[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6235453,"mediaKeyId","3397658-ddb6115649b6b4b61ccd58b280fa40b7","parentId",3397658,"title","Committee advances bill creating pathway to independent licensure for physician assistants; raises scope and specialty questions","audioSeconds",777,"startMs",1992000,"endMs",2769000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3397658-ddb6115649b6b4b61ccd58b280fa40b7&start=1992&end=2769","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3397658-ddb6115649b6b4b61ccd58b280fa40b7/thumbnail_1992000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6235453/Alaska/Committee-advances-bill-creating-pathway-to-independent-licensure-for-physician-assistants-raises-scope-and-specialty-questions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6235453-d52f3b68391abf1b5a280dd81eb513e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140586&Signature=PwFjN5mT6MgrK7o6nnTb0qEdlAENPmwOI3f0xAd-DXV0POSqHKHxX8kq-dnM3Uv5ooFEqzIoJCB0D-dchZOVUH65bj4ktE5WO~g~3fEU7Cd~FfzYIJgJ0~j-fLl-uH9EZIygc5AcjIhI0H2uCGEDEwK5P3z8UatDvME7spVuo9L~TmUdRQYyycBu5dxCOTtwLT87CtKpFALCVfjZ-UsXm1i~E~bBO8L9TS1KMJV5hGQdMKpIZFZ0T3TfLXJbVwl8zHDIVsi~iGhJX8B5FtnZiyEgkXN7T0Wo8CwQuTUfV4bc9GEO713bHpb3-fO7kHh~ZJJ38J2nnLv~jk~149n1EA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska State Legislature","date","2025-05-19T13:30:00Z","article","The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Monday voted to report a committee substitute for Senate Bill 89, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note, sending the measure on for further consideration.

Senate Bill 89 would create a pathway for physician assistants (PAs) to exit collaborative agreements and seek independent licensure after meeting specified postgraduate clinical‑hour requirements, specialty attestations and related processes overseen by the state medical board.

Senator Lukey Tobin, sponsor of SB89, and Mackenzie Pope, staff to the senator, outlined changes in the version before the committee. The bill as amended increases the required postgraduate clinical hours to 6,000 before a PA may exit a collaborative agreement, adds a process for documenting specialty training and requires that a collaborating physician who attests to specialty hours practice in the same specialty. The measure also directs the state medical board to process attestations, prohibits retaliation in the attestation process, and requires notification to the board when a PA attests completion of requirements to exit a collaborative agreement.

Staff described a list of regulatory limits including language that \"a PA may not perform surgery without acting as an assistant to a physician, osteopath, or podiatrist\" while also instructing the state medical board to adopt regulations that \"at a minimum\" allow PAs to perform acts for which they have been trained. Senator Dunbar asked whether routine procedures such as suturing would be permitted under the language and whether the ‘‘no surgery’’ clause might unintentionally bar commonly performed procedures. Mackenzie Pope replied that the subsection sits under the section directing the state medical board to create regulation and said those regulations are intended to allow sutures and other commonplace procedures that PAs are generally educated to perform.

On specialty attestations, committee members raised practical concerns about the availability of specialists in Alaska to serve as collaborating physicians. Senator Tobin and staff said collaborating physicians can reside out of state in current practice and that specialty attestations could similarly rely on out‑of‑state practitioners when needed. The version before the committee also placed a cap on additional specialty hours that can be required and provided a process for reconsideration in the event a PA is denied exit of the collaborative agreement.

The committee adopted a narrow amendment to clarify parallel list language in two places in the bill to ensure listed items are taken together rather than singularly. A motion was made to report the committee substitute, as amended, from committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note and to grant legislative legal authority to make technical and conforming changes; the chair announced no objection and the measure was reported from committee.

Senator Dunbar said she will continue to review the language and raised concern that some changes advanced at this committee were not previously considered in the Health Committee. The sponsor and staff indicated they were open to further changes in later referrals. The committee also directed that the state medical board and regulators be involved in implementation of the regulatory framework for exit attestations and specialty documentation.

