02/15/2024 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

                    SSCR 2-DISAPPROVE EO 125                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:56:14 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   WILSON  reconvened   the   meeting   and  announced   the                                                               
consideration  of  SENATE  SPECIAL CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION  NO.  2                                                               
Disapproving Executive Order No. 125.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON stated  that the committee heard EO  125 on February                                                               
1, 2024.  SSCR 2  is the  instrument documenting  the committee's                                                               
action  on  EO  125.  The  associated  report  is  similar  to  a                                                               
committee  report  for  bills,   where  members  make  individual                                                               
recommendations.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:57:10 PM                                                                                                                    
HEIDI HEDBERG, Commissioner, Department  of Health (DOH), Juneau,                                                               
Alaska, provided  and overview  of EO 125  and stated  it removes                                                               
the  Alaska Council  on Emergency  Medical Services  (ACEMS) from                                                               
statute and  transfers its responsibilities to  the Department of                                                               
Health (DOH). She  said her intent is to create  the EMS Advisory                                                               
Council within DOH.  She values the advisory council,  but it was                                                               
established 47  years ago and  the 11 seats that  represent ACEMS                                                               
do not reflect the current  EMS system. Transitioning the council                                                               
through EO  125 will  allow DOH to  create an  advisory committee                                                               
that is reflective of today's EMS system.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:58:35 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DUNBAR  said he  is pleased  that EO  125 does  not raise                                                               
unconstitutional concerns by including  new unspecified seats. He                                                               
asked why DOH didn't pursue statute to accomplish the changes.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:59:22 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. HEDBERG  replied there  are a lot  of policy  priorities that                                                               
come up  each session. The department  has known for a  long time                                                               
that the original intent of  ACEMS was accomplished, which was to                                                               
recommend an  EMS system for the  state. Utilizing a bill  as the                                                               
tool to create  the seat changes would  require future amendments                                                               
as  EMS evolves.  She  stated  it is  efficient  to maintain  the                                                               
intent  of the  council by  taking  the identified  seats out  of                                                               
statute and transferring authority to  DOH. She noted examples of                                                               
ACEMS not  having seats for  dispatch and air  medical transport.                                                               
DOH would have the ability to  evolve the council as new services                                                               
emerge.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:01:09 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WILSON stated  his belief  that  no one  has testified  in                                                               
favor of keeping the board in  statute. People who have served on                                                               
the board for 47 years have testified in favor of EO 125.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
5:01:38 PM                                                                                                                    
GENE WISEMAN, Section Chief, Rural  and Community Health Systems,                                                               
Department  of   Health  (DOH),   Juneau,  Alaska,   thanked  the                                                               
committee for their consideration EO 125.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
5:01:47 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON solicited a motion.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
5:01:48 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR   KAUFMAN    moved   that   EO   125    with   individual                                                               
recommendations  be reported  from  committee, and  SSCR 2,  with                                                               
individual  recommendations   and  attached  fiscal   note(s)  be                                                               
reported  from the  Senate Health  and  Social Services  Standing                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:02:11 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WILSON found  no  objection and  EO 125  and  SSCR 2  were                                                               
reported  from the  Senate Health  and  Social Services  Standing                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:02:28 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL stated that signing  the reports does not reflect                                                               
an intent by any of the members  to vote for or against a special                                                               
concurrent resolution  disapproving the Executive Order  in joint                                                               
session.