SB 151-SCHOOL DISTRICT HEAD LICE POLICY  4:36:00 PM CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 151 "An Act relating to head lice in public schools." 4:36:15 PM SENATOR JESSE BJORKMAN, District D, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 151 stated the goal of the bill is to stop the spread of head lice between students at school. He explained the bill would also fund one-fifth, or 20 percent, of the cost for a district to employ a school nurse at a school serving grades K through 8, such as an elementary or middle school. SENTOR BJORKMAN stated lice are extremely disruptive and create a significant burden for parents to eliminate. He said lice cause discomfort and embarrassment for students, and children want them gone as quickly as possible. He emphasized that lice can be stopped from spreading if they are identified early and if families receive information to help prevent and treat infestations. SENATOR BJORKMAN explained that SB 151 would require schools to enact policies for lice education, prevention, and eradication. Schools would provide parents and students with information on how to avoid lice and how to treat them if lice are found. The bill would institute a policy of no live lice at school. He clarified SB 151 would not require mass lice checks, which he said were common in the past when children were gathered for inspections. Instead, students would be checked privately in a discreet manner to protect their privacy and allow families to receive guidance if lice are found. 4:39:14 PM SENATOR BJORKMAN reiterated the goal of SB 151 is to prevent and stop the spread of lice, ensure families have the information needed to address infestations, and support the presence of school nurses to assist with prevention and treatment. 4:40:01 PM SAVAYA BIEBER, Staff, Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided a presentation on SB 151. She moved to slide 2, What does SB 151, and discussed in more detail the following highlights of the legislation: [Original punctuation provided.] What Does SB 151 Do?  Requires school districts to adopt a head lice policy Requires districts to educate students and parents on lice prevention Requires DEED to reimburse school districts 20 percent of the cost to employ a nurse if these provisions are met: The nurse works at a school in the district that serves grades K-8 The district employs the nurse on at least a half- time basis The district performs lice checks on at least 95 percent of students in a manner that protects student privacy NO mass lice checks The district submits a report to DEED by July 4:41:33 PM MS. BIEBER moved to slide 3, What are Lice, and explained that head lice are parasites that live on the scalp and feed on human blood. Female lice can lay four to eight eggs, called nits, per day. Eggs hatch into nymphs in about a week, and nymphs become adults about a week later. Adult lice are two to three millimeters long, about the size of a sesame seed, and can live on a person's head for about 30 days but die within 48 hours if they fall off. [Original punctuation provided.] What are Lice?  Parasites Feed on human blood Usually live in your scalp 4:42:06 PM MS. BIEBER moved to slide 4 How Do They Spread: Who is at Risk, and stated lice infestations affect an estimated six to twelve million children in the United States each year, most commonly among children ages three to eleven. Lice move by crawling and cannot hop or fly. The most common way lice spread is through head-to-head contact, though they can also spread through items such as hats, hair accessories, combs, brushes, towels, bedding, and furniture: [Original punctuation provided.] How Do They Spread? Who is at Risk?  Pre and Elementary school aged students Move by crawling Most common transmission is head-to-head contact Can be spread through other forms of contact 4:42:40 PM MS. BIEBER moved to slide 5, How Can Students Avoid Lice, and said students can avoid lice by avoiding head-to-head contact and by not sharing hats, scarves, coats, brushes, combs, or hair accessories. [Original punctuation provided.] How Can Students Avoid Lice?  Avoid head-to-head contact with other people Do not share hats, scarves, coats or other clothing that is worn near the head Do not share brushes, combs, towels, or hair accessories 4:42:55 PM MS. BIEBER moved to slide 6, CDC Recommendations, and noted the CDC recommends students with lice not be sent home early, but instead finish the school day and return after treatment begins. [Original punctuation provided.] CDC Recommendations - Do not need to send students with a lice infestation home early from school Students with lice can go home at the end of the day, be treated, and return to class after beginning treatment 4:43:11 PM MS. BIEBER moved to slide 7, How to tell if you have a lice infestation. She explained symptoms include itching caused by an allergic reaction to lice bites, which may take four to six weeks to appear the first time someone has lice. Other signs include sores on the scalp from scratching and eggs located near the scalp, where warmth allows them to survive. [Original punctuation provided.] How to Tell if You Have a Lice Infestation:  Itching Feeling movement in hair Sores on the head Can be found in hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes Eggs(nits) present near scalp 4:43:51 PM MS. BIEBER moved to slide 8, Treating Lice, and described treatment options including over-the-counter permethrin shampoo  (Nix) and ivermectin lotion (Sklice), as well as prescription treatments such as malathion, spinosad, and Ulesfia. Additional care may include using nit combs to remove lice and eggs, washing bedding and clothing in hot water, sealing items in airtight bags for two weeks if they cannot be washed, soaking combs and brushes in hot water, and vacuuming floors and furniture. [Original punctuation provided.] Treating Lice  Non-prescription: Shampoos containing permethrin (Nix) A lotion containing ivermectin (Sklice) Prescription: Ivermectin Malathion Spinosad Ulesfia Self & Home Care: Nit comb Washing sheets and clothes Clean brushes & combs Vacuum floor & furniture 4:45:29 PM SENATOR CRONK said most school districts already have policies regarding lice. He explained that in his district students with lice were checked and sent home until the lice were gone. He noted most schools do not have nurses and the responsibility often falls to the school secretary, but districts generally already have policies in place. He said the bill appears intended to ensure that every district has a policy. 