HB 173-SCREENING NEWBORNS FOR HEARING ABILITY CHAIR DYSON announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 173, "An Act relating to establishing a screening, tracking, and intervention program related to the hearing ability of newborns and infants; providing an exemption to licensure as an audiologist for certain persons performing hearing screening tests; relating to insurance coverage for newborn and infant hearing screening; and providing for an effective date." Number 0230 RICHARD BLOCK, Christian Science Committee Publication of Alaska, testified via teleconference on HB 173. He said he is speaking on behalf of those people who, as a matter of practice and religious commitment, rely exclusively on prayer for healing. To those people, the notion that they or their children would be subjected to a physical exam is something that they would find not consistent with their faith. He stated that throughout the history of Alaska, the Alaska State Legislature has recognized this legitimate concern and has provided accommodations. He said [the Christian Science Committee Publication of Alaska] would ask, if it is the intent of the legislature to adopt this public policy of generally requiring hearing screening, that they continue the practice of recognizing the special concerns of people who rely on prayer for healing, and exempt them from this requirement. MR. BLOCK pointed out that there is a federal law that encourages this, but which also contains a provision by Congress that recognizes the concerns of those who rely on prayer for healing. He stated that the language he proposes essentially parallels that in the congressional Act. CHAIR DYSON asked Mr. Block if his religion rejects screening, since nothing in the bill has to do with healing. MR. BLOCK responded that [Christian Scientists] fundamentally do object [to the screening], because they start from the premise of man's perfection and have been successful in asserting that. They do not choose to start their new children's lives by looking for things that are wrong. CHAIR DYSON stated that he understands that part of the motivation [behind HB 173] is that detecting hearing loss with newborn children is quite difficult to do. He added that children whose hearing loss is not corrected, either through intervention or prayer, will have profound learning disabilities and perhaps socialization ones. Number 0587 CHRISTINE HESS, Staff to Representative Reggie Joule, Alaska State Legislature, explained that page 5, subsection (f), provides an exemption from the testing on the grounds that the procedures conflict with the religious tenets and practices of the parent. REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA stated: This sort of brings to mind for me [that] ... over time we've begun to be more sensitive about the words we use. We say hearing "loss," and in a way this may be a hearing "difference." And what we're really talking about is how we teach. I'm sure that [Mr. Block's] membership is not opposed to education, and really this is education. Number 0717 [There was a motion to report HB 173 out of committee, but it was withdrawn in order to take up an amendment. REPRESENTATIVE JOULE made a motion to adopt Amendment 1, which read [original punctuation and capitalization provided]: Page 5, subsection (g), lines 14-18 DELETE    There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. REPRESENTATIVE WILSON moved to report HB 173, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 173(HES) moved from the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee.