ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
April 23, 2025
2:01 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Kelly Merrick, Vice Chair
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
Senator Forrest Dunbar
Senator Robert Yundt
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 103
"An Act relating to certified nurse aide training; and providing
for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
SENATE BILL NO. 49
"An Act relating to workplace violence protective orders;
relating to the crime of violating a protective order; relating
to the powers of district judges and magistrates; amending Rules
4 and 65, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure, and Rule 9, Alaska
Rules of Administration; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 103
SHORT TITLE: CNA TRAINING
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) GRAY-JACKSON
02/19/25 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/19/25 (S) L&C, FIN
04/23/25 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
BILL: SB 49
SHORT TITLE: WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PROTECTIVE ORDERS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) CLAMAN
01/22/25 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/17/25
01/22/25 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/22/25 (S) STA, JUD
03/13/25 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/13/25 (S) Heard & Held
03/13/25 (S) MINUTE(STA)
04/10/25 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/10/25 (S) Moved CSSB 49(STA) Out of Committee
04/10/25 (S) MINUTE(STA)
04/14/25 (S) STA RPT CS 1NR 1DP 3NR NEW TITLE
04/14/25 (S) AM: KAWASAKI
04/14/25 (S) DP: GRAY-JACKSON
04/14/25 (S) NR: WIELECHOWSKI, BJORKMAN, YUNDT
04/14/25 (S) JUD REFERRAL REMOVED
04/14/25 (S) L&C REFERRAL ADDED AFTER JUD
04/23/25 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
DEIRDRE GOINS, Staff
Senator Elvie Gray-Jackson
Alaska State Legislator
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the sectional analysis for SB 103.
MAUREEN TOWNSEND, Board Member
Alaska Chapter
Alzheimer's Association
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified by invitation on SB 103.
MICHELLE CASSANO, Member
Alzheimer's Association
Akron, Ohio
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified by invitation on SB 103.
KAY PAPAKRISTO, Outreach Director
Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska (ARA)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified by invitation on SB 103.
BREANNA KAKARUK, Staff
Senator Matt Claman
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SB 49 on behalf of the sponsor.
BREDNA STANFILL, Executive Director
Alaska Network on Domestic Violence
and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA)
Juneau ,Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified by invitation on SB 49.
EILEEN ARNOLD, Executive Director
Tundra Women's Coalition
Bethel, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified by invitation on SB 49.
ACTION NARRATIVE
2:01:38 PM
VICE-CHAIR MERRICK called the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting to order at 2:01 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Gray-Jackson, Dunbar, Yundt and Vice Chair
Merrick.
SB 103-CNA TRAINING
2:02:31 PM
VICE-CHAIR MERRICK announced the consideration of SENATE BILL
NO. 103 "An Act relating to certified nurse aide training; and
providing for an effective date."
2:02:58 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON speaking as the sponsor presented SB 103 as
follows:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Currently in Alaska, Certified Nurse Aides, also
referred to as CNA's, go through training programs
that meet federal and state standards, but we've heard
a growing recognition that these standards need to
evolve to reflect the increasing complexities of
patient care in Alaska. Our population is aging, and
our CNAs are relied on to be well trained, not only in
physical care, but also in emotional and cognitive
support.
One area for improved training would be in dementia
and Alzheimer care, client communication, and
recognizing the psychosocial and emotional needs of
patients experiencing these conditions. These symptoms
are being overlooked because we are not properly
training our nurse aides to identify the symptoms
sooner.
This bill before us today would strengthen training
requirements to ensure that all certified nurse aides
in our state are equipped with the necessary skills to
provide high quality, compassionate care. Enhancing
training standards is the least we can do for our
aging population in Alaska.
Most, if not all of us, have experienced the terrors
of Alzheimer's and dementia firsthand, and by
modernizing training requirements, Senate Bill 103
will help build a more skilled workforce, which will
in return improve patient outcomes, and ensure that
Alaskans receive the highest level of care.
Many states across the country are implementing laws
requiring dementia and Alzheimer's training for
Certified Nurse Assistants, and SB103 would align
Alaska with those high-quality standards of patient
care.
2:04:51 PM
DEIRDRE GOINS, Staff, Senator Elvie Gray-Jackson, Alaska State
Legislator, Juneau, Alaska, presented the sectional analysis for
SB 103:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Sectional Analysis Version A
Section 1- Adds a new subsection to AS 08.68.331.
