On February 7, 2025, Senate Bill 89 was introduced/read on the senate floor.  SB89 was then referred to the Health & Social Services and Labor and Commerce Committees.  The bill is sponsored by Senator Loki Tobin and now co-sponsored by Senator Cathy Giessel, Senator Shelly Hughes, and Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson.  We are honored to work with these champions for access to care for all Alaskans. 

SB 89 is the next step for modernizing PA practice in Alaska. 

We are excited to get things moving to establish the PA profession permanently in Alaska statues. Updating statues that were created in 1970s will allow PAs to practice to the full extent of their education, training, and experience.

We thank all our members for taking the time to complete our multiple polls over the last few years. AKAPA is here to represent our members and your feedback drives our efforts.  Please look for the latest poll regarding SB 89.

As we saw with past proposed regulation changes, things can change quickly for our PA profession when not defined in the statutes.  SB 89 protects the PA profession and Alaskan's access to high quality health care.

**February 27, 2026**  SB89 PA Modernization Bill has been amended with many great changes.

Amended SB89 will:

• Maintains a commitment to practice medicine and collaboration with positions and other members of the health care team, while enabling PA's to practice to the top of their education, training, and experience.
• Provides a structure for PAs to practice in specific physician LED settings without administrative burdens and under collaborative agreement, when required, that can be addressed and maintained at the practice level.
• Allows PA's to provide safe, responsible, and effective quality care to patients.
• Regulates Physician Assistants (PAs) through the Alaska State Medical Board, ensuring PAs remain subject to all regulations applicable to licensed medical providers. PAs will continue to meet all required certification, credentialing, and privileging standards as determined by their practice or healthcare system
• Prevents insurance companies from imposing practice, education, or collaborative requirements on PA's that are inconsistent with or more restrictive than imposed in statutes or regulations.

Amended SB89 has moved to Senate Rules Committees and awaits movement to the Senate floor for a vote.  Once it passes Senate it will move to the House side for HSS and L&C Committtees. We have a lot of work ahead but things are moving fast! 

Please join us for our weekly Advocacy Update Zoom calls every Friday and our next Town Hall Advocacy Meeting in March, watch for social media announcements.