HB 195: An Act changing the term 'physician assistant' to 'physician associate'; relating to physician associates; relating to collaborative practice agreements for pharmacists; relating to the prescription of opioid overdose drugs; relating to the prescription and administration of drugs and devices by pharmacists; relating to reciprocity for pharmacists; amending the definition of 'practitioner'; and providing for an effective date. - Alaska

Enrolled HB 195 → HB 195 · 8 edits

MODERATE

This is a comprehensive Alaska healthcare practice bill (HB 195) that makes sweeping changes across multiple professional licensing statutes. It renames 'physician assistant' to 'physician associate' throughout state law, expands pharmacist scope of practice including independent patient care services and collaborative practice agreement protections, mandates offering opioid overdose reversal drugs (such as naloxone) when prescribing opioids under specified conditions, and adds reciprocity and continuing education requirements for pharmacists. The diff shows the full enrolled text being replaced, with the truncated portion likely containing the corresponding added lines.

Scope change

The bill significantly expands the scope of practice for pharmacists (independent patient care, collaborative practice agreement protections, reciprocity) and physician associates (death pronouncement, DNR orders, telehealth prescribing), while adding new mandatory co-prescription requirements for opioid overdose reversal drugs across multiple provider types.

DEFINITION

The term 'physician assistant' is changed to 'physician associate' throughout Alaska statutes, including in medical board composition, licensing, delegation of duties, death pronouncement authority, DNR order authority, and health care provider definitions.

SCOPE

New section AS 08.02.150 prohibits the department or any board from requiring fees, approval, or other regulation of collaborative practice agreements between pharmacists and practitioners, effectively shielding these agreements from regulatory interference.

Pharmacists may independently provide patient care services for general health and wellness, disease prevention, and minor self-limiting conditions without requiring a new diagnosis, or with a new diagnosis only if guided by a CLIA-waived test or a statewide standing order from the chief medical officer.

The definition of 'practitioner' in controlled substance law (AS 11.71.900) is amended to explicitly include pharmacists who prescribe or administer controlled substances in the course of professional practice, and renumbers institutional provisions.

REQUIREMENT

Physicians, dentists, advanced practice registered nurses, and optometrists must offer a prescription for an opioid overdose drug (e.g., naloxone) when prescribing opioids that exceed a three-day supply, reach 50+ morphine milligram equivalents daily, are combined with a benzodiazepine, or the patient has a history of overdose or substance use disorder.

Pharmacists must complete at least two hours of continuing education in pain management and opioid use and addiction during each licensing period, with exemptions available if their practice does not include opioid prescribing or they lack a federal DEA registration.

Pharmacists applying for licensure by examination must receive education in pain management and opioid use and addiction unless they demonstrate they do not hold a valid federal DEA registration number.

ELIGIBILITY

Pharmacist reciprocity (license transfer) is expanded to allow out-of-state pharmacists to obtain Alaska licensure if they meet specified criteria including one year of practice, passing an Alaska law exam, and meeting pain management education requirements.

CSHB 195(FIN) → Enrolled HB 195 · 1 edit · Aug 18, 2026

MINOR

The bill was finalized and enrolled for passage, retaining its core policy to rename 'physician assistants' to 'physician associates' and expand pharmacist authority. The text also includes provisions for opioid overdose drug prescriptions and reciprocity for pharmacists, with no substantive policy changes to the operational rules between the committee version and the final enrolled version.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains unchanged; it continues to apply to the State of Alaska's medical and pharmacy regulatory framework.

TECHNICAL

The document format was updated from a committee draft (CSHB 195(FIN)) to the final enrolled version (Enrolled HB 195), including the addition of the official Laws of Alaska header and page numbering.

CSHB 195(L&C) → CSHB 195(FIN) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was finalized by the House Finance Committee, changing the title to reflect a name change from 'physician assistant' to 'physician associate' and adding provisions for opioid overdose drug prescriptions. The committee also reorganized the bill's structure, moving collaborative practice agreement rules to a new section and adding specific requirements for dentists to offer naloxone prescriptions in certain situations.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a name change for a specific medical profession and added new requirements for dentists regarding opioid prescriptions.

DEFINITION

The term 'physician assistant' was changed to 'physician associate' throughout the bill, likely to align with national professional standards.

New definitions were added for 'opioid overdose drug' and expanded the definition of 'health care provider' to include physician associates.

REQUIREMENT

Dentists are now required to offer patients a prescription for an opioid overdose drug (like naloxone) if the opioid prescription exceeds three days, involves high daily dosages, includes benzodiazepines, or if the patient has a history of overdose.

STRUCTURE

The bill's internal structure was significantly reorganized, with rules regarding collaborative practice agreements moved to a new section and the order of amendments to the state code altered.

TIMELINE

The bill's status changed from a committee version (L&C) to a final version (FIN), with the offering date updated to May 15, 2026.

HB 195 → CSHB 195(L&C) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to add new provisions regulating collaborative practice agreements, which allow pharmacists to work with physicians under shared agreements. This change explicitly prohibits the state board or department from requiring fees, seeking approval, or defining the scope of services for these agreements, thereby removing regulatory barriers to this practice model. The document also updated the bill's title and committee referral information to reflect its status as a committee substitute.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include specific protections for collaborative practice agreements, shifting the regulatory approach from oversight to non-interference in these specific pharmacist-physician partnerships.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new section prohibiting the department or board from requiring fees, approval, or specific definitions for collaborative practice agreements between pharmacists and physicians.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'collaborative practice agreement' and 'patient care services' to clarify the new regulatory framework.

TIMELINE

Updated the bill's effective date reference and committee referral details to reflect its progression as a committee substitute.

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