HOUSE BILL 66 "An Act giving notice of and approving the entry into, and the issuance of certificates of participation in, a lease-purchase agreement for a centralized public health laboratory facility." GREGORY HAYES, DR., CHIEF, STATE PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORIES, ANCHORAGE, provided an overview of the handout. [Copy on file]. He spoke to the proposition of a new public health lab located in Anchorage which would include the medical examiners lab and the functions of the Juneau and Anchorage laboratories and would be designed and constructed through debt financing. The unique role of public health laboratories are to assess infectious disease in partnership with private laboratories, specializing in disease surveillance and recognition of new and re-emerging diseases and applying critical state of the art technology for rapid testing of large numbers of specimens, in face of an epidemic. Mr. Hayes provided examples of how public health labs have historically benefited the public by addressing the epidemic gastroenteritis and contamination of king crab, epidemic gastroenteritis in the Tourism Industry-May 1992, tuberculosis outbreaks in rural villages, and the rabies expertise in Pilot Point exposure in 1995. He explained the public health lab mission statement: * Essential component of state and national public health systems providing a different purpose than private labs; * To provide scientific and technical information for disease prevention; 6 * First line of defense in recognizing and controlling spread of communicable diseases; * Accomplish core public health functions and responsibilities in partnership with private and federal laboratories. Dr. Hayes addressed the need to build a new facility. He emphasized that it would save money while maintaining an essential public service more cheaply and efficiently. To have new advances requires new technologies and a modern, well-designed, adaptable, safe laboratory, which is a 21st Century necessity. He stressed that the status quo cannot continue. The State can not afford nor does it need four separate labs. The current arrangement for the medical examiner is untenable. Dr. Hayes pointed out that the Legislature almost approved the new lab during the last session. That legislation would have combined the Anchorage and Juneau public health labs and medical examiner into a new lab in Anchorage, leaving the Fairbanks public health lab operating. The current labs spaces are inadequate and crowded, consuming 15,000 square feet. The proposed architectural and laboratory standards require 23,400 gross square feet. Construction of this facility would be adequate for at least fifty years. Construction would start in 1999 @ $482/square foot. Costs would reflect: * Special utility & ventilation requirements; * Special containment; * Explosion proof; * Morgue; * Security access; and * High floor loading & floor ceiling heights. Co-Chair Therriault asked what the building complex would house. Dr. Hayes reiterated that there would be technical area, a darkroom, shared storage, microbiological center, immunology area, molecular diagnostic area, classroom training, support areas, employee areas, specimen processing unit; utility space and waste storage, bulk storage, housekeeping, reception areas, technical administrative and billing offices and a conference room. There also would be an embalming room, shower room, body holding room, and a place where the chief medical examiner, pathologist and chief investigator would co-locate, a photo lab and receiving area. This area would total 5,915 square feet. In response to Co-Chair Therriault, Dr. Hayes informed members that the library/conference room would be technically for staff to keep their journals, whereas, the 7 classroom would be an area for educating and training other labatorians in the State. In response to Co-Chair Therriault, Dr. Hayes noted that he had answered all questions posed by the Senate Finance Committee during his overview presentation. MIKE PROBST, DR., ANCHORAGE, MEDICAL EXAMINER, ANCHORAGE, explained that the medical examiner currently has space in two buildings. The space occupied in the laboratory was not designed as a morgue for people; it was designed to do post morgue examinations on animals. Also, the demands to do DNA testing technology by the crime laboratory has increased in the past few years and the Department needs the space currently being occupied by the medical examiner. Representative J. Davies cited that construction cuts would be around $12 million dollars. He inquired what the remaining $6 million dollars would be budgeted for. TOM WILLIAMS, FACILITY MANAGER, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, stated that the full cost would include not only the construction cost but also the design and equipment costs. There would be a savings of $200 thousand dollars per year in comparison to the existing situation. Currently, leased costs paid in Anchorage and Juneau would be consolidated creating also a savings in personnel costs. Over the life time of the building, those savings could provide for the cost of the facility. The recommended space is projected to cover the State's needs for up to a fifty year time period. Representative Martin MOVED to report CS HB 66 (HES) out of Committee with individual recommendations and with the accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. CS HB 66 (HES) was reported out of Committee with a "no recommendation" and with a fiscal note by the Department of Administration dated 2/5/97, the Department of Health and Social Services dated 2/5/97, the Department of Revenue dated 2/5/97 and a zero fiscal note by the Department of Public Safety dated 2/5/97. # ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 3:10 P.M. 8