Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
04/12/2012 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB53 | |
| SCR24 | |
| SB179 | |
| SJR11 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 179 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SCR 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SJR 11 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 53 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 179-MISSING VULNERABLE ADULT RESPONSE PLAN
8:47:05 AM
VICE CHAIR KELLER announced that the next order of business was
SENATE BILL NO. 179, "An Act relating to missing vulnerable
adult prompt response and notification plans."
8:47:18 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for SB 179, Version 27-LS1250\M, Gardner,
4/11/12, as a work draft. There being no objection, Version M
was before the committee.
8:47:33 AM
SENATOR BETTYE DAVIS, Alaska State Legislature, as sponsor,
introduced SB 179. She said Version M made one change. She
deferred to her staff for further explanation.
8:47:54 AM
CELESTE HODGE, Staff, Senator Bettye Davis, Alaska State
Legislature, presented SB 179 on behalf of Senator Davis,
sponsor. She said the change occurs in Section 2, on page 2,
line 21, where "or an officer or employee of the law enforcement
agency" was added following "a law enforcement agency". She
said that change was recommended by the Department of Law to
further protect both the law enforcement agency and individual
officers, thereby encouraging more participation in the program
by the agency.
8:48:52 AM
MS. HODGE explained that SB 179 would create a new statewide
alert system to help find vulnerable missing adults. She said
the system, which is similar to the nationwide Amber Alert
program, would help local law enforcement notify the public when
a mentally or physically impaired Alaskan goes missing. She
said Alaska has the fastest growing senior population and cannot
afford to ignore this problem any longer. She reported that
according to the Alaska Commission on Aging, there were
approximately 7,785 Alaskans suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
and related dementia in 2010, and that number is expected to
grow to more than 17,000 by 2030. She said in Fairbanks, a
woman 63 years of age suffering from Alzheimer's Disease froze
to death after becoming disoriented while driving, running out
of gas, and trying to walk several miles to seek help. Ms.
Hodge said that incident illustrates the need for a system to
assist in the search for missing vulnerable adults. She said
when a vulnerable adult goes missing, his/her best chance of
survival is to be found within 24-48 hours.
MS. HODGE said the proposed legislation calls for the Department
of Military & Veterans Affairs to coordinate with the Department
of Public Safety to create and implement prompt response and
notification plans that would use a voluntary network of
statewide and local newspapers, as well as radio and television
stations to rapidly alert the public that a vulnerable adult is
missing. Further, under SB 179, both departments would
establish standards on what triggers an alert and when a
vulnerable adult would be considered missing. She said the
proposed legislation would ensure that the search for Alaska's
most vulnerable citizens happens promptly. Ms. Hodge noted that
currently there are 28 states that have implemented or will
implement the silver alert program - 10 more states than took
part since the National Association of States United for Aging
and Disability's last report. She related that the
administration supports the bill. She stated that the fiscal
note indicates that compliance with SB 179 would have no fiscal
impact.
8:51:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN related a time when his uncle, who since
died from Alzheimer's disease, got lost because he did not
remember how to get home in a town of 700 people. He said he
can see how much worse it would be for someone in that situation
who lived in a larger community. He said he thinks SB 179 is a
good bill.
8:53:13 AM
MICHAEL O'HARE, Deputy Director, Division of Homeland
Security/Emergency Management, Department of Military & Veterans
Affairs, stated support for the intent of SB 179. In response
to a question by Representative P. Wilson, he explained that the
department's new emergency management network has the
flexibility that will allow for a systematic approach to sending
out alerts. He said the department currently works with the
Department of Public Safety to send out alerts on missing
persons, so there would be no issues in working together. He
confirmed that there would be no fiscal impact under SB 179. He
encouraged the committee to pass the proposed legislation. In
response to a follow-up question, he explained that the
department's responsibility would be to make certain the alert
gets out through the emergency network through relay messages to
broadcast media. He indicated that the department would
collaborate on a plan to look for vulnerable adults, as required
under SB 179.
8:56:21 AM
MR. O'HARE, in response to a question from Representative
Gruenberg, said the Amber Alert system is used in Alaska.
8:57:44 AM
PATRICK CUNNINGHAM, Associate Professor of Social Work, College
of Health, University of Alaska Anchorage; Member, Alzheimer's
Resource of Alaska Board, testified in support of SB 179. He
said a manifestation of Alzheimer's disease is a tendency for
the person to wander and leave his/her residence, putting
him/her at risk. If that occurs, the alert system under SB 179
would increase the opportunity of finding the person before any
harm occurs. He said other vulnerable adults are those
experiencing mental illness, traumatic brain injury, or other
forms of disability. He urged the committee to support SB 179.
8:58:57 AM
RODNEY DIAL, Lieutenant, Alaska State Troopers, stated that the
department has no concerns regarding SB 179. He said he agrees
with most of what Mr. O'Hare said, and he offered to answer
questions.
8:59:41 AM
MARIE DARLIN, AARP, testified in support of SB 179. She said
she thinks the bill would prevent "some of the problems we've
had in the last couple of years."
9:00:18 AM
VICE CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony.
9:00:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said AS 47.24.900 is cited in the last
line of SB 179 as containing the definition of "vulnerable
adult". Representative Gruenberg read the definition as
follows:
"vulnerable adult" means a person 18 years of age or
older who, because of physical or mental impairment,
is unable to meet the person's own needs or to seek
help without assistance.
9:01:21 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON moved to report HCS SB 179, Version 27-
LS1250\M, Gardner, 4/11/12, with individual recommendations and
the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HCS
CSSB 179(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs
Standing Committee.