Legislature(2003 - 2004)
05/16/2003 01:51 PM Senate HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 270-PHARMACIST LICENSING CHAIR FRED DYSON called the Senate Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:51 p.m. Present were SENATORS DAVIS AND GREEN. The Chair announced HB 270 to be up for consideration. REPRESENTATIVE NANCY DAHLSTROM, sponsor of HB 270, explained that currently the Board of Pharmacy cannot deny a license to an applicant who may have had a questioned background, a felony drug conviction or a drug abuse problem. The public safety and the pharmacy profession are both compromised because of this situation and the right to deny a license was unintentionally left out of the statute when it was originally drafted. HB 270 gives the authority to deny a license to a new applicant if they find that they have committed fraud, deceit, falsely advertised or been convicted of a felony as listed in AS 08.80.261. Everyone involved agrees with the changes and she has support letters from the Board of Pharmacy and the Alaska Pharmaceutical Association. CHAIR DYSON asked who initiated this issue. REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM replied the State Board of Pharmacy. CHAIR DYSON asked if there had been any negative testimony in the other two hearings. REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM replied that there wasn't any negative testimony from anyone. SENATOR GUESS arrived at 1:54 p.m. SENATOR DAVIS commented that this is a good bill. MS. MARGARET SODEN, President, Alaska Board of Pharmacy, strongly supported HB 270, because as the law currently stands, they would have to grant a license to someone with a questionable background, who would then be able to practice pharmacy. Their license would have to be sanctioned somehow. This is not good for the health and safety of Alaskans. CHAIR DYSON asked if this had been a noticeable problem with any practitioners in the state. MS. SODEN replied that a couple of years ago, an applicant sought licensure and the board wanted to deny the license. The applicant had falsified their application, as well, and they didn't grant a licensed based on that. They realized then that they needed this authority. CHAIR DYSON asked when the board meets next. MS. SODEN replied that they meet on July 25 in Anchorage. CHAIR DYSON said he looked forward to working with her on collaborative agreements. SENATOR GREEN moved to pass HB 270 from committee with individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
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