Certification of Nurse Aides
(c) Regulations adopted under (a)(1) of this section
establishing standards for a Certified Nurse Aide
(CNA) training program must require that the program
(1) be conducted in a manner ensuring clients
receive safe and competent care; and
(2) train a certified nurse aide to
(A) form a relationship, communicate, and
interact competently with a client;
(B) demonstrate sensitivity to the
emotional, social, and mental health needs
of a client through skillful and direct
interactions;
(C) assist a client in reaching and
maintaining independence;
(D) support and promote the rights of a
client;
(E) demonstrate the skills of observing and
monitoring a client during caregiving, as
well as reporting those observations to
enable the assessment of the health,
physical condition, and well-being of a
client;
(F) demonstrate knowledge of the abilities
and care needs of a client;
(G) use a problem-solving approach when
providing care;
(H) use techniques that ensure and preserve
the respect, values, choices, and dignity of
a client;
(I) demonstrate knowledge of client
assessment and care planning best practices;
(J) use effective communication skills,
including while communication with a client
with psychosocial needs or Alzheimer's
disease, dementia, a mental illness, an
intellectual disability, or another
cognitive disability or impairment;
(K) provide care to a client who is
cognitively impaired or has a decline in
cognitive function related to dementia; and
(L) demonstrate basic knowledge of
Alzheimer's disease, dementia, dementia-
related behaviors, and the activities of
daily living; in this subparagraph,
"activities of daily living" means eating,
dressing, grooming, bathing, and toileting.
Section 2 This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
2:06:30 PM
VICE-CHAIR MERRICK announced invited testimony on SB 103.
2:06:43 PM
At ease.
2:07:05 PM
VICE-CHAIR MERRICK reconvened the meeting.
2:07:19 PM
MAUREEN TOWNSEND, Board Member, Alaska Chapter, Alzheimer's
Association, Soldotna, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB
103. She stated that even with her CNA training she felt
unprepared for the challenges she experienced working in the
dementia wing. She said better training could have helped her
work with dementia patients. She stated that her experience in
the dementia wing led her to switch careers because she felt
like training would not prepare her to work as a CNA.
2:08:47 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR asked Ms. Townsend where she received her CNA
training.
2:08:58 PM
MS. TOWNSEND responded that she went to Kenai Peninsula College
(KPC) located in Soldotna.
2:09:06 PM
SENATOR YUNDT asked what are the CNA training requirements and
how are they affected by SB 103.
2:09:27 PM
MS. TOWNSEND replied she completed six months of CNA training.
2:09:45 PM
SENATOR YUNDT asked what changes she would make to CNA training.
2:09:56 PM
MS. TOWNSEND responded she would like to see more training on
managing behavioral challenges because she felt unprepared to
handle or de-escalate patients in distress.
2:10:58 PM
MICHELLE CASSANO, Member, Alzheimer's Association, Akron, Ohio,
testified by invitation on SB 103. She read the following:
[Original punctuation provided.]
I'm a retired nurse, and I support Senate Bill 103. I
care deeply about quality dementia education and
person-centered care training for CNAs because my
husband, Larry, deserved better care.
He had Alzheimer's, and our family made the difficult
decision to place him in a facility here in Anchorage.
While it is a respected facility, and of higher
quality than some others in Alaska, their staff were
still very uneducated about dementia and person-
centered care. Subsequently, Larry was frequently
unnecessarily transported to Emergency Services, which
averaged $14,000 at least once a month, mostly very
late or in the middle of the night. Larry did not
need emergency care. He was exhibiting normal, non-
emergency dementia behaviors and needed to simply be
put back to bed. The lack of quality education of
Alaska's CNAs is a burden to emergency rooms, a poor
use of resources, and terribly upsetting to patients
and families.
CNAs trained in dementia care can effectively manage
challenging behaviors and ensure the safety and
security of our loved ones. The educational content
outlined in Senate Bill 103 would give families peace
of mind, knowing that their family member is in
capable hands, even in difficult situations. CNAs
trained in dementia care can recognize early signs and
symptoms of cognitive decline. This enables timely
interventions and support services, potentially
slowing the progression of dementia.
I was later able to get my husband into a facility
with better trained and experienced staff, who
understood common dementia behaviors, like lying on
the floor when tired, they helped him avoid falls and
gave him the personal care he needed. He spent two
years at that new facility with educated staff without
one hospital visit. CNAs are an important part of the
healthcare team, and all of Alaska's CNA programs
should cover person centered care, signs and symptoms
of dementia, and content on responding to challenging
dementia-related behaviors. Further CNA's want to have
the skills needed to care for their patients,
resources are available...I even took a series of
classes called Savy Care Giving and used online
resources during our long journey.
2:15:48 PM
KAY PAPAKRISTO, Outreach Director, Alzheimer's Resource of
Alaska (ARA), Anchorage, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB
103. She read the following:
[Original punctuation provided.]
I'm here today to speak in strong support of Senate
Bill 103, which will help ensure that Certified Nurse
Aides across Alaska receive essential dementia
training.
The importance of dementia training is something many
of us come to learn about through personal experience.
