Alaska 33rd Legislature (2023-2024) Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 15 R · 11 D · 3 I cosponsors

HB 56 — An Act relating to the certification of veterinarians; exempting veterinarians from the requirements of the controlled substance prescription database; and providing for an effective date.

Last action — (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW 7/7/23

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 03, 2023. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Mike Dunleavy (Republican) on October 16, 2023.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 40 sponsors

    1 primary, 39 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 3 parties (15 R · 11 D · 3 I) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

62 added · 28 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Bill HB 56 exempts veterinarians from the requirements of the controlled substance prescription database when they prescribe or dispense controlled substances for animals. This change aims to reduce administrative burdens on veterinarians, allowing them to provide care more efficiently without unnecessary red tape. This exemption matters because it can help ensure that pets and other animals receive timely treatment while still maintaining safety standards surrounding controlled substances.

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Latest
33-LS0394\A HOUSE BILL NO.
LAWS OF ALASKA Source Chapter No.
56 IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION BY REPRESENTATIVES RUFFRIDGE, Hannan, Carrick, Sumner, Galvin, Mears, Gray, Schrage, Prax, McKay, Carpenter, Mina, Allard, McCormick, Himschoot, Stutes, Saddler, Story, Wright, Ortiz, Stapp, Tomaszewski, Armstrong, Dibert, C.Johnson, Cronk, Tilton, Rauscher, McCabe SENATORS Myers, Tobin, Kaufman, Wilson, Dunbar, Gray-Jackson, Bjorkman, Bishop, Claman, Merrick, Hughes Introduced:
SCS HB 56(L&C) _______ AN ACT Relating to the certification of veterinarians;
2/3/23 Referred:
exempting veterinarians from the requirements of the controlled substance prescription database;
Health and Social Services, Labor and Commerce A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED "An Act exempting controlled substances prescribed or dispensed by a veterinarian to treat an animal from the requirements of the controlled substance prescription database." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
and providing for an effective date.
* Section 1.
_______________ BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
THE ACT FOLLOWS ON PAGE 1 Enrolled HB 56 AN ACT Relating to the certification of veterinarians;
exempting veterinarians from the requirements of the controlled substance prescription database;
and providing for an effective date.
_______________ * Section 1.
AS 08.98.050(b) is amended to read:
(b) The board may (1) establish examination and registration requirements for veterinary technicians;
(2) adopt regulations or do any act necessary to carry out its duties under this chapter;
(3) adopt a certification process for licensure to practice veterinary medicine.
* Sec.
2.
AS 08.98.165(a) is amended to read:
(a) An applicant is qualified to receive a license as a veterinarian who -1- Enrolled HB 56 (1) is a graduate of an accredited veterinary school or who has successfully completed the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates certification, the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence certification, or another certification process approved by the board;
(2) has, within the 60 months preceding application for the license, passed a national examination for veterinarians approved by the board;
(3) has passed the written examination of the state on specific Alaska issues of veterinary practice;
(4) is in good standing, as defined by the board in regulations;
and (5) has paid required fees.
* Sec.
3.
AS 08.98.184 is amended to read:
Sec.
08.98.184.
Licensure by credentials.
The board shall approve the issuance of a license to an applicant who holds a valid license to practice veterinary medicine in another state, territory, or country if the applicant (1) has graduated from an accredited school of veterinary medicine or has successfully completed the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates certification, the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence certification, or another certification process approved by the board;
(2) has been engaged in the active practice of veterinary medicine for at least five of the seven years before filing the application;
(3) has passed the written examination of the state on specific Alaska issues of veterinary practice;
(4) is in good standing, as defined by the board in regulations;
and (5) has paid required fees.
* Sec.
4.
2.
5.
(v) This section does not apply to a schedule II, III, or IV controlled substance prescribed or dispensed by a veterinarian licensed under AS 08.98 to treat an animal.
(v) This section does not apply to a schedule II, III, or IV controlled substance Enrolled HB 56 -2- prescribed or dispensed by a veterinarian licensed under AS 08.98 to treat an animal.
3.
6.
HB0056a -1- HB 56 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
* Sec.
7.
This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).
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-3- Enrolled HB 56
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Action History

