SB 56-HOME HEALTH AGENCIES/HOSPITALS/HOSPICES                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN MACKIE called the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee                                                                  
meeting to order at 1:40 p.m. and announced SB 56 to be up for                                                                  
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WILKEN, sponsor of SB 56, said the Long Term Care Task                                                                  
Force met over the interim and this legislation is a result of                                                                  
their third recommendation.  It provides that when DHESS approves                                                               
different care giving facilities across the state, the final report                                                             
is made public within 14 days of being finished.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The second thing it does is gives the statutory authority to DHESS                                                              
to do this review which it has already been doing for a number of                                                               
years.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WILKEN noted that he has a proposed CS, version I, that                                                                 
addresses a concern from the Alaska State Hospital Nursing Home                                                                 
Association about what time in the process the final report was                                                                 
made public.  It sets forth the fact of what is the final report                                                                
and that it is released fourteen days after it is given to the care                                                             
giving facility.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN moved to adopt CS version I, 4/7/99 Lauterbach, to SB                                                             
56.  There were no objections and it was so ordered.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. ELMER LINDSTROM, Special Assistant, Department of Health and                                                                
Social Services, said the reporting provision is a good consumer                                                                
provision and is very straight forward.  The other element giving                                                               
specific statutory authority to license home health agencies is                                                                 
something they have done for years anyhow under the general powers                                                              
of the Department, but the Department of Law pointed out that it                                                                
would be more appropriate to have the specific authority when it                                                                
comes time for promulgating regulations.  He noted the zero fiscal                                                              
note, since this is a function they are already doing.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. LARRAINE DERR, President, Alaska State Hospital and Nursing                                                                 
Home Association, concurred with Mr. Lindstrom's comments and                                                                   
supported  CSSB 56(L&C).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KELLY moved to pass CSSB 56(L&C) from committee with                                                                    
individual recommendations.  There were no objections and it was so                                                             
ordered.