04/27/1994 08:40 AM House FIN

  SB 248    An Act relating to services  for and protection of                 
            vulnerable adults; and providing  for an effective                 
            date.                                                              
                                                                               
            HCS CS SB 248 (FIN) was reported out of  Committee                 
            with  a "do  pass" recommendation and  with fiscal                 
            notes  by  the  Department  of Health  and  Social                 
            Services  dated  1/14/94  and  the  Department  of                 
            Administration dated 3/24/94 and zero fiscal notes                 
            by the  Department of Public Safety  dated 2/18/94                 
            and   the   Department  of   Administration  dated                 
            3/24/94.                                                           
  SENATE BILL 248                                                              
                                                                               
       "An  Act  relating to  services  for and  protection of                 
       vulnerable  adults;  and  providing  for  an  effective                 
       date."                                                                  
                                                                               
  NANCY    BEAR    USERA,    COMMISSIONER,    DEPARTMENT    OF                 
  ADMINISTRATION, explained that SB 248 (RLS)am was introduced                 
  by  the  Governor  with  the   intent  to  make  significant                 
  improvements in the  way that  protective services would  be                 
  provided  to  vulnerable adults  who  are victims  of abuse,                 
  neglect  or  exploitation.    The  bill would  transfer  the                 
  authority  for adult protective services from the Department                 
  of Health and Social Services (Division of Family  and Youth                 
  Services) to the Department  of Administration (Division  of                 
  Senior  Services).   She  added  that the  legislation would                 
  define   "vulnerable"   adults  and   differentiate  between                 
  "vulnerable" adults and "vulnerable" children.                               
                                                                               
  Commissioner  Usera advised  that the fiscal  notes included                 
  with the legislation  were transfers from the  Department of                 
  Health   and  Social   Services   to   the   Department   of                 
  Administration.                                                              
                                                                               
  Representative  Martin  MOVED  to  adopt  Amendment  #1   as                 
  proposed  by  the  Christian  Science  churches  in  Alaska,                 
  explaining  that  Christian  Scientists  rely  on  spiritual                 
  treatment,  based  on  prayer  alone,  for  the  healing  of                 
  physical illnesses.                                                          
                                                                               
  Representative Brown expressed her  support for adults being                 
                                                                               
                                2                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  able  to select their own  method of treatment, while adding                 
  that  the  issue becomes  more  complicated when  applied to                 
  children.    Representative Martin  pointed  out that  it is                 
  important that people have freedom of faith where healing is                 
  involved.   He added that  the Christian Scientists  want to                 
  ensure that senior citizens will  not be subjected to health                 
  methods which they do not agree with.                                        
                                                                               
  Commissioner Usera advised that the legislation will have no                 
  effect on children.   Children are  currently listed in  the                 
  children's statutes, a separate category.                                    
                                                                               
  Commissioner Usera recommended adding language to the end of                 
  the amendment stating: "Provided that the person consents to                 
  the treatment by spiritual means only", indicating that this                 
  language   would   create    a   consensual    relationship.                 
  Representative Martin MOVED to adopt the additional language                 
  to Amendment  #1.   There being NO  OBJECTION, the  language                 
  change was adopted.                                                          
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Larson OBJECTED  to adopting the amended  Amendment                 
                                                                               
  A roll call vote was taken on the MOTION.                                    
                                                                               
       IN FAVOR:      Martin,    Navarre,    Brown,    Foster,                 
                      Grussendorf, Hanley.                                     
       OPPOSED:       Therriault, Larson.                                      
                                                                               
  Representatives  Parnell,  Hoffman   and  MacLean  were  not                 
  present for the vote.                                                        
                                                                               
  The MOTION PASSED (6-2).                                                     
                                                                               
  Representative  Navarre MOVED to report HCS  CS SB 248 (FIN)                 
  out of  Committee with  individual recommendations and  with                 
  the accompanying fiscal notes.  There being NO OBJECTION, it                 
  was so ordered.                                                              
                                                                               
  HCS CS SB 248 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with a "do                 
  pass" recommendation and with fiscal notes by the Department                 
  of Health and Social Services  dated 1/14/94, the Department                 
  of Administration dated  3/24/94, and  zero fiscal notes  by                 
  the  Department  of  Public  Safety  dated 2/18/94  and  the                 
  Department of Administration dated 3/24/94.