  1. (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW 7/7/23

  2. (H) Signed into law 7/6 CHAPTER 14 SLA 23

  3. (H) 2:26 P.M. 6/26/23 Transmitted to Governor

  4. (H) COSPONSOR(S): MCCABE

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

  6. (H) CONCURRED AM OF (S) Y40

  7. (H) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 2

  8. (H) CONCUR TAKEN UP UC

  9. (H) CONCUR READ AND HELD

  10. (S) VERSION: SCS HB 56(L&C)

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

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

  13. (S) PASSED Y19 N- A1

  14. (S) READ THE THIRD TIME SCS HB 56(L&C)

  15. (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/12 CAL

  16. (S) L&C SCS ADOPTED UC

  17. (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  18. (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/11/23

  19. (S) FN1: ZERO(CED)

  20. (S) DP: BJORKMAN, MERRICK, GRAY-JACKSON, BISHOP, DUNBAR

  21. (S) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 2

  22. (S) L&C RPT SCS(L&C) 5DP NEW TITLE

  23. (S) Minutes (SL&C)

  24. (S) Moved SCS HB 56(L&C) Out of Committee

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

  26. (S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): MERRICK, HUGHES

  27. (S) Minutes (SL&C)

  28. (S) Heard & Held

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

  30. (S) BJORKMAN, BISHOP, CLAMAN

  31. (S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): MYERS, TOBIN, KAUFMAN, WILSON, DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON,

  32. (S) L&C

  33. (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  34. (H) VERSION: HB 56

  35. (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

  36. (H) COSPONSOR(S): DIBERT, C.JOHNSON, CRONK, TILTON, RAUSCHER

  37. (H) PASSED Y35 N1 E4

  38. (H) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 56

  39. (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC

  40. (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  41. (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 3/29/2023

  42. (H) FN1: ZERO(CED)

  43. (H) DP: PRAX, CARRICK, SADDLER, RUFFRIDGE

  44. (H) L&C RPT 4DP

  45. (H) Minutes (HL&C)

  46. (H) Moved HB 56 Out of Committee

  47. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124

  48. (H) COSPONSOR(S): ARMSTRONG

  49. (H) Minutes (HL&C)

  50. (H) Heard & Held

  51. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124

  52. (H) FN1: ZERO(CED)

  53. (H) DP: SUMNER, RUFFRIDGE, MCCORMICK, SADDLER, MINA, PRAX

  54. (H) HSS RPT 6DP

  55. (H) COSPONSOR(S): ORTIZ, STAPP, TOMASZEWSKI

  56. (H) Minutes (HHSS)

  57. (H) Moved HB 56 Out of Committee

  58. (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:00 PM DAVIS 106

  59. (H) COSPONSOR(S): SADDLER, STORY, WRIGHT

  60. (H) COSPONSOR(S): MCCORMICK, HIMSCHOOT, STUTES

  61. (H) Minutes (HHSS)

  62. (H) Heard & Held

  63. (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:00 PM DAVIS 106

  64. (H) COSPONSOR(S): MCKAY, CARPENTER, MINA, ALLARD

  65. (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled> -- MEETING CANCELED --

  66. (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:00 PM DAVIS 106

  67. (H) COSPONSOR(S): PRAX

  68. (H) COSPONSOR(S): SCHRAGE

  69. (H) HSS, L&C

  70. (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 39 co-sponsors · 36 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (39)

Not signed on (36)

36 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 36 →

"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

veterans 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 HB 56?
HB 56 is sponsored by Hughes, Kelly Merrick (R), Matt Claman (D), Bishop, Jesse Bjorkman (R), Elvi Gray-Jackson (D), Forrest Dunbar (D), Wilson, James Kaufman (R), Löki Tobin (D), Robert Myers (R), Kevin McCabe (R), George Rauscher (R), Cathy Tilton (R), Mike Cronk (R), C.Johnson, Maxine Dibert (D), Armstrong, Frank Tomaszewski (R), Will Stapp (R), Ortiz, Wright, Andi Story (D), Dan Saddler (R), Louise Stutes (R), Rebecca Himschoot (N), Mccormick, Jamie Allard (R), Genevieve Mina (D), Carpenter, Mckay, Mike Prax (R), Calvin Schrage (N), Andrew Gray (D), Donna Mears (D), Alyse Galvin (N), Sumner, Ashley Carrick (D), Sara Hannan (D), and Justin Ruffridge (R).
What is the current status of HB 56?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 03, 2023. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 56?
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