Alaska 31st Legislature (2019-2020) Status: Enacted 1 R cosponsors

SB 44 — An Act relating to the prescription of drugs by a physician assistant without physical examination; relating to prescription drugs under the medical assistance program; and providing for an effective date.

Last action — (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 04, 2019. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 72% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

4 added · 4 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Bill SB 44 has removed a provision that specified an effective date for the bill. This means the bill will now not have a specific start date tied to its enactment, which could allow for a more immediate implementation of the changes regarding prescription practices by physician assistants. This matters because it could make it easier for physician assistants to prescribe medications more promptly, potentially improving access to care for patients.

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Alaska State Legislature The Alaska State Legislature menu Home Senate Current Members Past Members By Session Alphabetical House Current Members Past Members By Session Alphabetical Bills & Laws Bills All Introduced Actions by Date Awaiting Actions Bills sent to Conf Committee Bills in Committee Governor's Vetoes Passed Legislation Prefile Bill Summary Requestor Summary Statistics Sponsor Summary Subject Summary Laws Constitution Constitutional Convention Files Statutes Executive Orders - Current Executive Orders - Historical Administrative Code Journals Session Laws & Resolves Session Laws & Resolves 2019 Session Laws & Resolves 2020 - Previous Year Session Law - Previous Year Legislative Resolves Tools Statute Information Retrieval System Bill Tracking Management Facility Past Legislatures (Archives) Committees Hearing Schedule Standing Committees Finance Committees Special Committees Joint Committees Conference Committees Other Committees Minutes Publications Get Started Information Offices Legislative Affairs Legislative Agencies Links Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch Alaska Delegation Home Bill & Laws Bills SB 44 Detail FullText txt SB 44:
"An Act relating to the prescription of drugs by a physician assistant without physical examination;
"An Act relating to the prescription of drugs by a physician assistant without physical examination." SENATE BILL NO.
and providing for an effective date." CS FOR SENATE BILL NO.
44 01 "An Act relating to the prescription of drugs by a physician assistant without physical 02 examination." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
44(L&C) 01 "An Act relating to the prescription of drugs by a physician assistant without physical 02 examination;
and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
14 * Sec.
5.
This Act takes effect March 1, 2020.
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How this bill changes current law

8 changes Share ↗

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill modifies the regulations surrounding the prescription of drugs by physician assistants and establishes guidelines for a preferred drug list under state medical assistance programs.

  • AS 08.64.101(a)

    (6) adopt regulations that establish guidelines for a physician or physician assistant who is rendering a diagnosis, providing treatment, or prescribing, dispensing, or administering a prescription drug to a person without conducting a physical examination under AS 08.64.364; the guidelines must include a nationally recognized model policy for standards of care of a patient who is at a different location than the physician or physician assistant;

    This adds regulations for prescribing without a physical examination.

  • AS 08.64.364(a)

    a physician or physician assistant for rendering a diagnosis, providing treatment, or prescribing, dispensing, or administering a prescription drug that is not a controlled substance to a person without conducting a physical examination if → for rendering a diagnosis, providing treatment, or prescribing, dispensing, or administering a prescription drug that is not a controlled substance to a person without conducting a physical examination if the physician, physician assistant, or another licensed health care provider in the medical practice is available to provide follow-up care; and

    This clarifies the conditions under which disciplinary actions cannot be taken against physician assistants.

  • AS 08.64.364(b)

    prescribing, dispensing, or administering a prescription drug that is a controlled substance or botulinum toxin if the requirements under (a) of this section and AS 08.64.363 are met and the physician or physician assistant prescribes, dispenses, or administers → if the requirements under (a) of this section and AS 08.64.363 are met and the physician or physician assistant prescribes, dispenses, or administers

    This eliminates redundancy in the phrasing of conditions for prescribing controlled substances.

  • AS 08.64.364(c)

    a physician may not prescribe, dispense, or administer an abortion-inducing drug under (a) of this section unless the physician complies with AS 18.16.010; and [OR] → a physician may not prescribe, dispense, or administer an abortion-inducing drug under (a) of this section unless the physician complies with AS 18.16.010; and

    This maintains the existing prohibition on prescribing abortion-inducing drugs without compliance with certain regulations.

  • AS 47.05.012

    (14) a document related to a resuscitation protocol that is published, compiled, or prepared based on the recommendations from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation; (15) the preferred drug list adopted by the department under AS 47.07.065(b); or (16) a prior authorization medications list under a state program permitted under 42 U.S.C. 1396r-8 (Title XIX, Social Security Act).

    It expands the list of documents that can be incorporated by reference in regulations.

