SB 48-PSYCH. EVALUATION/TREATMENT FOR STUDENTS  10:12:15 AM CHAIR RALPH SEEKINS announced SB 48 to be up for consideration. SENATOR BETTYE DAVIS introduced the bill. She said there are many other states that have passed similar legislation. RICHARD BENAVIDES, Staff to Senator Davis, explained that the bill basically states that a public school may not deny any student access to programs or services because the parents refuse to place the student on psychotropic medications, get a psychiatric evaluation or seek treatment for the child. It also spells out what communications are allowed, who can do evaluations and the protections a parent or guardian has against being reported to the Office of Children's Services (OCS). The sponsor recognizes that psychotropic drugs are sometimes used to address mental health problems. The U.S. Department of Education has clearly informed educators that medical professionals, not education professionals, are responsible for prescribing medication. A 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) requires that each state prohibit any school district personnel from requiring a child to obtain a prescription for psychotropic drugs as a condition of attending school. This does not prevent teachers from sharing classroom- based observations with parents or guardians. Essentially, any medical decision to address a student's need is a matter between the student, the parent and a competent healthcare professional chosen by the parent. Nothing in the bill prevents school personnel from using any other means of dealing with behavioral problems. The bill targets teachers who attempt to prevent children from attending school. 10:17:26 AM CHAIR SEEKINS called for public testimony. STUART THOMPSON, Wasilla, testified in support of SB 48. School administrator training is not designed to make educators competent to practice any type of medicine, he stated. Advertisements by pharmaceutical companies attempt to convince the mainstream that children with excess energy suffer from chemical imbalances, which their drugs would cure. Years of using legal drugs begets years of using illegal drugs, he claimed. He encouraged the committee to support SB 48. 10:22:27 AM MARGARET ANTHONY, Fairbanks, expressed concern regarding the number of children in America on psychotropic drugs. Some of the most talented people in history had a hard time sitting still in school, such as Albert Einstein and actor Tom Cruise. Today the two might be diagnosed with ADD and put on drugs. She informed the committee that any person who was been on Ritalin for more than two years is not eligible to serve in the military. People on psychotropic drugs present higher risks of suicide and violent behavior. One of the students who went on the shooting spree in Columbine High School was on such types of drugs, she stated. The drugs appear to interfere with good judgment. She encouraged the committee to support the bill. 10:26:33 AM FRANK TURNEY, Fairbanks, said he was a community activist who supported SB 48. He informed the committee of a resolution passed in 2005 by the borough assembly in support of this legislation. Many parents are concerned with their children being misdiagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and then denied the opportunity to serve in military service. He agreed with previous testimony from Ms. Anthony regarding increased erratic behavior of young adults who have been put on psychotropic drugs. 10:31:50 AM GREG STERNQUIST, Chiropractor, said he has treated children for ADHD for many years and considers himself an expert on psychotropic drugs. He recognized that teachers are doing a good job overall but they do not have possess the education level to diagnose or suggest treatment to children. He urged the committee to support the bill. 10:33:35 AM ANGELA TILLERY, Director, Church of Scientology, testified in support of the bill. She has counseled parents whose children have been recommended psychotropic drugs due to their hyperactivity. School districts want a quick fix because they have too many children in the classroom and they seek easier control, she claimed. 10:36:47 AM RICHARD WARNER, President of the Seattle Chapter of the Citizen's Commission on Human Rights, testified in support of the bill. Similar legislation has passed in many other states. Children are exposed to many different factions in today's society and there are many different root causes to mental instability including too much television watching, poor nutrition, and exposure to environmental toxins. The Surgeon General's 1999 report on mental health says there is no definitive lesion, laboratory tests or abnormality in brain tissue that can identify mental illness. The FDA has recently issued an unprecedented series of warning against psychotropic drugs. They have found that anti- depressants can double a child's risk of becoming suicidal. ADHD drugs such as Ritalin can increase cardiovascular problems, lead to hallucinations, aggression, violence, and psychotic behavior. Tests show that the drugs are no more effective than placebos in treating children for hyperactivity. 10:41:18 AM MR. WARNER continued his only problem with the S version of the bill is that the original bill was much stronger. He encouraged the committee to return the bill to its stronger position of protecting parents who refuse to put their children on drugs. 10:44:16 AM SENATOR CHARLIE HUGGINS asked Senator Davis whether she agreed with Mr. Warner's stance for a stronger bill. SENATOR DAVIS said she felt the bill was in good form. CHAIR SEEKINS closed public testimony. SENATOR GRETCHEN GUESS moved to report CSSB 48(HES) from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. Hearing no objections, the motion carried.