Legislature(2007 - 2008)BUTROVICH 205
03/19/2007 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR4 | |
| SB100 | |
| SB38 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SCR 4 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 38 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 100 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SCR 4-PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH COMPACT
1:35:39 PM
CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS announced SCR 4 to be up for consideration.
RICHARD BENAVIDES, aide to Senator Davis, sponsor of SCR 4, said
that the resolution is a compact examining the multi-layered
health crisis in Alaska. Medical costs rise while the physician
population shrinks; while the legislature will work to improve
this, individual Alaskans must also try to minimize their impact
on the health care system. The compact will encourage Alaskans
to make healthy choices and share their experiences and ideas
with one another.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA, sponsor of HCR 1, companion bill to SCR
4, said that the resolution deals with the problem of health
care, and the choices that Alaskans make for their own health.
She explained how health habits are important to a person's
well-being, and the legislature must help Alaskans change the
way they care for their health. With this resolution the
governor can make an invitation to the population to inform
itself on its health and share information and stories; SCR 4
will start a statewide conversation on healthy living.
LIZ CLEMENT, aide to Representative Cissna, said that the House
Finance subcommittee recently passed out recommendations for a
$2 billion dollar health budget for the next fiscal year; the
resolution won't cost a cent, but provides a new approach to
health education.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA said that SCR 4 asks the state department
to look for a different way of communicating with the people of
Alaska.
CHAIR DAVIS commented that she and Representative Cissna had
discussed the SCR with the governor, and that all three had
talked about options for early intervention and public
involvement.
1:42:45 PM
KARLEEN JACKSON, Commissioner for the Department of Health and
Social Services (DHSS), said that many people have been working
on ways to get Alaskans to act together on health care.
1:43:58 PM
DIANA KASTO, manager of Prevention and Early Intervention
Services with the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) in the
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), said that she's
worked with Representative Cissna over the years, and the DBH
wants to see people promoting healthy communities; the
resolution speaks to this. In order for the state to be healthy,
individuals must be healthy as well. As a state we must begin
focusing on health issues, physically and behaviorally. The
department looks forward to working to promote this.
1:46:24 PM
SENATOR COWDERY moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute
to CSR 4, labeled 25-LS0627/K, Version K, as the working
document of the committee. There being no objection, the motion
carried.
1:46:51 PM
SENATOR ELTON said that the committee substitute changes the way
of communication proposed in the original, and asked if there is
a central way for getting the message of the SCR to the people
of Alaska.
1:48:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA said that the language was changed because
of concerns about the interpretation of the language. The core
of the initiative is that it's voluntary; it's an invitation to
change the way people think. People shouldn't expect more than
the resolution actually contains, and the wrong wording would
change the aim of the SCR.
1:51:11 PM
SENATOR ELTON said that the core of the compact seems to be
ballooning, and that it may be difficult to share opinions about
the resolution with the changed wording.
MS. JACKSON said that the real goal of the SCR is dinner-table
conversations and person-to-person change; what the resolution
addresses is supporting existing efforts rather than creating a
new program.
SENATOR ELTON said that he doesn't mean to suggest the goal is
faulty; if a compact is created to encourage healthy choices,
there should simply be follow-up.
MS. JACKSON concurred.
1:54:33 PM
SENATOR DYSON said that he agreed with Senator Elton, and that
somehow a tracking method should be created as well as an outlet
for people's success stories and comments. He added that he
hopes that this will be done even if it's not included in the
language of the SCR.
CHAIR DAVIS said that the issue is important, and perhaps the
committee could add text to the SCR encouraging such
developments.
SENATOR ELTON said that in the CS there is a component that
points to the sharing of experiences. He emphasized that
community involvement is important for personal success, and
that maybe the existing language should be improved.
He then moved to adopt a conceptual amendment to SCR 4.
SENATOR DYSON suggested talking to other people about the change
in languages before amending the resolution.
CHAIR DAVIS suggested deciding to accept the amendment
immediately.
SENATOR DYSON said that perhaps the authors of SCR 4 would have
the best suggestions.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA said that the language won't be as
important as the intention.
There being no objection, the motion carried.
2:00:39 PM
SENATOR ELTON moved to report CSSCR 4(HES) from committee with
individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. There
being no objection, the motion carried.
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