SB 72-DESIGNATED CAREGIVERS FOR PATIENTS                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:05:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEATON announced that the  first order of business would be                                                               
CS  FOR  SENATE  BILL  NO.  72(L&C),  "An  Act  relating  to  the                                                               
discharge  of  patients  from  hospitals  and  to  caregivers  of                                                               
patients after  discharge from a  hospital; and providing  for an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:06:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JANE  CONWAY,   Staff,  Senator   Cathy  Giessel,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, on  behalf of Senator  Giessel, prime sponsor  of SB                                                               
72,  noted that  during the  last  hearing a  question was  asked                                                               
about  how   SB  72  bill   interacts  with  nursing   rules  and                                                               
guidelines.    She said  the  Nurse  Practice Act  doesn't  allow                                                               
teaching  specific   things  to  other  paid   workers,  such  as                                                               
emergency  medical technicians  (EMTs) or  paramedics.   However,                                                               
there is nothing that would  keep nurses from providing aftercare                                                               
instruction  to an  unpaid designated  lay caregiver  involving a                                                               
discharge plan, she said.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. CONWAY related  that there had been some  confusion about the                                                               
bill being placed  under Article 4; however, she  advised that it                                                               
is actually under  a new Article 5, Chapter  18.20. Hospitals and                                                               
nursing.   She further  advised that  the definition  of hospital                                                               
has been resolved.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:07:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  VAZQUEZ moved  to  report CSSB  72  (L&C) out  of                                                               
committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached  zero                                                               
fiscal  notes.    There  being no  objection,  CSSB  72(L&C)  was                                                               
reported  from  the House  Health  and  Social Services  Standing                                                               
Committee.