Legislature(2005 - 2006)BUTROVICH 205
04/20/2005 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB185 | |
| SB162 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 185 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 162 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 177 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 185-POSTSECONDARY STUDENT IMMUNIZATION
CHAIR DYSON announced HB 185 to be up for consideration.
ERICH DELAND, legislative aide to Representative Mike Chenault,
introduced HB 185:
We refer to the bill as the Ryan Colton Bill. He was a
19 year-old university student who woke up one morning
with what he thought was the flu. By 3:00 AM the next
day he was in the hospital and by 5:00 AM he was on
life support and blind. By the time he was flown to
Seattle, he was brain dead.
Meningococcal viruses and bacterial diseases have a 15
percent mortality rate and when it is not terminal, it
can result in loss of limbs, blindness, and problems
with the major organs. The bill would remove a current
exemption on post-secondary institutions and thus
require them to provide information about viral and
bacterial meningococcal diseases and offer
immunization options for students. In addition, it
would require them to have the students sign a
document saying they have received the information.
1:40:20 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked the reason schools are not able to do the
reasonable things proposed in the bill.
MR. DELAND replied they could but they don't.
CHAIR DYSON asked Dr. Mandsager whether that was true.
DR. RICHARD MANDSAGER, director, Department of Public Health and
Social Services (DHSS), advised although Alaska colleges are not
mandated to provide such information, they often voluntarily
tell freshman they should get a meningococcal immunization.
CHAIR DYSON asked whether the bill would require Alaska
institutions to do that.
DR. MANDSAGER responded that is correct.
CHAIR DYSON asked the reason the college environment is so
conducive to the spread of disease.
DR. BETH FUNK, Chief of Epidemiology, DHSS, responded that while
the answer to his question is not known exactly, it is suspected
the reason lies in the particularly crowded conditions that
exist in college dorms and classrooms. Similar conditions exist
in military institutions.
CHAIR DYSON asked Dr. Funk whether her organization approves of
the bill.
DR. FUNK responded that while her organization certainly
supports vaccinations, it is neutral toward the bill because
there is currently no vaccine available to treat the strain of
meningococcal bacteria found in Alaska. Although the department
does not have strong feelings against the legislation, it is not
certain that it will have a big impact on public health.
1:45:16 PM
SENATOR GREEN asked whether there were other diseases in the
State of Alaska comparable to the meningococcal diseases with
regards to their communicability and lethality and for which
there is no vaccine or mandated instruction.
DR. FUNK could not think of any.
SENATOR ELTON moved CSHB 185(FIN) from committee with attached
recommendations and a zero fiscal note. Hearing no objections,
the motion carried.
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