SB 169-STATEWIDE IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:33:38 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR STEDMAN  announced that the  first order of  business would                                                               
be SB 169.  He said this is  the second hearing on  the bill. The                                                               
first hearing  was on  February 21,  where the  committee adopted                                                               
version P, heard the sponsor  introduce the bill, and took public                                                               
testimony. The  intent today  is to have  the sponsor  review the                                                               
bill and hear the will of the committee.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL, Alaska  State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,                                                               
sponsor  of SB  169, explained  that the  bill is  part two  of a                                                               
statewide vaccine  program, legislation she introduced  two years                                                               
ago.  The program  would use  state funds  to create  a statewide                                                               
vaccine assessment council and operate  under the auspices of the                                                               
Department  of   Health  and  Social  Services   (DHSS)  and  the                                                               
commissioner  of that  department. The  council would  consist of                                                               
eight   members  who   would   serve   without  compensation   or                                                               
reimbursement of  expenses. It  would manage  funds that  will be                                                               
assessed  to  statewide  insurance  companies  who  will  pay  in                                                               
advance for  vaccines that will  be distributed around  the state                                                               
to help care  providers who will participate in  the program. The                                                               
state of  Alaska will use  its buying power through  the contract                                                               
with  the Centers  for Disease  Control  to get  the lowest  cost                                                               
possible  for the  vaccines and  expand the  program so  that all                                                               
Alaskans will be covered.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  STEDMAN noted  there were  no changes  in the  five fiscal                                                               
notes.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MICCICHE  moved to  report [CS] for  SB 169  from committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STEDMAN announced that without  objection, CSSB 169(HSS) is                                                               
reported  from the  Senate Health  and  Social Services  Standing                                                               
Committee.