SB 220 - ADD "CAT" TO SCHEDULE IA DRUG LIST Number 565 CHAIRMAN PORTER introduced SB 220, explaining that the bill would add a synthetic drug, presently being abused, to our list of schedule 1A, controlled substances. He asked if there was any discussion on this bill. He noted that our label says "2A" but it is supposed to read "1A." REP. JAMES made the same statement that she had made on Saturday regarding this bill. She wished there was some language put into the statutes making all such drugs illegal when they are dreamed up, instead of the legislature having to come back and put each one on the list individually. She thought they should still be looking for some wording as to the purpose or affects of the drug or something. It seems that as soon as a drug is added to the list, somebody comes up with a new drug, and she would like to see that stop. Number 590 CHAIRMAN PORTER could not disagree with that, and thought there was a law passed stating that if the federal drug list was updated, that ours was automatically updated. He said, while we do not have the lag time we used to have, we still have a little bit of lag time in these kinds of drugs getting up here to Alaska. Number 600 REP. PHILLIPS said that in looking through the bill pack, it appeared that the bill [drug] did make it's debut in Hawaii in 1989 and has been moving around the country since that time. She said this is a preventative measure bill. She asked if we have had instances of law enforcement officers actually finding it ["cat"] being utilized in Alaska. CHAIRMAN PORTER said he believed the testimony to have been that we have not had any known use of this substance in Alaska. It does not mean that it is not here, we just have not heard about it yet. So we may actually be taking a preemptory strike here, rather than a reactive strike. Number 620 REP. GREEN asked if we are presently checking for methcathinone on arrests on people who are acting weird. He asked if there is equipment to check for this, seeing a zero fiscal note. He thought there must be some sort of test they do. Number 625 CHAIRMAN PORTER said they probably would not be testing for consumption, they would be testing the item itself if it were found on the person. The Alaska Forensics Lab has the ability to test for any chemical. Number 627 REP. PHILLIPS pointed out that the second page of the fiscal note from the Department of Law addresses that they do not expect a significant new case load upon the approval of this bill. Although an additional case load is not expected, including the "cat" schedule is important because of danger to users in the public. Number 637 CHAIRMAN PORTER noted that, remarkably, there are many people who are very knowledgeable about what is and what is not against the law in that area, and are guided thereby. Number 640 REP. JAMES made amotion to move SB 220 with individual recommendations and a zero fiscal note. The bill was moved.