and served in a variety of areas.
He noted that he was injured in 2019 during the pursuit of a
suspect in Fairbanks. Specifically, he damaged his ankle and
has required multiple surgeries since the initial injury and
since has received an ankle replacement.
MR. LANIER said that before he had the replacement surgery, he
did some research into disability benefits and what he might be
entitled to. He said that he contacted the Department of Public
Safety (DPS) to ask for a manual, so he read up on the process.
However, he was told that there is no manual and was directed to
a website and chart. He noted that online resources stated that
one's disability must be directly related to the performance of
their job or be an on-the-job injury. He said that the benefit
is 40 percent of salary while on occupational disability. He
discussed medical insurance eligibility and employer
contributions. He noted that for peace officers, disability
coverage stops after 25 years, whereas for a regular Tier 4
employee, disability would stop at 30 years. He asked why peace
officer benefits stop 5 years earlier than the others.
MR. LANIER said that in 2024, his doctor notified him that he
would be cleared from duty due to a replaced ankle. He said
that in April 2024, he was given a choice to resign, pick
administrative separation, or be terminated by DPS human
resources (HR). He said that he opted to take the
administrative separation but needed to hand write that this was
due to a work-related injury.
MR. LANIER noted that shortly after, he applied for disability
through the Division of Retirement and Benefits (DRB). He said
that the process was difficult to navigate and no one could
assist along the way. He said that he was forced to do his own
research and requests for information regarding disability were
often ignored or often incorrect. He said that he continued to
advocate for himself and his family and finally received backpay
in May 2024. He said that currently, he is receiving a little
over $3,900 a month. He said that he was given the option for
COBRA health insurance but was quoted $1,700 a month and raised
concerns that this was almost half his salary and unaffordable.
MR. LANIER said that he was not currently working and had spoken
to numerous attorneys during the process to see if he required
representation. He was told that under Alaska Statute, workers'
compensation attorneys could not be involved until a case was
disputed. He remarked that he never had a case that was
disputed; therefore, he received no legal representation.
MR. LANIER even noted that he had sold all his personal leave
back to the State of Alaska, and when receiving the last
paycheck, the total was short. He was told that there was a
provision in his contract that only lets employees that were
injured in the line-of-duty receive payments for one year since
the time of injury. He said that he spent six months living off
personal leave and noted that this was concerning.
MR. LANIER stated that when his disability was ultimately
approved, he was told that his calculation was for the entire
previous year but suggested that his calculation was only from
January 2024 to April 2024. He noted that he did not receive
credit for the whole year and noted that his pay in certain
geographic areas was higher than others and he was also overtime
eligible. He said that overtime should be calculated into
disability since many troopers and other law enforcement
personnel have mandatory overtime requirements.
4:57:10 PM
MR. LANIER said that in June 2024, he received an e-mail from
the disability unit that was sent by mistake and intended to be
sent to staff. He said that the e-mail called him a "bully."
He said that personnel kept sending him the wrong information.
Furthermore, it was stated that he was difficult to work with
and a highly aggressive individual. He said that he filed a
complaint for lack of professionalism. He asked how he could be
treated fairly and impartially if this was how staff behaved.
MR. LANIER said that in November 2024, the state had still not
contributed to the defined benefit plan as required. He said
this impacted more than just him. He said that he filed
multiple complaints including with the Alaska State Ombudsman's
Office and the governor's chief of staff, who never returned a
call. He said that the office of the Alaska State Ombudsman
gave him a phone number and marked the case as resolved. He
said that he contacted the Public Safety Employees Association,
and they told him that he was no longer a state employee. He
said that he contacted the Division of Retirement and Benefits
only to hear that he was technically not an employee but also
technically not retired. He said that the only people whom he
could speak with were the disability unit personnel, and they
did not even have a phone number available. He said that
something needs to change since it takes three to four weeks to
get a reply regarding any problems with pay.
