04/11/1996 02:07 PM House HES

 CSSB 158(L&C) AM - PHARMACISTS AND PHARMACIES                               
                                                                               
 Number 1198                                                                   
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIR BUNDE announced the next order of business to come before            
 the House HESS Committee was CSSB 158(L&C) am.  He asked Dave                 
 Knight, staff to Senator Mike Miller to present the bill.                     
                                                                               
 DAVE KNIGHT, Researcher for Senator Mike Miller, read the following           
 sponsor statement:  "The passage of this legislation is necessary             
 to keep the practice of pharmacy in Alaska in step with national              
 standards and to afford the public the safety and protection it               
 deserves.                                                                     
                                                                               
 "Current statutes are antiquated and obsolete.  For example,                  
 investigative personnel within the Division of Occupational                   
 Licensing have continually experienced difficulty in investigating            
 and processing complaints against licensed personnel and facilities           
 because of vague, inadequate or nonexistent language regarding                
 unprofessional conduct and disciplinary sanctions.  Many of the               
 statutes are dated from the l970s and do not reflect the current              
 practice of pharmacy or changing nature of the profession.                    
                                                                               
 "Using the Model State Pharmacy Act of the National Association of            
 Boards of Pharmacy as a template, this legislation reflects over              
 four years of work by the pharmacy community and is supported by              
 the Alaska Pharmaceutical Association and the Alaska Board of                 
 Pharmacy."                                                                    
                                                                               
 MR. KNIGHT noted that Chris Corsey, member of the State Pharmacy              
 Association and Barbara Gabier from the Division of Occupational              
 Licensing were available to answer any questions.                             
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG asked if there was a companion bill in the            
 House?                                                                        
                                                                               
 MR. KNIGHT responded no.                                                      
                                                                               
 Number 1290                                                                   
                                                                               
 CHRIS CORSEY, President, Alaska Board of Pharmacy, said he was also           
 representing the Alaska Pharmaceutical Association and was one of             
 the original authors of the Model State Pharmacy Act.  He echoed              
 Mr. Knight's comments in that the existing statutes and regulations           
 that govern the practice of pharmacy are antiquated.  For example,            
 we require pharmacies to have reference texts which are no longer             
 published, we do not have a definition of the practice of pharmacy            
 in the Pharmacy Practice Act, we do not have a definition of                  
 unprofessional conduct and we don't address the use of pharmacy or            
 recognize the use of pharmacy technicians which is an important               
 trend in the development of pharmacy practice, especially with the            
 effort to contain health care costs.  The current statutes and                
 regulations are a compilation of small pieces of legislation,                 
 mostly dating back to the (indisc.).  He felt this legislation was            
 good for the public and the pharmacists themselves want a higher              
 standard and guideline by which to practice.  This legislation                
 would move the practice of pharmacy into the 1990s and he urged the           
 committee to pass it.  He noted the Division of Occupational                  
 Licensing has recommended some minor changes and as President of              
 the Board of Pharmacy, he supports those changes.                             
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIR BUNDE asked if there was someone available to speak to the           
 changes and pointed out the changes were reflected in the committee           
 substitute before the committee.                                              
                                                                               
 Number 1422                                                                   
                                                                               
 BARBARA GABIER, Program Coordinator, Division of Occupational                 
 Licensing, Department of Commerce & Economic Development, said the            
 changes were minor concerns the division had with the existing                
 wording and the committee substitute before the committee would               
 clarify the wording.  The division fully supports this legislation.           
 She commented she would be happy to go through each of the changes            
 if the committee so desired.                                                  
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIR BUNDE asked if the changes were substantive in nature?               
                                                                               
 MS. GABIER responded no.                                                      
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG inquired if this legislation had another              
 committee referral.                                                           
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIR BUNDE responded it does not have another committee                   
 referral.                                                                     
                                                                               
 Number 1495                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG moved to adopt HCS CSSB 158, Version 9-               
 LS0525\R, Lauterbach, dated 4/9/96.  Hearing no objection, the                
 House Committee Substitute was adopted.                                       
                                                                               
 Number 1515                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROBINSON made a motion to pass HCS CSSB 158(HES)               
 with individual recommendations.  Hearing no objection, it was so             
 ordered.                                                                      
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIR BUNDE called an at-ease at 3:31 p.m.  The meeting was                
 called back to order at 3:40 p.m.