03/02/2023 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

         HB 6-PUBLIC SCHOOLS; OPIOID AWARENESS PROGRAM                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:59:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX  announced that  the next order  of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL  NO.  6,  "An  Act relating  to  the  duties  of  the                                                               
Department  of  Education  and  Early  Development;  relating  to                                                               
public  education;   relating  to  opioid  abuse   awareness  and                                                               
prevention; and providing for an effective date."                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:00:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GEORGE  RAUSCHER,  Alaska State  Legislature,  as                                                               
prime sponsor, introduced HB 6.   He paraphrased from the sponsor                                                               
statement [copy included in the  committee packet], which read as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     House Bill 6  addresses the need to  better educate the                                                                    
     youth in Alaska  on the dangers of  opioid misuse. Many                                                                    
     communities around  Alaska are  feeling the  impacts of                                                                    
     the  rising  misuse  of  opioids  and  an  increase  in                                                                    
     fentanyl related deaths.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     This  legislation  would  instruct  the  Department  of                                                                    
     Education and Early  Development to put in  place a 60-                                                                    
     minute  curriculum   that  would  cover   opioid  abuse                                                                    
     awareness and prevention. This  curriculum would be for                                                                    
     students  grades   six  through  12  and   would  cover                                                                    
     information  about   the  dangers  of   using  opioids,                                                                    
     awareness of  opioids that  target children,  and early                                                                    
     warning signs related to  opioid addiction, among other                                                                    
     things.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     The department  would also be directed  to consult with                                                                    
     other entities  around the  state that  have experience                                                                    
     in dealing with opioid  related problems. Some of these                                                                    
     groups would  include The  Department of  Health, state                                                                    
     and tribal entities, and  family members of individuals                                                                    
     who had an opioid overdose.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
      House Bill 6 will educate our kids on the dangers of                                                                      
       opioid use and help prepare them to deal with this                                                                       
     ever-growing danger in Alaska.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER stated that fentanyl  is a problem in the                                                               
state.  He  suggested that the drug can look  like "Skittles" and                                                               
tempt  children.   He suggested  that children  are being  subtly                                                               
taken over by the drug  world, and the proposed legislation would                                                               
deal with this aspect.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:03:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RYAN MCKEE,  Staff, Representative George Rauscher,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,   on  behalf   of  Representative   Rauscher,  prime                                                               
sponsor,  gave a  sectional analysis  on  HB 6  [included in  the                                                               
committee packet],  which read  as follows  [original punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: AS 14.30                                                                                                        
          Adds a  new section  to explain the  awareness and                                                                    
          prevention curriculum  for students in  grades six                                                                    
          through twelve.  Details are provided on  who will                                                                    
          be  consulted  and  how  the  curriculum  will  be                                                                    
          developed.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2:                                                                                                                 
          The  uncodified  law of  the  State  of Alaska  is                                                                    
          amended by  adding a new  section related  to DEED                                                                    
          regulations.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3: AS 14.30.363(c)                                                                                                 
          Enacted  by  Section  1,  the  effective  date  is                                                                    
          September 1, 2023.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4:                                                                                                                 
          With the exception of Section  3 of this Act, this                                                                    
          Act takes effect immediately.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:04:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL CARSON, Vice-President/Recovery  Specialist, MyHouse Mat-                                                               
Su  Homeless  Youth Shelter;  Chair,  Mat-Su  Opioid Task  Force,                                                               
shared  that  he  also  sits   on  the  state's  opioid  steering                                                               
committee.    He thanked  the  committee  for the  invitation  to                                                               
testify in support  of HB 6.  Discussing the  current data on the                                                               
opioid epidemic, he  stated the first phase  involved pain pills,                                                               
the second phase involved heroin,  and the current phase involves                                                               
fentanyl.   He  stated  that  15- to  44-year-olds  have seen  an                                                               
increase  in  overdoses,  with 25-  to  34-year-olds  seeing  the                                                               
greatest increase.  He explained  that all public school students                                                               
would eventually  be in the  greatest risk  age group.   He added                                                               
that in  2021 Alaska had  the largest  jump in drug  overdoses in                                                               
the nation, with one out of  three Alaskans being affected by the                                                               
opioid epidemic.   He referenced  the recent drug arrests  at the                                                               
airport in  Juneau.  He  stated that 5,000  counterfeit oxycodone                                                               
pills were  seized, with a street  value of $150,000.   He stated                                                               
the U.S.  Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)  released the lab                                                               
results  which  said  6  out  of  10  counterfeit  pills  have  a                                                               
potential lethal  dose.  He  explained that  2 mg of  fentanyl is                                                               
fatal, with 1  gram having the potential to kill  500 people.  He                                                               
stressed  the importance  of educating  youth,  because now  most                                                               
illicit drugs are  contaminated with fentanyl.  He  added that no                                                               
drug is  safe unless it  comes from a  doctor or pharmacist.   He                                                               
stated that because parents are  a vital partner in the education                                                               
of their children, they also need to learn this.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:08:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  CARSON stated  that there  is no  current health  curriculum                                                               
addressing opioids, much less fentanyl.   He stated that the last                                                               