MR. LANIER noted that the State of Alaska had put a hold on all
his retirement accounts and there were challenges accessing some
of his earnings, even in his deferred compensation plan. He
said that he needed to reach out to the Deputy Commissioner of
DPS to finally get things corrected. He said that he finally
managed to get his workers' compensation claim settled for
$26,000, and he stated that this is what his time and leg was
worth. He noted that he found the Tier 4 disability program to
be not practical, and dealing with staff was challenging. He
raised concern that this was inappropriate for someone who put
their life on the line for Alaska. Furthermore, he said that
the State of Alaska considers him permanently disabled and yet
the disability has an expiration date of 25 years and he
undergoes annual medical evaluations.
MR. LAINIR also noted that there were challenges for him to
obtain a loan given the challenges with disability coverage. He
said that there should be an advocacy program for people dealing
with similar experiences.
5:01:28 PM
DOUGLAS SCHRAGE, Fire Chief, Anchorage Fire Deptartment., gave
public testimony in support of HB 210. He said that
firefighters and police officers work in high-risk environments
and are exposed to significant physical demands and long-term
health risks. He said that when these professionals are making
decisions or taking actions in the fields that could expose them
to these risks, they should not have to worry whether they will
be taken care of given an injury in the line-of-duty.
5:02:46 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS, after ascertaining there was no one else who
wished to testify, reclosed public testimony on HB 210.
5:02:58 PM
BOB WILLIAMS, Alaska Retirement Management Board, said that the
Alaska Retirement Management (ARM) Board has not taken a
position on HB 210. However, in a previous committee hearing,
the ARM Board's work on defined contribution disability coverage
came up and he wished to provide additional context.
MR. WILLIAMS noted that in 2025 the ARM Board heard direct
testimony on multiple occasions from defined contribution
members receiving occupational disability, who described the
stress of being disabled without healthcare coverage. He said
that the testimonies prompted the board to take a closer
evaluation of the broader disability structures within the
defined contribution system. Specifically, the absence of
healthcare coverage during disability and the absence of non-
occupational disability coverage.
MR. WILLIAMS remarked that current law for defined contribution
members covers only occupational disability. He said that
approximately 85 percent of disabilities are non-occupational.
He said that these members receive neither income replacement
nor post-employment healthcare coverage. For members who do
qualify for occupational disability, healthcare coverage ends
when the employment terminates. He said that a firefighter
seriously injured in a structure fire may survive but would be
unable to return to work. In this instance the individual would
receive some income replacement but would not have healthcare
coverage until normal retirement age, which is currently 65.
MR. WILLIAMS said that by comparison, defined benefit members
would receive both disability income and healthcare coverage
during disability. He said that the ARM Board recommends the
legislature add non-occupational disability income coverage for
defined contribution members with at least 10 years of service,
as well as healthcare coverage for defined contribution members
while on occupational or non-occupational disability. He said
that occupational disability would have no service requirements
and non-occupational disability would require 10 years of
service.
MR. WILLIAMS said that the board asked its independent review
actuary, Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Company (GRS) to evaluate
whether the defined contribution disability and retirement
medical trust could sustain closing these gaps. The GRS actuary
memorandum ("memo") found that the defined contribution trusts
were strongly funded, and all four trusts remained above 100
percent funded - even under all modeled scenarios.
MR. WILLIAMS noted that these changes require only modest
adjustments to normal cost. He said that the combined increase
to PERS defined contribution (which includes police and
firefighters) is approximately .2 percent of payroll. For TERS
defined contribution, there is an approximate increase in .1
percent of payroll.
5:06:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said that he wanted to confirm whether he
would have the opportunity to work with the sponsor on the
amendment while it was still in the House Labor and Commerce
Standing Committee and that he is not involved with the
prospective next committee for the proposed bill.
CO-CHAIR FIELDS said that this was a misunderstanding; he meant
the amendment could be discussed in a subsequent committee or
future stage of the legislative process.