4:46:03 PM SENATOR BJORKMAN replied that the issue of how schools handle head lice has become more controversial because there is disagreement between the National Association of School Nurses and the CDC about how lice should be handled. He said some people believe schools should not actively address lice, while others believe schools should notify families and act. He stated lice spread when they are not discussed and can easily move from child to child. He emphasized that parents often are not notified when lice outbreaks occur and said informing parents is the least a school can do so families can take preventative steps, such as checking their children's hair and encouraging practices that reduce transmission. 4:47:23 PM SENATOR BJORKMAN explained some schools now allow students with live lice to attend school, which many parents find surprising. He said SB 151 addresses that issue by establishing a policy prohibiting live lice at school. He added that lice are disruptive for families and require significant time and effort for parents to treat their children. 4:48:34 PM SENATOR CRONK said he appreciated the explanation and noted he is familiar with lice issues as a teacher and parent. He said the Alaska Gateway School District has a strong policy where students are checked and sent home if lice are found and cannot return until treated. 4:49:03 PM CHAIR TOBIN asked about SB 151, page 1, lines 810, which state a student may not return until a nurse or designee confirms the student is lice-free. She asked whether the schools would excuse the absence and whether the policy could affect student learning. She also asked how the bill would apply to students in state care, housing-insecure students, or students without a parent or guardian available to help treat lice. 4:49:46 PM SENATOR BJORKMAN replied that SB 151 contemplates that students are treated and return once the lice are no longer alive. He said a nurse or designee could check the student's hair to confirm only dead nits remain and allow the student to return to class. He stated that with proper treatment and education, students should not need to miss much school. He acknowledged some students may not have a parent or guardian available to assist immediately, but said community organizations and school booster groups could help fill those gaps and provide assistance for students who need support. 4:51:13 PM CHAIR TOBIN invited the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) to present the fiscal note. 4:51:22 PM KELLY MANNING, Deputy Director, Division of Innovation & Education Excellence, Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), Juneau, Alaska, Offered an overview of the fiscal note OMB 2796 for SB 151. She stated there are two primary costs associated with the bill. The first is $6,000 for services to develop regulations needed to implement the statute. She explained the second cost is $1,544,000 annually in grants to school districts to support compensation for school nurses. The estimate is based on fall staff accounting from 2024, which shows 100 certificated school nurses statewide with an average annual salary of approximately $77,000. She noted that currently all certificated school nurses are located in the Anchorage and Mat-Su School Districts, which would influence how the funding is distributed. She added that regulations would outline the allocation of funds if the appropriation does not cover the full 20 percent reimbursement. 4:53:56 PM CHAIR TOBIN asked about language in SB 151 on [page 1], lines 9 and 10 allowing another health care provider to conduct lice checks if a district does not employ a certificated nurse. She asked whether the department has an estimate of how many districts might qualify for funding under that provision. 4:53:29 PM MS. MANNING responded that nine districts, including Anchorage and Mat-Su, currently employ classified nurse personnel. Those staff positions could potentially qualify for reimbursement. She said districts without those staff often rely on public health  nurses to assist with similar health policies. 4:54:04 PM SENATOR STEVENS asked why the state would reimburse school districts for nurses when districts already receive funding for nurses. He asked whether the reimbursement is necessary if nurses are already funded through existing education funding. 4:54:39 PM SENATOR BJORKMAN responded that many schools do not have elementary school nurses, or they share a nurse among several schools. He explained that a nurse may only be present at a school for a limited portion of the week. He said SB 151 is intended to encourage districts to employ more nurses at least half-time in school buildings, and districts would only receive reimbursement if the nurse met the requirements outlined in the bill. 4:56:27 PM CHAIR TOBIN opened public testimony on SB 151; finding none, she closed public testimony. 4:56:44 PM CHAIR TOBIN held SB 151 in committee.