time  the  health curriculum  had  been  revised was  before  the                                                               
COVID-19  pandemic,  and then  no  mention  of opioid  tolerance,                                                               
dependence,  or addiction  had been  made.   He  stated that  the                                                               
Department   of  Education   and  Early   Development's  (DEED's)                                                               
resources for  teachers have no updated  information on fentanyl,                                                               
and  the  proposed  legislation would  be  requesting  curriculum                                                               
development.  He  suggested that in the  interim Kellsie's Lesson                                                               
could  be utilized.    He explained  this  lesson helps  students                                                               
understand  how opioids  "hack and  whack the  brain," and  it is                                                               
aligned with the national health standards.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARSON, addressing his qualifications,  shared that he taught                                                               
school  for  35 years  in  the  Matanuska-Susitna Borough  School                                                               
District.  He  stated that he has also taught  at Mat-Su College,                                                               
done postgraduate work in addiction  studies, and worked with the                                                               
Division  of Juvenile  Justice.   He stated  that he  has been  a                                                               
recovery specialist and currently sits  on the Mat-Su Opioid Task                                                               
Force.   He stated  that he  would welcome  any questions  on any                                                               
drug or Kellsie's Lesson.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:11:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MINA   questioned  whether  any   statewide  drug                                                               
curriculum exists in the country.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARSON  responded that Red  Ribbon Week  is the last  week of                                                               
October, and  this is  a national drug  prevention campaign.   He                                                               
stated  that  during this  week  a  30-minute lesson  is  taught.                                                               
However,  this  would  be dependent  on  individual  schools  and                                                               
districts.   He stated this  past year  he did a  presentation on                                                               
fentanyl  during Red  Ribbon  Week at  Colony  Middle School  and                                                               
Colony High  School.  He  stated that  fentanyl is 50  times more                                                               
powerful than heroin and 100 times more powerful than morphine.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:13:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MINA,  with a follow  up, questioned the  rates of                                                               
opioid abuse  and overdoses among  youth in Alaska  compared with                                                               
the national average.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARSON  stated that in  2021 Alaska  had the biggest  jump in                                                               
drug overdoses  in the country,  with 25- to  34-year-olds having                                                               
the greatest  increase.  He stated  that he could follow  up with                                                               
specific  numbers but  advised  that there  is a  data  lag.   He                                                               
explained  that teenagers  would eventually  be in  the high-risk                                                               
group  of  25-  to  34-year-olds.    He  said,  "I  think  it  is                                                               
imperative to move  upstream.  I am all about  pulling people out                                                               
of the river  of addiction, getting them to  detox and treatment,                                                               
but there is  something to say about moving  upstream and cutting                                                               
off the flow."                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:15:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  questioned whether a  specific curriculum                                                               
on opioid  addiction should be  created, and whether  any current                                                               
required drug-abuse curriculum exists for Alaska schools.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR.  CARSON  expressed  uncertainty concerning  a  mandated  drug                                                               
curriculum in Alaska.   He added that Maryland would  be the only                                                               
state with this type of school curriculum.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:17:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER requested that  DEED be questioned on this                                                               
point.   He expressed  surprise that  mandated education  on drug                                                               
abuse  does  not exist  and  suggested  the proposed  legislation                                                               
could be broadened to include more dangerous drugs.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:18:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SUMNER  commented  that he  remembered  the  Drug                                                               
Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.)  program.  He expressed the                                                               
understanding  that  the  program  was  discontinued  because  of                                                               
failure.   He  stated  that while  children  were being  educated                                                               
about  drug  abuse,  drug  use  had increased.    He  added  that                                                               
research  on  this topic  would  be  useful.   He  expressed  the                                                               
opinion that  something needs to  be done; however,  he expressed                                                               
uncertainty about  the proposed legislation.   He voiced interest                                                               
in  learning about  drug  education programs  which  have had  an                                                               
impact.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:19:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Rauscher responded  that he  would research  drug                                                               
education and follow up with more information for the committee.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:19:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MINA,  referring  to  the  proposed  legislation,                                                               
expressed   the  understanding   that  DEED   would  create   the                                                               
curriculum for  the schools.   She questioned the format  and the                                                               
frequency of the classes.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER responded that  the legislature would not                                                               
design the  curriculum, timing, or presentation  of the material.                                                               
He stated that  the schools and districts would decide  this.  He                                                               
deferred to Mr. Carson.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARSON, addressing D.A.R.E., stated  that the program did not                                                               
produce  its  targeted  benchmarks.   Regarding  the  recommended                                                               
frequency of  [drug awareness classes], he  expressed the opinion                                                               
that, because of the ever-changing  drug epidemic, classes should                                                               
be taught  once a year in  an assembly or a  health class format.                                                               
He suggested that  classes be taught during Red Ribbon  Week.  He                                                               
concurred with  the idea that HB  6 could be expanded  to include                                                               
other drugs.   He stated  that because of the  ever-changing drug                                                               
epidemic Kelsee's Lesson has to be updated every few weeks.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:23:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Rauscher  pointed out  a  CBS  News article  from                                                             
March 1,  2023, which described  Alaska as  fentanyl's "deadliest                                                               
frontier."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:24:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX announced HB 6 was held over.