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP noted that he would still like to work with
Representative Saddler on an amendment regardless.
5:06:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP stated that he appreciates Representative
Saddler bringing up the workers' compensation piece. He said
that between insurance, disability benefits, and cash payments,
there is a system that has failed Alaskans.
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP noted that one of the testifiers suffered a
traumatic brain injury (TBI) from getting beaten almost to death
in Fairbanks. He said that these types of injuries are life-
changing, and people put it all on the line every day.
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP noted that he had to bury a close officer in
the past. Shot and killed on Christmas Day and the finance
personnel with the State of Alaska debited his wife's account
for the last five days of the year since he was not alive. He
said that this was finally rectified but explained that it
demonstrates that people often do not experience these things on
a visceral level; it is often treated as ethereal and abstract.
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP noted that the proposed legislation was
addressing a single part of the system. He said that disability
is 40 percent pay for the first year and 75 percent pay in
subsequent years. Furthermore, disability recipients would be
required to reverify disability on an annual basis. He
appreciated that Representative Saddler had mentioned that
workers' compensation is part of the process because
reverification is an issue there, too.
5:08:25 PM
CO-CHAIR HALL moved to report HB 210 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, HB 210 was reported out of the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.
5:08:48 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 5:08 p.m.
HB 195-PHARMACIST PRESCRIPTION AUTHORITY
5:08:55 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 195, "An Act relating to the prescription and
administration of drugs and devices by pharmacists; relating to
reciprocity for pharmacists; and providing for an effective
date."
5:10:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GENEVIEVE MINA, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, reintroduced HB 195. She noted that over the
interim, the stakeholders worked diligently to integrate a lot
of feedback from many different providers in the healthcare
sector. She noted that a committee substitute was ready for the
committee to consider, and her staff would present it to the
committee.
5:11:13 PM
KATY GIORGIO, Staff, Representative Genevieve Mina, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Genevieve Mina, prime
sponsor of HB 195, noted that there are four changes associated
with the proposed committee substitute. She explained that
Section 1 adds a new provision that prevents the Department of
Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) from
requiring fees for collaborative practice agreements. This
would require board approval for those agreements. It also
requires each collaborative practice agreement to clearly define
the specific patient care services that the pharmacist is
allowed to provide.
MS. GIORGIO explained that Section 7 was amended for clarity
based on feedback from meetings with the State Medical
Association. This change specifies that a pharmacist may not
make any new diagnosis for an individual who comes in to see
them. However, it maintains that when conducting a Clinical
Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA)-waived test, the
pharmacist may diagnose a new condition identified through that
testing process.
MS. GIORGIO explained that Section 8 addresses controlled
substances by clarifying that pharmacists are not prescribing
opioids unless specifically for medication-assisted therapy in a
clinical setting. Section 13 updates the effective date to
January 1, 2027.
5:13:12 PM
CO-CHAIR HALL moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute
(CS) for HB 195, Version 34-LS0909\N, Gunther, 2/5/26, as the
working document. There being no objection, Version N was
before the committee.
5:13:40 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the committee would hear invited
testimony on HB 195, Version N.
5:13:50 PM
BRANDY SEIGNEMARTIN, PharmD, began her invited testimony in
support of HB 195, Version N. She said that she serves as the
Executive Director of the Alaska Pharmacy Association and as a
Clinical Assistant Professor in the University of Alaska
Anchorage (UAA), Doctor of Pharmacy Program. She remarked that
she testified in support of the bill in the previous legislative
session and discussed the role pharmacists already play across
Alaska's healthcare system, the importance of standard-of-care
framework, and how this legislation could responsibly expand
access to routine healthcare services without compromising
safety.
DR. SIEGNEMARTIN wished to highlight several components of work
that was completed over the interim. She said that there were
four meetings with the Alaska Board of Pharmacy, the Alaska
State Medical Association, and the Alaska Pharmacy Association.