The bill will move forward with committee recommendations and technical changes authorized for legislative legal. Specific regulatory details — including the content of regulations the state medical board will adopt and how specialty hours will be evaluated — remain to be finalized through the board and subsequent committee or floor action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","05/19/2025 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Monday voted to report a committee substitute for Senate Bill 89, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6235459,"Senate committee advances ‘Rico’s Law’ to let Alaska EMS treat and transport operational canines",1312,440000,1752000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3397658-ddb6115649b6b4b61ccd58b280fa40b7&start=440&end=1752","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3397658-ddb6115649b6b4b61ccd58b280fa40b7/thumbnail_440000.jpg","/articles/6235459/Alaska/Senate-committee-advances-Ricos-Law-to-let-Alaska-EMS-treat-and-transport-operational-canines","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6235459-430915c49452e1d36a0c9445583b4732/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140586&Signature=kiJthsv95MBsFFHqUHltJjymwfEvwdsRdJJncfVNyX5QdUA2Q4b6d0lhaPrpsNdn~ciKMeJMQOG1dOBes3vgLd5RpkWbMlLM2C71l8a8OPVakHpcbBHzWL-99te7QIZRfAUx5veTuoB4OojusDQv6vJDyCIkVKdrfnJj~3oA5Ly8htDLwfRj3MYeO7Q8mNJp2GGDz4GnFaE6XBaHDqEUWjLdqPZady-Rx96joT6m1tfV8iZF7x0Pc62Z0dC9xWz1Sxua-xOTMbp32KtcIpXdKxdfBkl~qbs5jatJoHacdBV4sLRjzcvwNVbUAnrtsoowBYPhQeWPVsVS0QCZ4fq2BQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Labor and Commerce on Monday moved House Bill 70, known as \"Rico's Law,\" out of committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note, clearing the way for further consideration by the full Senate.

The bill would authorize licensed emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and mobile intensive care paramedics to provide on‑scene emergency care and transport for \"operational canines\" — dogs used by law enforcement, search‑and‑rescue, or other government operations — and sets out training, liability protection, transfer, and access provisions.

Supporters told the committee the change addresses a legal gap that can prevent timely care. Jeremy Houston, staff to Representative Calvin Schrage, summarized the bill’s core purpose: \"House Bill 70 empowers emergency medical services personnel to deliver on scene point of injury emergency care and transport for operational canines.\" Brian Lipkin, an Anchorage EMS clinician and the principal author of the bill, said HB70 \"brings clarity, compassion, and responsible framework\" after years of field crews facing a legal and ethical gray area.

The bill’s text, as presented to the committee, would: allow EMTs and mobile intensive care paramedics to perform emergency services on an operational canine without being deemed to practice veterinary medicine under specified Alaska statutes; require transfer of the animal to a licensed veterinarian at the earliest practical opportunity; authorize EMS to enter premises to render care if there is reasonable cause to believe an operational canine has been injured; require the Department of Health to establish course or certificate prerequisites for authorization; and provide civil‑liability protection for EMS and for veterinarians who receive transferred canines under certain circumstances. The sponsor set an effective date of January 1, 2026.

Dr. Melissa Edwards, a licensed Alaska veterinarian and treasurer of the National Association of Veterinary EMS, testified in support and described existing national training and guideline efforts. \"With proper evidence based veterinary directed training, medical control, and direction, EMS providers can provide resuscitative point of care injury and transport of operational canine safely and successfully,\" Edwards told the committee. She offered to serve on an advisory panel to help develop Alaska‑specific protocols and training.

Representatives of the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association and the Board of Veterinary Examiners said they oppose the bill as written but are open to collaboration. A representative identified in testimony as Doctor Mikaela, speaking for the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association, said the group supports \"first aid and transport\" and urged inclusion of veterinarians and the Board of Veterinary Examiners in implementation planning: \"We are supportive of collaborative efforts and advisory panel moving forward with House Bill 70.\" Committee members and bill proponents described discussions already under way to create an advisory panel and training oversight to address those concerns.

Committee members asked about safeguards and implementation in Alaska’s rural settings; supporters said Alaska EMS already carries equipment and medications that could be adapted for veterinary prehospital care and noted existing courses such as canine tactical emergency casualty care (canine TECC) as training models. The bill also adds statutory language intended to limit liability for veterinarians who treat transferred canines and to allow veterinarians to share medical information with EMS in narrow circumstances for performance review and continuity of care.

On committee action, a member moved that the measure be reported from committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note. There was no recorded roll‑call vote; the chair announced, \"Is there any objection? Seeing and hearing none, House Bill 70 ... is reported from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note.\" The committee also noted plans for paperwork and regulatory design and flagged continued engagement with veterinary stakeholders during implementation.

If passed by the full Legislature and signed by the governor, the bill would take effect Jan. 1, 2026. Implementation would require Department of Health rulemaking to establish training/certificate prerequisites and working protocols that include veterinary participation, according to proponents.

The Labor and Commerce Committee heard invited and public testimony from EMS practitioners, veterinarians, and veterinary association representatives during its consideration. The bill will advance to the next stage of the legislative process with committee recommendations and an attached fiscal note.","Senate Labor and Commerce on Monday moved House Bill 70, known as \"Rico's Law,\" out of committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note, clearing the way for further consideration by the full Senate.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee advances bill creating pathway to independent licensure for physician assistants; raises scope and specialty questions

Senate committee advances ‘Rico’s Law’ to let Alaska EMS treat and transport operational canines