04/23/2024 10:00 AM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 202                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An    Act   relating    to   the    availability   and                                                                    
     administration of opioid overdose drugs in public                                                                          
     schools."                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
11:13:17 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DELENA JOHNSON,  SPONSOR, introduced the bill                                                                    
with prepared  remarks. She  asked her  staff to  review the                                                                    
sectional analysis.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SAVAYA   BIEBER,  STAFF,   REPRESENTATIVE  DELENA   JOHNSON,                                                                    
reviewed the sectional analysis (copy on file):                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
    Section 1 amends AS 14.30 by adding a new section:                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     AS  14.30.145(a)  requires   each  school  district  to                                                                    
     ensure a person who is  trained to administer an opioid                                                                    
     overdose drug is on site  when the main school building                                                                    
     is open to  the public before and  after school, during                                                                    
     each  school-sponsored  event, and  weekend  activities                                                                    
     that  are conducted  on  school  grounds. This  section                                                                    
     also  requires each  main school  building  to keep  at                                                                    
     least two doses of an  opioid overdose drug on site and                                                                    
     at  least one  dose available  during school  sponsored                                                                    
     events on school grounds.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     AS 14.30.145(b) would require  the Department of Health                                                                    
     to  provide  each  school   district  with  the  opioid                                                                    
     overdose drug  and requires the Commissioner  of Health                                                                    
     to develop and provide a  training video to each school                                                                    
     district.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     AS 14.30.145(c)  adds language protecting  schools from                                                                    
     civil damages  for an injury resulting  from failure to                                                                    
     possess or maintain an opioid overdose drug.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     AS   14.30.145(d)  defines   the  terms   "main  school                                                                    
     building", "opioid  overdose drug",  "school district",                                                                    
     and "school grounds".                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2   amends  AS  17.20.085  by   adding  a  new                                                                    
     paragraph:                                                                                                                 
     AS 17.20.085(e)(5) defines the term "school district"                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section   3  amends   AS   17.20.085   by  adding   new                                                                    
     subsections:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Notwithstanding  a  provision or  rule  of  law to  the                                                                    
     contrary, AS 17.20.085(f) allows  a school district, if                                                                    
     acting under a standing order  or protocol under (a) or                                                                    
     (c) of  this section,  may receive  a supply  of opioid                                                                    
     overdose  drugs from  the  department  and may  possess                                                                    
     opioid   overdose  drugs   for  the   purposes  of   AS                                                                    
     14.30.145.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Notwithstanding  a  provision or  rule  of  law to  the                                                                    
     contrary,  AS  17.20.085(g)  allows a  school  district                                                                    
     acting under (a)  or (c) of this  section to administer                                                                    
     an opioid overdose drug under AS 14.30.145 to a person                                                                     
     at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
11:17:52 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Edgmon OPENED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Edgmon CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Coulombe asked about the liability.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Johnson responded that if  someone was dying it was                                                                    
not consent, it fell under the Good Samaritan Act.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
LINDSEY   KATO,  DIRECTOR,   DIVISION   OF  PUBLIC   HEALTH,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, introduced herself.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Coulombe repeated her question.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Kato  answered that it  would be covered under  the Good                                                                    
Samaritan law.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative Coulombe asked even if it was a minor.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Kato replied affirmatively.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Ortiz  asked   whether  they   kept  opioid                                                                    
overdose kits in schools.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Johnson  answered that the discussion  had been had                                                                    
in  the House  Education committee,  and there  had been  an                                                                    
amendment  made  to  go through  the  Department  of  Health                                                                    
(DOH). She  stated that  there were  numerous videos  and it                                                                    
was a nasal  spray that was easy to administer.  There was a                                                                    
potential  15  minute one  time  training  for teachers  and                                                                    
staff.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
11:23:43 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative Ortiz asked about  rural areas without school                                                                    
nurses.  He asked  if  there would  be a  way  to cover  the                                                                    
scenario.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Johnson replied  that it was one of  the things she                                                                    
had  not initially  thought of,  but she  believed it  was a                                                                    
reason for the importance of the bill.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bieber replied  that they talked about the  issue in the                                                                    
Education Committee.  She stated  that there were  16 public                                                                    
health  centers and  15 of  those were  staffed with  public                                                                    
health nurses.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Edgmon relayed that the  bill would come before the                                                                    
committee again.  He set an  amendment deadline  for Friday,                                                                    
April 26 at 5:00 p.m.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
HB  202  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Edgmon reviewed  the  schedule  for the  afternoon                                                                    
meeting.