AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC 861
Alaska2026Vetoed
HB70
Emergency Medical Services for Working Dogs and Paramedic Powers
Last scannedSep 22, 2026, 12:32 AM
In one sentence
This bill allows certified emergency medical workers to treat working dogs in emergencies, expands their authority at accident scenes involving these animals or people, protects veterinarians from lawsuits when they take over care of a dog after an emergency worker treats it, and sets training rules for treating operational canines.
What it does
- Allows certified emergency medical technicians and mobile intensive care paramedics to provide emergency medical services to operational canines under specific department-approved rules.
- Gives emergency workers the authority to enter buildings or block roads if they believe an injured person or working dog is inside, including entering private dwellings with reasonable cause of injury or illness.
- Protects veterinarians from civil lawsuits when they receive a transferred working dog in good faith after it was treated by an emergency worker.
- Requires the department to prescribe training courses that include authorization for technicians and paramedics to provide specific medical services to operational canines.
- Limits the ability of doctors, nurses, or physician assistants to share medical records with emergency workers only to what is necessary to evaluate their performance.
Who it affects
- Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and mobile intensive care paramedics
- Veterinarians licensed in Alaska
- Operational canines used by agencies for work duties
- Agencies that employ or direct emergency medical services
Limits and unknowns
- The bill was vetoed by the governor on July 16, 2025, so it did not become law unless lawmakers later overrode that decision.
- The text does not list specific medical treatments allowed for dogs, only stating they must follow rules approved by the department.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Operational canine
- A dog trained and employed to perform specific job duties, such as search and rescue or police work.
- Mobile intensive care paramedic
- A highly trained emergency medical worker who can provide advanced life support services in the field.
- Civil liability
- Legal responsibility for paying damages or compensation if someone is harmed due to an action or mistake.
Official record
Sources
Read the official summary
EMERGENCY MED SVCS; OPERATIONAL CANINES An Act relating to emergency medical services for operational canines; relating to the powers, duties, and liability of emergency medical technicians and mobile intensive care paramedics; relating to the practice of veterinary medicine; relating to civil liability of veterinarians; and providing for an effective date.
Official activity
Bill history
- (H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 7/16/251385
- (H) 11:45 A.M. 6/30/25 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR1371
- (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE1351
- (H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y34 N61350
- (H) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 91350
- (H) CONCUR MESSAGE TAKEN UP1350
- (H) CONCUR MESSAGE RECEIVED1349
- (S) VERSION: SCS CSHB 70(HSS)1379
- (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDED1379
- (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE1367
- (S) PASSED Y20 N-1367
- (S) READ THE THIRD TIME SCS CSHB 70(HSS)1367
- (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC1367
- (S) HSS SCS ADOPTED UC1367
- (S) READ THE SECOND TIME1367
- (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/20/20251367
- (S) Minutes (SL&C)Min
- (S) Moved SCS CSHB 70(HSS) Out of CommitteeText
- (S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)Text
- (S) FN1: ZERO(DOH)1354
Changes
Amendments
1 stored