05/01/2025 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 27                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to medical care for major                                                                                 
     emergencies."                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:40:48 PM                                                                                                                    
Co-Chair Foster  relayed that the  committee held  two prior                                                                    
hearings on the bill. He requested a recap of the bill.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GENEVIEVE MINA, SPONSOR,  provided a recap of                                                                    
the   bill  that   modernized  Alaska's   Emergency  Medical                                                                    
Services  System (EMS),  which  had an  excellent system  of                                                                    
trauma care  but lacked the  same to respond to  strokes and                                                                    
heart attacks.  She furthered that  there were many  gaps in                                                                    
many areas of the state that  would benefit from a system of                                                                    
care  structure   that  also  provided  data   and  enhanced                                                                    
coordination among responders and providers.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:42:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Schrage  MOVED  to  REPORT  CSHB  27(HSS)  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard OBJECTED.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  disagreed with  the "entirety  of the                                                                    
bill."  She  discussed  the  cost   of  the  bill  that  she                                                                    
determined would cost approximately  $1,200,000. She did not                                                                    
believe  that  due  to fiscal  circumstances  the  committee                                                                    
should refrain from spending on bills.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster asked Rep. Mina to address the fiscal note.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Mina summarized  that in  FY 2026,  the bill                                                                    
would  cost $240,600  and would  continue  to cost  $216,600                                                                    
specifically  for an  additional staff  position in  the EMS                                                                    
Office. She deferred to Mr. Wiseman for details.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  maintained her  objection due  to the                                                                    
costs.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:45:43 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:46:12 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin  spoke  in  favor of  the  bill.  She                                                                    
recalled that the state would  experience cost savings or at                                                                    
least  cost  neutrality due  to  the  immediate response  to                                                                    
strokes  that improved  outcomes  creating  savings for  the                                                                    
long-term.                                                                                                                      
Representative Mina discussed the  cost savings of the bill.                                                                    
She  lacked  exact  numbers  but   agreed  that  the  proper                                                                    
immediate  response saved  in long-term  costs of  care that                                                                    
was often covered by Medicaid.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  asked what department would  gain the                                                                    
additional staff.  Representative Mina answered that  it was                                                                    
specifically in  the Office  of Emergency  Medical Services,                                                                    
Department   of   Health    (DOH).   Representative   Allard                                                                    
maintained her  objection and believed that  departments had                                                                    
"slush funds" due to the many vacancies.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Tomaszewski  had been  a recipient of  one of                                                                    
the  major  emergencies  in the  past.  He  appreciated  the                                                                    
medical treatment  he received and believed  that there were                                                                    
discrepancies in the  system in the state.  He would support                                                                    
moving the bill moving forward.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp would  vote no to move the  bill out of                                                                    
committee due to costs.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:50:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Johnson relayed that she  would be a no vote.                                                                    
She appreciated  the sponsor and  the need for  the services                                                                    
in the state.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
KATIE   GIORGIO,  STAFF,   REPRESENTATIVE  GENEVIEVE   MINA,                                                                    
addressed some of  the comments. She offered  that the state                                                                    
had  a trauma  system of  care for  many years  that yielded                                                                    
great results.  The bill was  requested by all types  of EMS                                                                    
medical  professional   in  the  state.  They   expected  to                                                                    
experience  "real results"  for  patient  outcomes and  cost                                                                    
savings.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:52:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
IN FAVOR: Representative   Tomaszewski,    Hannan,   Galvin,                                                                    
Bynum, Jimmie, Schrage, Foster                                                                                                  
OPPOSED: Stapp, Johnson, Allard                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The MOTION PASSED (7/3).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
There being NO further  OBJECTION, CSHB 27(HSS) was REPORTED                                                                    
out of  committee with five  "do pass"  recommendations, one                                                                    
"do  not  pass"  recommendation,  four  "no  recommendation"                                                                    
recommendations  and with  one  previously published  fiscal                                                                    
impact note: FN1 (DOH).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative Mina  thanked the  committee for  hearing the                                                                    
bill.