Press Releases
BOARD CONFIRMS VETS' RIGHT TO REPORT CRUELTY
Rep. Gardner's efforts result in clarification of regulations
JUNEAU -- On Friday at their annual meeting the Board of Veterinary Examiners discussed a confidentiality regulation many veterinarians believed prohibited them from reporting animal cruelty to law enforcement when the suspected violator was a client. The regulation is 12 AAC 68.100.
The board ruled that nothing in the confidentiality regulation is intended to limit a veterinarian's ability to report animal cruelty. It also added immunity for veterinarians from civil and criminal prosecution for reporting animal cruelty. The board will initiate a regulations amendment process.
During the 25th Legislative Session, Rep. Berta Gardner (D - Anchorage) sponsored an amendment to HB 297, a bill to allow fourth year vet students to participate in an externship. The proposed amendment affirmed the right of veterinarians to report animal cruelty.
"Veterinarians who believe they were prohibited from reporting animal cruelty came to me for help," Gardner said. "And although some Board members insisted that veterinarians can and do report abuse to law enforcement, the Legislative Research report done at my request found not a single example of a legal case in which a veterinarian had contacted law enforcement to report animal cruelty. Alaskans assume veterinarians actively fight animal abuse, including involving law enforcement when necessary, and if there is confusion about their right to do so, it urgently needs clarification."
Legal review of the amended regulations is scheduled for October during the Board's next meeting.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 3, 2008
State Legislature Passes Purple Heart Trail
Gardner, Ellis bill to honor wounded and killed veterans passes on unanimous vote
JUNEAU - By a vote of 39-0, the House of Representatives today passed legislation that designates the Alaska Highway from Fairbanks to the Canadian Border a part of the nationwide Purple Heart Trail. SB 216 previously passed the State Senate 19-0. The Purple Heart is awarded to soldiers who are killed or wounded by enemy fire, and 44 states have included all or part of their interstate highway system in this honorary designation. SB 216 was sponsored by Sen. Johnny Ellis (D-Anchorage), and the House companion, HB 283, was sponsored by Rep. Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage).
"Over 100,000 veterans and active duty soldiers and airmen call Alaska home," Gardner said. "And recognizing the sacrifices they have made for each of us is a natural fit for our state."
The bill will place signs along the roadway at the Canadian border, Delta Junction, Tok, Fairbanks and midpoints between each city, as well as establish three informational pull-outs along the roadway.
"It was our goal to ensure that Alaska was not the last state in the union to join this worthy effort," Ellis said. "And the Alaska Highway's history makes it the perfect choice for this designation." The road was originally built by the U.S. military during World War II.
The House adopted a letter of intent to ensure that the Black Veteran's Memorial Bridge over the Gerstle River is recognized as a significant point on the Purple Heart Trail. The bridge was named by the legislature in 1993 in honor of the segregated battalions that made a significant contribution to the construction of the highway. The letter of intent will be in front of the Senate tomorrow.
The bill now moves to the Governor for her signature.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 4, 2008
GARDNER: 'HEALTH CARE DECISION REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE'
Legislator wants CON studied before changes made
JUNEAU - Today Rep. Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage) offered an amendment to temporarily protect Alaska's Certificate of Need process for health care and order an independent study to assess the program and present the Legislature with the data needed to make informed choices about whether to reform or replace the CON.
Governor Palin's health care plan, HB 337, would end the CON program entirely, and a proposed House Health , Education, and Social Services committee substitute would eliminate the program in Anchorage alone, without sufficient information about the ramifications. The study requested by Gardner would be the first of its kind since the program's 1977 implementation in Alaska.
Mandated by Congress' National Health Planning and Resources Development Act (NHPRDA) of 1974, intent on strengthening fiscally responsible health planning and care availability, all states created or modified existing CON programs to conform to federal requirements. Many state programs fell short of NHPRDA's stated goals, however, and the Act was repealed in 1986. Since then, individual states have either retained, repealed, or modified individual CON programs.
Alaska's CON program remains in place and had been publicly supported by the Department of Health and Social Services until early 2008. Last year, with nine pending lawsuits against the state, a 22 member CON Negotiated Rulemaking Committee comprised of industry stakeholders, and minus consumers, agreed CON should not be eliminated, and recommended "the state collect data that shows whether the CON process actually accomplishes its stated purpose of cost containment and access." Instead, the Administration introduced HB 337, repealing the program entirely. An amended version of HB337 considered by the House Health, Education, and Social Services Committee would modify it.
"Talk of CON repeal has resulted in intensive lobbying in my office," Gardner said. "Each side quotes studies purportedly proving effectiveness or failures of CON. It seems to me that before we repeal or significantly modify Alaska's CON we should see some real data about its effectiveness. I'm not willing to make any changes until I understand what CON does or does not do for Alaskan healthcare consumers."
The committee failed to adopt Gardner's amendment on a 4-2 vote, but included the requested study in its final version. HB 337 now moves to the House Finance Committee.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 22, 2008
GARDNER BILL HANGS UP ON EXCESS PHONE BOOKS
Printers limited to delivering one book (set) per home
JUNEAU - Rep. Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage) introduced a bill that would limit the number of telephone directories a printer or distributor can deliver to a household. HB 387 would limit the number of directories a printer/distributor can leave at a residence to 1 (or 1 set). Additional books can be provided if requested by someone in the home.
Currently, printer/distributors deliver a directory (or set of directories) for each residential telephone line so a home with multiple lines will receive multiple directories from the same company. The extra phone books go from the doormat to the land fill or recycling center without being used. HB 387 will stop the creation of this excess waste "I believe that this is not just an inconvenience to the resident but it creates unnecessary recycling headaches and land-fill costs," Gardner said.
Competition and free market economy are both important considerations of any legislation. HB 387 does not impinge on the rights of printers/distributors to create directories, to sell advertising in them and to deliver to residences and offices. It does propose to limit their ability to litter the front porches of our homes and to create disposal headaches and costs for us.
To contact Representative Gardner about HB 387 call her office 907-465-4930 or cell phone 907-223-9330.