05/15/2025 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB70 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 70 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
May 15, 2025
3:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Forrest Dunbar, Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel, Vice Chair
Senator Matt Claman
Senator Löki Tobin
Senator Shelley Hughes
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 70(L&C) AM
"An Act relating to emergency medical services for operational
canines; relating to the powers, duties, and liability of
emergency medical technicians and mobile intensive care
paramedics; relating to the practice of veterinary medicine; and
providing for an effective date."
- MOVED SCS CSHB 70(HSS) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 70
SHORT TITLE: EMERGENCY MED SVCS; OPERATIONAL CANINES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SCHRAGE
01/27/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/27/25 (H) HSS, L&C
02/18/25 (H) HSS AT 3:15 PM DAVIS 106
02/18/25 (H) Heard & Held
02/18/25 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
03/13/25 (H) HSS AT 3:15 PM DAVIS 106
03/13/25 (H) Heard & Held
03/13/25 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
03/20/25 (H) HSS AT 3:15 PM DAVIS 106
03/20/25 (H) Moved CSHB 70(HSS) Out of Committee
03/20/25 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
03/21/25 (H) HSS RPT CS(HSS) 2DP 2DNP 2NR
03/21/25 (H) DP: FIELDS, MEARS
03/21/25 (H) DNP: PRAX, SCHWANKE
03/21/25 (H) NR: RUFFRIDGE, MINA
03/31/25 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
03/31/25 (H) Heard & Held
03/31/25 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
04/02/25 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/02/25 (H) Heard & Held
04/02/25 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
04/07/25 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/07/25 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/09/25 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/09/25 (H) Moved CSHB 70(L&C) Out of Committee
04/09/25 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
04/11/25 (H) L&C RPT CS(L&C) 5DP 2NR
04/11/25 (H) DP: BURKE, CARRICK, NELSON, HALL,
FIELDS
04/11/25 (H) NR: COULOMBE, SADDLER
04/28/25 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
04/28/25 (H) VERSION: CSHB 70(L&C) AM
04/30/25 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/30/25 (S) HSS, L&C
05/08/25 (S) HSS AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
05/08/25 (S) Heard & Held
05/08/25 (S) MINUTE(HSS)
05/15/25 (S) HSS AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE CALVIN SCHRAGE, District 12
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 70.
JEREMY HOUSTON, Staff
Representative Calvin Schrage
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided comment on Amendment 1 to HB 70.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:30:49 PM
CHAIR DUNBAR called the Senate Health and Social Services
Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Present at the
call to order were Senators Tobin, Hughes, Giessel, and Chair
Dunbar. Senator Claman arrived shortly thereafter.
HB 70-EMERGENCY MED SVCS; OPERATIONAL CANINES
3:31:17 PM
CHAIR DUNBAR announced the consideration of CS FOR HOUSE BILL
NO. 70(L&C) am "An Act relating to emergency medical services
for operational canines; relating to the powers, duties, and
liability of emergency medical technicians and mobile intensive
care paramedics; relating to the practice of veterinary
medicine; and providing for an effective date."
3:32:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CALVIN SCHRAGE, District 12, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HB 70 thanked the
committee for hearing the bill and for the amendment that was
submitted.
3:32:33 PM
SENATOR HUGHES thanked the sponsor and expressed support for HB
70.
3:32:51 PM
CHAIR DUNBAR solicited a motion.
3:32:52 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to adopt Amendment 1, work order 34-
LS0245\G.A.1.
34-LS0245\G.A.1
Gunther
5/8/25
A M E N D M E N T
OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR ____________
TO: CSHB 70(L&C) am
Page 1, line 3, following "medicine;":
Insert "relating to civil liability of
veterinarians;"
Page 2, following line 3:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 2. AS 09.65.097 is amended by adding a new
subsection to read:
(c) A veterinarian licensed in this jurisdiction
who in good faith receives the transfer of an
operational canine under AS 18.08.093(b) is not
liable for civil damages as a result of an act or
omission of the emergency medical technician or
mobile intensive care paramedic who transferred the
operational canine to the veterinarian."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
3:33:04 PM
CHAIR DUNBAR objected for purposes of discussion.
3:33:12 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL stated Amendment 1 was offered in collaboration
with Representative Schrage. She stated she would read the
Amendment for public awareness. After reading Amendment 1, she
stated she understands the concern about liability on the part
of licensed health care professionals and provided an example of
the need for civil liability protection.
3:34:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHRAGE stated the Amendment 1 was the result of
concerns heard from constituents about unintended consequences
of HB 70. The amendment was done in collaboration to address
concerns.
3:35:01 PM
JEREMY HOUSTON, Staff, Representative Calvin Schrage, Alaska
State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided insight on Amendment
1. He stated language for Amendment 1 came from similar
legislation passed in Ohio.
3:35:29 PM
SENATOR CLAMAN stated he has been on the defense side of medical
malpractice cases and therefore applauds Amendment 1.
3:35:51 PM
CHAIR DUNBAR removed his objection; found no further objection
and Amendment 1 (G.A.1) was adopted.
3:36:06 PM
CHAIR DUNBAR solicited the will of the committee.
3:36:08 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report CSHB 70(L&C)am, work order 34-
LS0245\G.A., as amended, from committee with individual
recommendations and attached zero fiscal note(s).
3:36:27 PM
CHAIR DUNBAR found no objection and SCS CSHB 70(HSS) was
reported from the Senate Health and Social Services Standing
Committee.
3:36:58 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Dunbar adjourned the Senate Health and Social Services
Standing Committee meeting at 3:36 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 70 Amendment G.A.1.pdf |
SHSS 5/15/2025 3:30:00 PM |
HB 70 |