Senate committee advances bill updating Alaska health information exchange

The Senate Health and Social Services Committee on March 17 voted to release Senate Bill 272, a measure that updates Alaska's electronic health records law, after a brief staff recap and no public testimony.

Ariel Harbison, staff to Chair Dunbar, told the committee the bill clarifies the division of responsibilities between the Department of Health and the designee that administers the health information exchange and adds a representative to the governing board to represent behavioral-health providers. "Really, this bill is looking to update and improve the electronic health records law in Alaska," Harbison said.

A committee member moved that SB 272 (version A) be released "from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note," granting Legislative Legal authority to make conforming changes. Chair Dunbar called for objections; seeing none, the motion carried and the committee recessed briefly to sign paperwork.

No public witnesses appeared to testify on the bill at this hearing. The committee recorded the action and will forward SB 272 to the next referral in the legislative process with the committee's recommendations and fiscal attachment.