Prior to working with our agency, one of our ARA team
members had her parents in different dementia care
homes. Her parents required about the same level of
care and, in both settings, CNAs were reported to be
kind, caring, and deeply committed to their work but
the difference in the quality of care was profound. In
one home, the father was treated with dignity, largely
because his dementia care needs and challenges were
anticipated. In the other home, lack of dementia
understanding and training led to missed signs,
misinterpreted behavior, and unnecessary stress not
just for the mother, but for other residents and staff
too.
Speaking of staff, I was invited to observe a VA
hospital where young CNAs and nurses on [the] dementia
wing were feeling overwhelmed and unsafe. Many of the
veterans were living with dementia alongside other
complex conditions, like PTSD, which just make things
even more complex. With proper dementia training, CNAs
can anticipate needs, respond with confidence, and
create a calmer, more supportive environment. Good
training doesn't just help CNAs feel more prepared
it ensures they are safer, more capable in their
roles, and recognized as essential members of the care
These stories are not isolated they reflect a
statewide need. SB 103 is a simple, cost-effective,
and meaningful step in the right direction. It
supports our CNA workforce by giving them what they
need to succeed. It strengthens our healthcare system,
supports those who provide direct care, and honors the
people for whom they care.
2:19:14 PM
VICE-CHAIR MERRICK held SB 103 in committee.
2:19:19 PM
At ease.
SB 49-WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PROTECTIVE ORDERS
2:20:25 PM
VICE-CHAIR MERRICK reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 49(STA) "An Act relating
to workplace violence protective orders; relating to attorney
fees; relating to the crime of violating a protective order;
relating to the powers of district judges and magistrates;
amending Rules 4 and 65, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure, and
Rule 9, Alaska Rules of Administration; and providing for an
effective date."
2:20:52 PM
BREANNA KAKARUK, Staff, Senator Matt Claman, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, introduced SB 49 on behalf of the
sponsor as follows:
[Original punctuation provided.]
A few years ago, a member of the legal community
contacted our office about a situation where a former
employee made a credible threat that he intended to go
into the employer's worksite and shoot as many people
as he could. When the attorney representing the
employer tried to obtain a restraining order, she
realized that to protect the employer, she would need
to file a civil lawsuit and ask for a temporary
restraining order. That process takes several days to
complete and often costs thousands of dollars. In
contrast, people seeking a domestic violence
protective order can usually get the court order
within one day.
Senate Bill 49, modeled after Alaska's domestic
violence protective order process, allows an employer
to file a petition for a protective order against an
individual under two circumstances: first, an
individual has committed an act of violence against an
employer or employee at the workplace and second, an
individual made a threat of violence against the
employer or employee that may be carried out at the
workplace. A violation of the provisions of the
protective order would be the crime of violating a
protective order, which is a class A misdemeanor.
Senate Bill 49 will prohibit attorney fee awards
against the petitioner in domestic violence
restraining order proceedings, stalking and sexual
assault protective orders, and ex parte protective
orders.
We worked closely with the Alaska Network on Domestic
Violence and Sexual Assault on our legislation last
year that is now Senate Bill 49 to ensure that this
legislation provides employers with a more effective
way to protect their workplace without reaching into
the personal lives of their employees.
Eleven states have laws providing for the issuance of
protective or restraining orders that are specific to
workplace violence. Utah is the most recent addition
to this list, which passed a workplace violence
protective order law in 2023.
2:23:05 PM
VICE-CHAIR MERRICK announced invited testimony on SB 49.
2:23:21 PM
BREDNA STANFILL, Executive Director, Alaska Network on Domestic
Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA), Juneau, Alaska, testified
by invitation on SB 49. She stated ANDVSA represents 24
statewide member organizations, including 19 in rural Alaska and
16 off the road systems; these networks provide direct support
to survivors. She highlighted that shelters often face safety
threats along with the victims. She said SB 49 would allow
organizations to seek protection when credible threats arise,
without disclosing if someone is being sheltered. She shared an
example from Emmonak Women's shelter, where staff were harassed
from just outside the property linelegal action wasn't
possible, but SB 49 would offer needed options.
2:26:20 PM
EILEEN ARNOLD, Executive Director, Tundra Women's Coalition
(TWC), Bethel, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 49. She
stated that workplaces like TWC, which shelter victims from
abusers, are sometimes directly threatened. Tools like SB 49 are
needed to protect both staff and residents. She said that in her
10 years as director, there have been a few unforgettable times
when she put staff on high alert. She gave an example of a
situation when TWC was threatened by an abuser of a victim
staying at TWC. Many victims don't get protective orders for
reasons such as: distrust of law enforcement, fear it will not
help, past orders not being served, and concern the protective
order might reveal their location. She stated that programs like
TWC need tools to set boundaries with people who use violenceto
send a clear message that it's not acceptable and to protect
those living and working in our women shelters.
2:30:29 PM
VICE-CHAIR MERRICK held SB 49 in committee.
2:30:53 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Vice Chair Merrick adjourned the Senate Labor and Commerce
Standing Committee meeting at 2:30 p.m.