03/03/2014 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY

         HB 269-IMMUNITY FOR TEMP. HEALTH CARE PROVIDER                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:08:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KELLER announced  the  first order  of  business would  be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL  NO. 269,  "An  Act  providing immunity  for  certain                                                               
licensed temporary health care providers  who provide free health                                                               
care services."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:09                                                                                                                          
g6 :38 PM                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LYNN moved  to rescind  the committee's  previous                                                               
action  in  reporting  CSHB 269,  Version  28-LS1251\C,  Wallace,                                                               
2/28/14, from  committee on 2/28/14.   There being  no objection,                                                               
Version C was before the committee.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:10:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   GRUENBERG  moved   that   the  committee   adopt                                                               
Amendment  C.1, labeled  28-LS1251\C.1,  Wallace, 2/28/14,  which                                                               
read:                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 10:                                                                                                           
          Delete "courtesy license"                                                                                         
          Insert "license or permit"                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, lines 10 - 11:                                                                                                     
          Delete "under AS 08.01.062"                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KELLER objected.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:10:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JANE PIERSON, Staff, Representative  Steve Thompson, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  speaking  on  behalf  of the  sponsor  of  HB  269,                                                               
Representative  Thompson,  explained  that Amendment  C.1  allows                                                               
temporary  licenses   or  permits  applicable  for   health  care                                                               
providers.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:11:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:11:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  PIERSON  further  explained   that  Amendment  C.1  includes                                                               
immunity  for  all  medical professions  providing  free  medical                                                               
services  under  AS  09.65.300(a).     The  changes  embodied  in                                                               
Amendment C.1 are such that Section 1 (a) will read:                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     (1)  provider  is  licensed in  the  state  to  provide                                                                    
     health care  services; in this paragraph,  "health care                                                                
     provider" includes  a health care provider  who holds a                                                                
     temporary courtesy  license as  a health  care provider                                                                
     under AS 08.01.62;                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. PIERSON  informed the committee  that Amendment  C.1 includes                                                               
chiropractors,  physicians,  nurses,  and dentists,  and  advised                                                               
that the nurses,  physicians, and Dr. James  Heston, President of                                                               
the  State   of  Alaska  Board  of   Chiropractic  Examiners  are                                                               
comfortable with Amendment C.1.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:13:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  directed attention  to the  language on                                                               
page  1,  [lines  13-14  through  page 2,  lines  1-4],  and  the                                                               
definition of "health care provider"  on page 2, lines 20-25, and                                                               
referred  to providers  who  customarily work  out  of a  medical                                                               
clinic as described on page 2, lines  1-2.  He noted there may be                                                               
other   providers  such   as  marital   and  family   therapists,                                                               
psychologists, or  psychological associates, who may  work out of                                                               
their own  office or  home and  suggested that  technically there                                                               
should be language  in Section 1(a)(3) to cover  providers not in                                                               
a  clinic or  medical facility  called in  for emergency  suicide                                                               
counseling. He  further suggested the sponsor  ascertain that all                                                               
of the locations are covered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. PIERSON  thanked Representative  Gruenberg and  indicated the                                                               
sponsor will continue to look at that issue.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KELLER removed  his  objection.   There  being no  further                                                               
objection  Amendment  C.1  was adopted.  He  then  opened  public                                                               
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:16:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PATRICIA  SENNER, Advanced  Nurse Practitioner,  Interim Director                                                               
of Professional  Practice, Alaska Nurses Association,  stated she                                                               
has  no  problems  with  Amendment   C.1,  although  there  is  a                                                               
discrepancy  between the  definition of  those who  hold licenses                                                               
and  the definition  of "health  care provider"  in AS  09.65.300                                                               
which,  she surmised,  could be  cleared up  as [the  bill] moves                                                               
along.  She added that  the Alaska Nurses Association appreciates                                                               
the inclusion  of [AS  09.65.300(a)(5)] sub-paragraph  "(C)" that                                                               
requires  written  notice  of medical  providers  who  can  offer                                                               
follow-up care.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:18:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. SENNER, in response to  Representative Gruenberg, referred to                                                               
the definition of  health care providers on page  2, lines 19-25,                                                               
and   explained   that   midwives  are   under   advanced   nurse                                                               
practitioners  and are  not  a separate  category.   She  further                                                               
advised that HB  269 does not include  certified registered nurse                                                               
anesthetists  (CRNAs),  which  are  a  separate  category.    She                                                               
advised  she  could  not  speak  to  occupational  therapists  or                                                               
marital  and  family therapists,  but  said  the term  "licensee"                                                               
should be the same terminology as the health care provider.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:19:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG referred  to page  2, line  20, wherein                                                             
the sponsor  eliminated the term "state  license," and reiterated                                                               
Ms.   Senner's   testimony   that  Certified   Registered   Nurse                                                               
[Anesthetists] are not  included, which could be  dealt with down                                                               
the line.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:20:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LYNN  moved  to  report  CSHB  269,  Version  28-                                                               
LS1251\C,  Wallace, 2/18/14,  as amended,  out of  committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being no objection, CSHB 269 (JUD) moved out of committee.