SB 44-MINORS & PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS  4:24:34 PM CHAIR DUNBAR reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 44 "An Act relating to the rights of minors undergoing evaluation or inpatient treatment at psychiatric hospitals; relating to the use of seclusion or restraint of minors at psychiatric hospitals; relating to a report published by the Department of Health; relating to inspections by the Department of Health of certain psychiatric hospitals; and providing for an effective date." 4:25:48 PM CHAIR DUNBAR opened public testimony on SB 44. 4:26:15 PM KATHLEEN WEDEMEYER, Deputy Director, Citizens Commission on Human Rights, Seattle, Washington, testified in support of SB 44 with concerns. She stated Citizens Commission on Human Rights is a psychiatric watchdog group that supports the main goals of SB 44 to reduce abuse risk, improve family connections, and increase transparency in psychiatric hospitals for minors. She advocated for additions to SB 44, including a review of the use of psychiatric medications, especially powerful or atypical drugs, and a shift toward non-coercive, drug-free treatments. She cited concerns about severe side effects of psychiatric drugs and the lack of objective medical tests to diagnose psychiatric conditions in youth. She also recommended mandatory medical screening for minors upon admission to rule out underlying physical causes of emotional distress and urged support for an amended version of SB 44. 4:28:11 PM CHAIR DUNBAR closed public testimony on SB 44. 4:28:28 PM SENATOR CLAMAN speaking as sponsor provided comments on SB 44. He responded to earlier questions regarding the term "overseeing physician" on page 1, line 11, by recommending it be changed to "professional person in charge," a term used elsewhere in Title 47. He explained that this change would clarify that the individual making decisions about limiting parent-youth communication must be a higher-level supervising care provider such as a physician, physician assistant, or psychologistrather than the broader treatment team. He stated that an amendment reflecting this change will be introduced, along with a second amendment to shift data collection responsibilities noted on page 2, lines 1824, from the Department of Family and Community Services to the Department of Health. He also noted that the Department of Health is available to respond to earlier questions regarding the use of body cameras or video monitoring in psychiatric treatment settings. 4:30:33 PM SENATOR GIESSEL acknowledged the previous testifier's concerns about the use of psychiatric medications in young people and agreed that such treatments can potentially cause lasting changes to neural pathways. She cautioned against prescribing specific healthcare approaches through legislation. She affirmed that the testifier raised a valid and important point. 4:31:20 PM SENATOR CLAMAN expressed agreement with Senator Giesel's concerns about the risks of legislating specific medication use for youth. He cautioned against placing restrictions in statute on particular drugs, noting the evolving nature of pharmaceutical treatments and the potential for new medications to show promise initially but later reveal serious issues. He supported raising concerns about youth medication use but suggested that such matters are better addressed through regulation, which offers greater flexibility to adapt over time. He acknowledged the importance of the issue but was uncertain how to effectively address it through bill language. 4:32:21 PM SENATOR GIESSEL referred to SB 44, Section 3, which outlines an annual report requirement, and suggested it could include data on the frequency of pharmaceutical interventions. She stated that adding this information could help identify trends, encourage self-examination by providers, and support comparisons to best practices. She noted she would need to consider how best to phrase the requirement but believed it would prompt valuable reflection on medication use. 4:32:56 PM CHAIR DUNBAR commented that, in addition to concerns about psychiatric medications, there is clear evidence that social media use is also altering brain chemistry. Although not directly related to SB 44, he suggested that society should critically examine the impact of smartphones and digital platforms on mental health, especially when discussing factors that affect brain development. 4:33:18 PM SENATOR HUGHES stated she agreed with both comments by Senator Giessel and Senator Dunbar. She recalled prior Judiciary Committee testimony about the use of restraint on minors and emphasized that expert witnesses clearly stated restraint should be used only as a last resort and strictly for life safety situations. She described scenarios where restraint might be justifiedsuch as preventing a child from self-harmbut raised concerns about misuse and potential consequences for providers. She questioned whether the designated "professional person in charge," as proposed in the bill language, is subject to formal oversight or disciplinary action if restraint is used improperly. She shared that parents have voiced concerns about inappropriate use of restraint and reiterated the importance of accountability and transparency, including her prior suggestion about video monitoring. 4:35:22 PM SENATOR CLAMAN stated that the foundation for the legislation stems from findings in a U.S. Department of Justice report, which identified overuse of both physical and chemical restraints in psychiatric settings. He emphasized that the bill's notice requirementsto both the Department of Health and parentsaim to increase transparency when restraint is used, enabling better oversight and investigation if misuse occurs. He said the hope is that increased transparency will reduce reliance on both physical and pharmaceutical restraints. He added that families have the option to pursue malpractice litigation if restraint is misused and noted that mandated reporting will help monitor usage trends and inform whether overuse continues. SB 44 creates transparency that doesn't current exist. 4:37:00 PM SENATOR HUGHES asked whether the licensing boards overseeing the designated "professional person in charge" have the authority to suspend or revoke licenses in cases of abuse or inappropriate use of restraint. She emphasized the importance of accountability, especially if reporting reveals repeated use at a specific facility, and questioned whether consequences exist for individuals misusing their authority. SENATOR CLAMAN confirmed that consequences do exist within professional licensing systems for providers who fail to follow proper practices. He acknowledged that while he does not know all the specific procedures, he is aware that physicians and other licensed providers can be brought before their respective boards when concerns about their conduct arise. 4:38:44 PM SENATOR CLAMAN asked if the committee wanted to hear from the Department of Health regarding cameras. 4:39:08 PM ROBERT NAVE, Division Operations Manager, Division of Health Care Services, Department of Health (DOH), Anchorage, Alaska, answered questions on SB 44. stated that the department would provide a written response to questions about the use of cameras during restraint procedures, due to overlapping federal and state regulations. He explained that when the Division of Healthcare Services receives a complaint regarding improper use of restraint, an investigation is conducted by the Health Facility Certification and Licensing program. If the investigation finds that a specific licensed professional was responsible for the inappropriate restraint, the case is referred to the relevant professional licensing board for further review and potential action. 4:40:18 PM CHAIR DUNBAR [held SB 44 in committee.]