Legislature(2015 - 2016)BUTROVICH 205
03/02/2016 01:00 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB98 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 98 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 98-PRESCRIPTION WITHOUT PHYS. EXAM.
1:03:32 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO announced consideration of SB 98. She stated that
this is the third hearing, public testimony is closed, and there
is a new committee substitute for the committee to consider.
1:03:51 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to adopt the CS for SB 98, labeled 29-
LS0838\N, as the working document.
CHAIR COSTELLO objected for discussion purposes. She asked Mr.
Eiler to go over the changes.
WESTON EILER, Staff, Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee and Senator Costello, told the committee that version
N of SB 98 reflects the comments and requests members made
during the previous hearing. The first change incorporates the
conceptual amendment that was adopted on 3/1/16. The language in
Section 5, page 4, lines 7-9, paragraph (2), reads as follows:
(2) prescribe, dispense, or administer a
prescription drug in response to an Internet
questionnaire or electronic mail message to a person
with whom the physician does not have a prior
physician-patient relationship.
The second and final change, also in Section 5, is compromise
language added to address concerns articulated by the Alaska
State Medical Association (ASMA). On page 4, lines 10-13, a new
subsection (e) is added to AS 08.64.364 that reads as follows:
(e) The board may adopt regulations to require a
telemedicine business offering services in the state
to register with the board before offering services.
In this subsection, "telemedicine business" means a
medical practice primarily engaged in the delivery of
telemedicine services.
1:05:57 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE joined the audience.
CHAIR COSTELLO found no question and removed her objection. She
asked if there was further objection.
SENATOR GIESSEL objected to adopting version N. She pointed out
that Section 3 relating to duties of the board only references
individuals, not businesses, yet new subsection (e) in Section 5
expands the duties of the board to include oversight of
businesses. She further pointed out that this expands the
purview of the board and would allow it to write regulations for
medical businesses. This will defeat free market competition and
innovation and the legislature would have no control over those
regulations. The third point is that the language in subsection
(e) will serve to further restrict competition and continue to
adversely affect the cost of health care in Alaska that it is
already the highest in the nation.
1:10:28 PM
At ease
1:20:46 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO reconvened the meeting and asked if there was
[continued] objection to adopting the work draft version N of SB
98.
SENATOR GIESSEL removed her objection.
CHAIR COSTELLO announced that version N is adopted.
SENATOR GIESSEL offered Conceptual Amendment 1 to version N of
SB 98.
CONCEPTUAL AMENDMENT 1
Insert a new Section 6 on page 4 that states:
The Department of Commerce, Community and Economic
Development shall maintain a register of telemedicine
businesses doing business in Alaska, which includes
the name, address and contact number for those
businesses.
Renumber subsequent sections.
Delete the language on page 4, lines 10-13.
CHAIR COSTELLO found no objection and announced that Conceptual
Amendment 1 is adopted. She asked the sponsor if he would like
to offer final comments.
1:22:29 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of SB 98,
recognized his staff for their hard work on the bill and thanked
the Chair for standing tall and taking the time to make sure
that it was ready to move on to the next committee of referral.
SENATOR MEYER asked if he had any comment on the amendment that
was just adopted.
SENATOR MICCICHE said he believes the amendment is appropriate
and he appreciates Senator Giessel for offering it. This
achieves the goal of ensuring there is a way to contact
telehealth businesses and understand who is operating them
without leaving the potential for burdensome regulations from
the Board of Medicine.
CHAIR COSTELLO offered her understanding that the amendment
simply asks the department to maintain a list of the names,
addresses, and contact numbers for these companies.
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report the CS for SB 98, 29-LS0838\N as
amended, from committee with individual recommendations and
attached fiscal note(s).
CHAIR COSTELLO found no objection and announced that CSSB
98(L&C) is reported from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| CS SB 98 (L&C) - Ver. N.pdf |
SL&C 3/2/2016 1:00:00 PM |
SB 98 |