She noted that Representative Justin Ruffridge attended several
of these meetings. She also stated that close work was
conducted with the sponsors of the proposed bill to revise the
previous year's legislation. She said that concerns were raised
about whether the authority in the bill might be unlimited, or
whether pharmacists would be broadly diagnosing new conditions,
and whether the legislation would allow pharmacists to function
as independent diagnostic practitioners. She said that all
these concerns have been taken very seriously.
DR. SIEGNEMARTIN explained that Version N reflects meaningful
tightening on the proposed bill language. She explained that
this is not unlimited authority and pharmacists must already
operate within a narrow lane defined under statute, within their
education, training, and experience while under the standard-of-
care framework. She said that when a condition falls outside
that lane or outside the pharmacist's competency, a referral
would be required.
DR. SIEGNEMARTIN noted that during discussions, there was also
acknowledgement which was supported by guidance from the
Department of Law. It was noted that if the legislature intends
for pharmacists to provide the patient-care services granted,
then it is essential that the words "prescribe" and "administer"
appear in the statutory section titled "Other Patient Care
Services". Without these terms, the authority becomes unclear
and legally unworkable. She said that this was not expansion of
scope but rather statutory clarity.
5:16:13 PM
DR. SIEGNEMARTIN said that one area of genuine alignment with
the Alaska State Medical Association was collaborative practice.
She explained that there are two lanes of practice in the bill,
both collaborative practice and independent authority. She said
that there was a shared recognition that Alaska would benefit
from a more meaningful and functional collaborative practice
agreement. She noted that pharmacists are well positioned to
support higher levels of care in team-based models, particularly
in chronic disease management and medication assisted treatments
for opioid use disorder, which remains an urgent need in the
state. She said that current collaborative practice agreements
are not functional in Alaska and there is no pathway for
pharmacist-to-pharmacist participation in opioid use disorder
treatment. The regulatory structure makes these agreements
difficult to operate and as a result, there is underutilization.
DR. SIEGNEMARTIN explained that Section 1 of Version N helps to
address this by making collaborative practice agreements
workable in practice. She clarified that the change is not
about independent authority, but strengthening team-based care.
In fact, during discussions there were talks about holding a
joint summit in the event the proposed legislation passes,
something focused on collaborative practice. The goal would be
to bring pharmacists and physicians together to develop
innovative team-based care models and intentionally shift the
culture toward more interdisciplinary collaboration.
DR. SIEGNEMARTIN noted that in addition to strengthening
collaborative models, this bill would allow pharmacists to
address routine conditions with clearly defined guardrails. By
managing predictable, lower-acuity issues, pharmacists can
reduce friction in the system and free physicians to focus on
complex diagnostics, procedures, and higher-level care where
their expertise is most needed. She said that while she cannot
say where the Alaska Medical Association stands on the bill, she
acknowledged that the process has been thoughtful and
deliberate. She noted that the version of the bill before the
committee reflects meaningful effort to address concerns while
maintaining the bill's intent.
DR. SIEGNEMARTIN referred to the prior testimony from a former
Alaska State Trooper who had described the difficulty of getting
consistent access to a physician in Alaska. She noted that this
underscores one of the reasons that this bill is needed. She
explained that this type of authority is not new and that
pharmacists operating in federal systems such as the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Indian Health Service (IHS)
and tribal organizations across the state have practiced at this
level for decades. She noted that many other states and
countries allow pharmacists to provide care for minor routine
conditions safely and effectively under a similar framework.
She said that the data shows high patient satisfaction and lower
overall cost of care.
