Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/14/2025 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB82 | |
| SB151 | |
| SB118 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 82 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 151 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 118 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 151-SCHOOL DISTRICT HEAD LICE POLICY
4:36:00 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 151
"An Act relating to head lice in public schools."
4:36:15 PM
SENATOR JESSE BJORKMAN, District D, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 151 stated the goal of the bill is
to stop the spread of head lice between students at school. He
explained the bill would also fund one-fifth, or 20 percent, of
the cost for a district to employ a school nurse at a school
serving grades K through 8, such as an elementary or middle
school.
SENTOR BJORKMAN stated lice are extremely disruptive and create
a significant burden for parents to eliminate. He said lice
cause discomfort and embarrassment for students, and children
want them gone as quickly as possible. He emphasized that lice
can be stopped from spreading if they are identified early and
if families receive information to help prevent and treat
infestations.
SENATOR BJORKMAN explained that SB 151 would require schools to
enact policies for lice education, prevention, and eradication.
Schools would provide parents and students with information on
how to avoid lice and how to treat them if lice are found. The
bill would institute a policy of no live lice at school. He
clarified SB 151 would not require mass lice checks, which he
said were common in the past when children were gathered for
inspections. Instead, students would be checked privately in a
discreet manner to protect their privacy and allow families to
receive guidance if lice are found.
4:39:14 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN reiterated the goal of SB 151 is to prevent and
stop the spread of lice, ensure families have the information
needed to address infestations, and support the presence of
school nurses to assist with prevention and treatment.
4:40:01 PM
SAVAYA BIEBER, Staff, Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided a presentation on SB 151.
She moved to slide 2, What does SB 151, and discussed in more
detail the following highlights of the legislation:
[Original punctuation provided.]
What Does SB 151 Do?
Requires school districts to adopt a head lice
policy
Requires districts to educate students and parents
on lice prevention
Requires DEED to reimburse school districts 20
percent of the cost to employ a nurse if these
provisions are met:
The nurse works at a school in the district that
serves grades K-8
The district employs the nurse on at least a half-
time basis
The district performs lice checks on at least 95
percent of students in a manner that protects
student privacy NO mass lice checks
The district submits a report to DEED by July
4:41:33 PM
MS. BIEBER moved to slide 3, What are Lice, and explained that
head lice are parasites that live on the scalp and feed on human
blood. Female lice can lay four to eight eggs, called nits, per
day. Eggs hatch into nymphs in about a week, and nymphs become
adults about a week later. Adult lice are two to three
millimeters long, about the size of a sesame seed, and can live
on a person's head for about 30 days but die within 48 hours if
they fall off.
[Original punctuation provided.]
What are Lice?
Parasites
Feed on human blood
Usually live in your scalp
4:42:06 PM
MS. BIEBER moved to slide 4 How Do They Spread: Who is at Risk,
and stated lice infestations affect an estimated six to twelve
million children in the United States each year, most commonly
among children ages three to eleven. Lice move by crawling and
cannot hop or fly. The most common way lice spread is through
head-to-head contact, though they can also spread through items
such as hats, hair accessories, combs, brushes, towels, bedding,
and furniture:
[Original punctuation provided.]
How Do They Spread? Who is at Risk?
Pre and Elementary school aged students
Move by crawling
Most common transmission is head-to-head contact
Can be spread through other forms of contact
4:42:40 PM
MS. BIEBER moved to slide 5, How Can Students Avoid Lice,
and said students can avoid lice by avoiding head-to-head
contact and by not sharing hats, scarves, coats, brushes,
combs, or hair accessories.
[Original punctuation provided.]
How Can Students Avoid Lice?
Avoid head-to-head contact with other people
Do not share hats, scarves, coats or other clothing
that is worn near the head
Do not share brushes, combs, towels, or hair
accessories
4:42:55 PM
MS. BIEBER moved to slide 6, CDC Recommendations, and noted the
CDC recommends students with lice not be sent home early, but
instead finish the school day and return after treatment begins.
[Original punctuation provided.]
CDC Recommendations
- Do not need to send students with a lice infestation
home early from school
Students with lice can go home at the end of the
day, be treated, and return to class after beginning
treatment
4:43:11 PM
MS. BIEBER moved to slide 7, How to tell if you have a lice
infestation. She explained symptoms include itching caused by an
allergic reaction to lice bites, which may take four to six
weeks to appear the first time someone has lice. Other signs
include sores on the scalp from scratching and eggs located near
the scalp, where warmth allows them to survive.
[Original punctuation provided.]
How to Tell if You Have a Lice Infestation:
Itching
Feeling movement in hair
Sores on the head
Can be found in hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes
Eggs(nits) present near scalp
4:43:51 PM
MS. BIEBER moved to slide 8, Treating Lice, and described
treatment options including over-the-counter permethrin shampoo
(Nix) and ivermectin lotion (Sklice), as well as prescription
treatments such as malathion, spinosad, and Ulesfia. Additional
care may include using nit combs to remove lice and eggs,
washing bedding and clothing in hot water, sealing items in
airtight bags for two weeks if they cannot be washed, soaking
combs and brushes in hot water, and vacuuming floors and
furniture.
