03/13/2014 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                SB 166-BOARD OF NURSING; NURSES                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:35:09 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  announced the  consideration of  SB 166.  "An Act                                                               
relating to  nursing and to the  Board of Nursing." This  was the                                                               
second hearing and Version Y was before the committee.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:35:16 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL, Alaska  State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,                                                               
sponsor of SB 166, introduced herself.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:35:37 PM                                                                                                                    
JANE CONWAY,  Staff, Senator  Cathy Giessel,  sponsor of  SB 166,                                                               
reminded  the committee  that version  Y was  adopted during  the                                                               
first hearing  and that the  bill incorporates changes  that have                                                               
been brought  to the Board of  Nursing for the last  10 years. It                                                               
updates the  statute to keep  current with modern  technology and                                                               
best practices. She mentioned the  individuals who were available                                                               
to answer questions.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS asked to hear from  Ms. Senner about of the nursing                                                               
profession's perspective on the bill.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:37:31 PM                                                                                                                    
PATRICIA  SENNER, Professional  Practice Director,  Alaska Nurses                                                               
Association  (ANA), stated  that the  ANA commented  on an  early                                                               
draft of  SB 166 at a  Board of Nursing meeting  and they support                                                               
the current version.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:38:24 PM                                                                                                                    
JANA  SHOCKMAN,  President,   Alaska  Nurses  Association  (ANA),                                                               
Anchorage,  Alaska, affirmed  that  the ANA  supports  SB 166  as                                                               
written. She offered to answer questions.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:38:57 PM                                                                                                                    
BETH FARNSTROM, Chair, Alaska State  Board of Nursing, offered to                                                               
answer questions related to SB 166.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:39:41 PM                                                                                                                    
DON  HABEGER, Director,  Division of  Corporations, Business  and                                                               
Licensing,  Department   of  Commerce,  Community   and  Economic                                                               
Development (DCCED), introduced himself.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  OLSON   asked  if  he  had   reconsidered  his  position                                                               
[opposing] the  requirement for the  executive administer  of the                                                               
Alaska  State Board  of  Nursing  to hold  a  master's degree  in                                                               
nursing at a minimum.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. HABEGER  replied he  still believes  the division  would have                                                               
more  flexibility to  recruit and  hire if  a master's  degree in                                                               
nursing wasn't  a requirement  in statute.  He maintained  that a                                                               
person  with a  master's  degree in  nursing home  administration                                                               
could administer a  nursing program just as well  as someone with                                                               
a master's degree in nursing.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR OLSON  asked how many  actions have been taken  against a                                                               
license in the last two years.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. HABEGER recalled that there  were about 250 licensure actions                                                               
in  FY13. Responding  to a  further question,  he clarified  that                                                               
these were either consent agreements or board revocations.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR OLSON asked if the level of education was an issue.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  HABEGER  replied  he  recognizes   that  some  expertise  is                                                               
required to  execute the level  of review that's expected  of the                                                               
executive administrator, but he  agrees with current statute that                                                               
recognizes that a registered nurse (RN) license is sufficient.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY opened  and closed  public testimony.  Finding no                                                               
further  questions  or  comments,  he   asked  the  will  of  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:43:28 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MICCICHE  moved  to  report  SB  166,  Version  Y,  from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  announced that  without objection,  CSSB 166(L&C)                                                               
moved from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.