DR. SEIGNEMARTIN stated that often the best way to illustrate
value is with examples. She noted that during a legislative
fly-in last week, she joined meetings with a colleague who was
the district manager for Fred Meyer pharmacies. The colleague
described a common scenario; a patient brings in a prescription
for a nebulizer solution for their child, but not for a device
itself. The pharmacist is required to call the provider's
office, leave a message, and wait for a response. She stated
that this causes care delays and unnecessary administrative
"back and forth." She said that the provider's office, which is
often busy, needs to generate a second prescription. She said
that under the bill, when appropriate, the pharmacist could
resolve the issue immediately, the child would receive timely
care, and the provider would avoid additional administrative
burden.
5:19:35 PM
DR. SEIGNEMARTIN said that she also heard from her colleague,
the pharmacy director at Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation
(YKHC), that if this policy had been in place during Hurricane
Halong, it would have allowed for more efficient handling and
support for patients when they evacuated to Bethel, Alaska.
DR. SEIGNEMARTIN, in conclusion, stated that the proposed
legislation is not about replacing physicians or creating
parallel healthcare systems. Rather, it is about responsibly
leveraging the infrastructure that already exists in communities
across Alaska: pharmacies that are accessible, trusted, and
already deeply integrated into patient care. This is to close
routine gaps and reduce friction in Alaska's healthcare system.
She noted HB 195, Version N, reflects months of thoughtful
discussion and careful revision. It reinforces guardrails,
strengthens collaborative practice, ensures statutory clarity,
and preserves the integrity of team-based care. Furthermore, it
gives the opportunity for Alaska to use its healthcare workforce
more effectively in service of patients. She remarked that the
legislation is supported by the Alaska Healthcare & Hospital
Association, the Alaska Native Health Board, the University of
Alaska Anchorage Doctor of Pharmacy Program, chief medical
officers, and many tribal health organizations across the state.
She urged support for HB 195, Version N.
5:21:08 PM
ASHLEY SCHABER, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy, Alaska Native
Medical Center; Member, Alaska Board of Pharmacy, gave invited
testimony in support of HB 195, Version N. She said that the
proposed legislation is the result of several years of meetings
to review Alaska Statutes and regulations to align pharmacy
licensing authority with education, training, and experience.
The goal is to increase access to care.
DR. SCHABER noted that legislation that was passed in 2021 and
2022 added a new section to the pharmacy statutes, titled "Other
Patient Care Services" which recognized that pharmacists provide
services other than just medication dispensing, whether this was
under collaborative practice agreements or independently. She
said that after the statute was enacted, the Board of Pharmacy
received numerous questions from businesses and licensees.
Working with the Department of Law, it was determined that
additional clarification was needed, specifically regarding
pharmacist prescription and administering practices.
DR. SCHABER noted that HB 195 expands access to pharmacist-
provided patient care services while aligning state statutes
with pharmacy education and training. The bill would encourage
interdisciplinary collaboration between pharmacists and other
healthcare practitioners. Furthermore, it grants pharmacists
the statutory authority to implement proven models of care. She
noted that since this proposed bill was last before the
committee, representatives of the Alaska Board of Pharmacy, the
Alaska Pharmacy Association, and the Alaska State Medical
Association have met several times to review and discuss the
proposed legislation. Shared goals were identified, and the
committee substitute introduced today reflects that
collaborative effort. She urged the committee's support of HB
195, Version N.
5:23:17 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that HB 195, Version N, was held over.
5:24:18 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at
5:24 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 293 Letter of Support J Barber.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 293 |
| HB 293 Letter of Support CACPCC.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 293 |
| HB0195A.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 195 |
| HB0195N - Draft CS.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 195 |
| HB 195 Explanation of Changes Version N 02.10.26.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 195 |
| HB 195 Sectional Analysis Version A.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 195 |
| HB 195 Sponsor Statement Version A.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 195 |
| HB 195 Supporting Documents 02.06.26.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 195 |
| HB195-DCCED-CBPL-02-06-26.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 195 |
| HB 195 - State Medical Board Opposition - 4.17.25.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 195 |
| HB 195 Letters of Support as of 02.06.26.pdf |
HL&C 2/11/2026 3:15:00 PM |
HB 195 |