  • AS 47.07.065

    (b) The department shall adopt in regulation and regularly update a preferred drug list and a prior authorization medications list under a state program permitted under 42 U.S.C. 1396r-8 (Title XIX, Social Security Act). The department shall take other reasonable cost savings and cost containment measures, including pursuing and securing negotiated rates, rebates, and contracts or other agreements on covered outpatient drugs. In this subsection, 'preferred drug list' means a list of prescription medications within a therapeutic class and suggested as the first choice when prescribed for individuals within the medical assistance program.

    This establishes the requirement for the department to maintain a preferred drug list.

  • Uncodified law of the State of Alaska

    The State Medical Board may adopt regulations necessary to implement the changes made by secs. 1 - 4 of this Act. The regulations take effect under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act), but not before the effective date of the law implemented by the regulation.

    This allows the State Medical Board to create necessary regulations to enforce the new provisions.

  • Sec. 8

    Sections 5 - 7 of this Act take effect immediately.

    This specifies that certain sections of the Act will take effect without delay.

Action History

  1. (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER

  2. (S) Signed into law 8/8 CHAPTER 18 SLA 19

  3. (S) MANIFEST ERROR(S)

  4. (S) 9:51 A.M. 8/6/19 Transmitted to Governor

  5. (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  6. (S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y19 N- A1

  7. (S) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND TAKEN UP

  8. (H) VERSION: HCS CSSB 44(FIN)

  9. (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) AS AMENDED

  10. (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): TARR, SPOHNHOLZ

  11. (H) TITLE CHANGE: HCR 9

  12. (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  13. (H) PASSED Y35 N1 E2 A2

  14. (H) Read the third time HCS CSSB 44(FIN)

  15. (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/15 CALENDAR

  16. (H) FIN HCS ADOPTED UC

  17. (H) Read the second time

  18. (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/14/2019

  19. (H) FN3: (DHS)

  20. (H) FN1: (CED)

  21. (H) NR: CARPENTER, KNOPP, JOSEPHSON, SULLIVAN-LEONARD, ORTIZ

  22. (H) DP: JOHNSTON, TILTON, LEBON, MERRICK, WILSON

  23. (H) PENDING TITLE CHANGE HCR

  24. (H) FIN RPT HCS(FIN) NT 5DP 5NR

  25. (H) Minutes (HFIN)

  26. (H) Moved HCS CSSB 44(FIN) Out of Committee -- Recessed to 4:10 pm --

  27. (H) FINANCE at 02:30 PM ADAMS ROOM 519

  28. (H) Minutes (HFIN)

  29. (H) Scheduled but Not Heard -- Recessed to a Call of the Chair --

  30. (H) FINANCE at 09:00 AM ADAMS ROOM 519

  31. (H) Minutes (HFIN)

  32. (H) Heard & Held

  33. (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS ROOM 519

  34. (H) FIN

  35. (H) Read the first time - REFERRALS

  36. (S) VERSION: CSSB 44(FIN)

  37. (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)

  38. (S) ENGROSSED

  39. (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  40. (S) PASSED Y20 N-

  41. (S) Read the third time CSSB 44(FIN)

  42. (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC

  43. (S) FIN CS ADOPTED UC

  44. (S) Read the second time

  45. (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/8/2019

  46. (S) Minutes (SFIN)

  47. (S) Moved CSSB 44(FIN) Out of Committee

  48. (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532

  49. (S) FN2: ZERO(ADM)

  50. (S) FN1: (CED)

  51. (S) NR: SHOWER

  52. (S) DP: STEDMAN, VON IMHOF, MICCICHE, HOFFMAN, OLSON, WILSON, BISHOP

  53. (S) FIN RPT CS 7DP 1NR NEW TITLE

  54. (S) Minutes (SFIN)

  55. (S) Heard & Held

  56. (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532

  57. (S) FIN REFERRAL ADDED AFTER L&C

  58. (S) FN2: ZERO(ADM)

  59. (S) FN1: (CED)

  60. (S) DP: REINBOLD, BISHOP, BIRCH, COSTELLO

  61. (S) L&C RPT CS 4DP NEW TITLE

  62. (S) Minutes (SL&C)

  63. (S) Moved CSSB 44(L&C) Out of Committee

  64. (S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  65. (S) Minutes (SL&C)

  66. (S) Heard & Held

  67. (S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  68. (S) L&C

  69. (S) Read the first time - REFERRALS

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 64 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (64)

64 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 64 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 44?
SB 44 is sponsored by Cathy Giessel (R).
What is the current status of SB 44?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 04, 2019. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 44?
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