02/06/2025 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

             SB  44-MINORS & PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:28:11 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  reconvened the meeting announced  the consideration                                                               
of SENATE  BILL NO. 44 "An  Act relating to the  rights of minors                                                               
undergoing  evaluation  or  inpatient  treatment  at  psychiatric                                                               
hospitals;  relating to  the  use of  seclusion  or restraint  of                                                               
minors at  psychiatric hospitals; relating to  a report published                                                               
by  the Department  of  Health; relating  to  inspections by  the                                                               
Department  of  Health  of  certain  psychiatric  hospitals;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:28:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR stated  a committee substitute was  developed for SB
.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:28:27 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR solicited a motion.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:28:32 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to adopt  the Committee Substitute (CS) for                                                               
SB 44, work order 34-LS0126\N, as the working document.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:28:44 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR objected for purposes of discussion.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:28:55 PM                                                                                                                    
ARIELLE  WIGGIN,  Staff,  Senator Forrest  Dunbar,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, provided  a summary of  changes for                                                               
SB 44.  She stated there  were nine changes requested  by members                                                               
of  the  committee  and  the of  Family  and  Community  Services                                                               
(DFCS):                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                       SUMMARY OF CHANGES                                                                                     
        CS(SHSS) SB 44: RIGHTS OF MINORS IN PSYCHIATRIC                                                                         
                           HOSPITALS                                                                                            
                     Version A to Version N                                                                                     
                       February 5th, 2025                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1                                                                                                              
          Page 1, line 11 and Page 2, line 1: Inserts                                                                         
      "professional person in charge" as a replacement for                                                                      
     "overseeing physician" which is deleted.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
       Page 1, line 13: Deletes "over not more than four                                                                      
     occasions,"                                                                                                                
       Page 2, line 2: Inserts "and may place reasonable                                                                      
     limits on the number of calls permitted"                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2                                                                                                              
     Page  2, line  12 following  "treatment": Inserts  "and                                                                  
     the type  of psychotropic  medication used, if  any, to                                                                    
     carry out each chemical restraint;"                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page  2,  line 15  following  "data":  Inserts "on  the                                                                  
     number  of  minors  who received  residential  care  at                                                                    
     psychiatric hospitals, including information"                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 16 and  19 following "minors": Inserts "in                                                                  
     state custody"                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3                                                                                                              
     Page  3,  line  16   after  "restraint":  Inserts  "The                                                                  
     notification   provided  by   a  psychiatric   hospital                                                                    
     regarding the use of a  chemical restraint must include                                                                    
     the type  of psychotropic medication used  to carry out                                                                    
     the chemical restraint                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:30:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR CLAMAN  noted that  the committee  and the  Department of                                                               
Family  and   Community  Services  (DFCS)  collaborated   on  the                                                               
changes,  particularly regarding  the  role  of the  professional                                                               
person  in  charge.  He  explained   that  the  concern  involved                                                               
situations  where limiting  family contact  could infringe  on an                                                               
individual's right  to communicate. He stated  that the intention                                                               
was  to require  a higher  level of  reviewbeyond  the  treatment                                                               
teamby involving the professional person.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:31:31 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  removed his objection;  found no  further objection                                                               
and CSSB 44 was adopted as the working document.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:31:55 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  CLAMAN stated  he appreciates  the  questions that  were                                                               
asked and  the time committee  members and other gave  to working                                                               
on SB 44.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:32:06 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DUNBAR solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:32:11 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report  CSSB 44, work order 34-LS0126\N,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:32:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR found no objection and CSSB 44(HSS) was reported                                                                   
from Senate Health and Social Services Committee.