[Original punctuation provided.]
Treating Lice
Non-prescription:
Shampoos containing permethrin (Nix)
A lotion containing ivermectin (Sklice)
Prescription:
Ivermectin
Malathion
Spinosad
Ulesfia
Self & Home Care:
Nit comb
Washing sheets and clothes
Clean brushes & combs
Vacuum floor & furniture
4:45:29 PM
SENATOR CRONK said most school districts already have policies
regarding lice. He explained that in his district students with
lice were checked and sent home until the lice were gone. He
noted most schools do not have nurses and the responsibility
often falls to the school secretary, but districts generally
already have policies in place. He said the bill appears
intended to ensure that every district has a policy.
4:46:03 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN replied that the issue of how schools handle
head lice has become more controversial because there is
disagreement between the National Association of School Nurses
and the CDC about how lice should be handled. He said some
people believe schools should not actively address lice, while
others believe schools should notify families and act. He stated
lice spread when they are not discussed and can easily move from
child to child. He emphasized that parents often are not
notified when lice outbreaks occur and said informing parents is
the least a school can do so families can take preventative
steps, such as checking their children's hair and encouraging
practices that reduce transmission.
4:47:23 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN explained some schools now allow students with
live lice to attend school, which many parents find surprising.
He said SB 151 addresses that issue by establishing a policy
prohibiting live lice at school. He added that lice are
disruptive for families and require significant time and effort
for parents to treat their children.
4:48:34 PM
SENATOR CRONK said he appreciated the explanation and noted he
is familiar with lice issues as a teacher and parent. He said
the Alaska Gateway School District has a strong policy where
students are checked and sent home if lice are found and cannot
return until treated.
4:49:03 PM
CHAIR TOBIN asked about SB 151, page 1, lines 810, which state
a student may not return until a nurse or designee confirms the
student is lice-free. She asked whether the schools would excuse
the absence and whether the policy could affect student
learning. She also asked how the bill would apply to students in
state care, housing-insecure students, or students without a
parent or guardian available to help treat lice.
4:49:46 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN replied that SB 151 contemplates that students
are treated and return once the lice are no longer alive. He
said a nurse or designee could check the student's hair to
confirm only dead nits remain and allow the student to return to
class. He stated that with proper treatment and education,
students should not need to miss much school. He acknowledged
some students may not have a parent or guardian available to
assist immediately, but said community organizations and school
booster groups could help fill those gaps and provide assistance
for students who need support.
4:51:13 PM
CHAIR TOBIN invited the Department of Education and Early
Development (DEED) to present the fiscal note.
4:51:22 PM
KELLY MANNING, Deputy Director, Division of Innovation &
Education Excellence, Department of Education and Early
Development (DEED), Juneau, Alaska, Offered an overview of the
fiscal note OMB 2796 for SB 151. She stated there are two
primary costs associated with the bill. The first is $6,000 for
services to develop regulations needed to implement the statute.
She explained the second cost is $1,544,000 annually in grants
to school districts to support compensation for school nurses.
The estimate is based on fall staff accounting from 2024, which
shows 100 certificated school nurses statewide with an average
annual salary of approximately $77,000. She noted that currently
all certificated school nurses are located in the Anchorage and
Mat-Su School Districts, which would influence how the funding
is distributed. She added that regulations would outline the
allocation of funds if the appropriation does not cover the full
20 percent reimbursement.
4:53:56 PM
CHAIR TOBIN asked about language in SB 151 on [page 1], lines 9
and 10 allowing another health care provider to conduct lice
checks if a district does not employ a certificated nurse. She
asked whether the department has an estimate of how many
districts might qualify for funding under that provision.
4:53:29 PM
MS. MANNING responded that nine districts, including Anchorage
and Mat-Su, currently employ classified nurse personnel. Those
staff positions could potentially qualify for reimbursement. She
said districts without those staff often rely on public health
nurses to assist with similar health policies.
4:54:04 PM
SENATOR STEVENS asked why the state would reimburse school
districts for nurses when districts already receive funding for
nurses. He asked whether the reimbursement is necessary if
nurses are already funded through existing education funding.
4:54:39 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN responded that many schools do not have
elementary school nurses, or they share a nurse among several
schools. He explained that a nurse may only be present at a
school for a limited portion of the week. He said SB 151 is
intended to encourage districts to employ more nurses at least
half-time in school buildings, and districts would only receive
reimbursement if the nurse met the requirements outlined in the
bill.
4:56:27 PM
CHAIR TOBIN opened public testimony on SB 151; finding none, she
closed public testimony.
4:56:44 PM
CHAIR TOBIN held SB 151 in committee.
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