HB244 • 2026

CNA TRAINING

An Act relating to certified nurse aide training; and providing for an effective date.

Education Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVES UNDERWOOD, Costello, Fields, Frier, Tomaszewski, Mina, Josephson, Story, McCabe SENATORS Gray-Jackson, Dunbar, Bjorkman, Kawasaki, Tilton, Rauscher, Yundt, Cronk, Claman
Last action: 2026-05-20
Official status: RTN TO (H) GOV NEXT
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on enforcement mechanisms or additional resources for training programs.

Certified Nurse Aide Training Requirements

This act changes the requirements for training programs that prepare people to become certified nurse aides in Alaska.

What This Bill Does

Adds new rules about how certified nurse aide (CNA) training must be done, including teaching students how to form good relationships with clients and communicate effectively.
Requires CNA training to teach students to support the rights of their clients and help them stay independent.
Includes training on observing and reporting client health needs, as well as problem-solving skills.
Ensures that CNAs learn about Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and how to care for people with cognitive impairments.

Who It Names or Affects

People who want to become certified nurse aides in Alaska
Training programs for certified nurse aides

Terms To Know

Certified Nurse Aide (CNA): A person trained and licensed to provide basic care to patients or residents of nursing homes, hospitals, or other healthcare facilities.
Activities of Daily Living: Basic self-care tasks such as eating, dressing, grooming, bathing, and toileting.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the new training requirements will be enforced.
It is unclear what resources or support will be provided to help existing CNA programs meet these new standards.

Bill History

2026-05-20 Alaska State Legislature
(H) AWAITING TRANSMITTAL TO GOV
2026-05-19 2797
(S) VERSION: HB 244
2026-05-19 2797
(S) RETURN TO (H), TRANSMIT TO GOV NEXT
2026-05-19 2804
(S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): YUNDT, CRONK, CLAMAN
2026-05-19 2797
(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
2026-05-19 2796
(S) PASSED Y20 N-
2026-05-19 2796
(S) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 244
2026-05-18 2762
(S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): RAUSCHER
2026-05-18 2759
(S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/19 CAL
2026-05-18 2759
(S) READ THE SECOND TIME
2026-05-18 2759
(S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/18/2026
2026-05-14 2640
(S) FN1: ZERO(CED)
2026-05-14 2640
(S) DP: BJORKMAN, DUNBAR, MERRICK, GRAY-JACKSON, YUNDT
2026-05-14 2640
(S) L&C RPT 5DP
2026-05-13 Text
(S) Moved HB 244 Out of Committee
2026-05-13 Text
(S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
2026-05-13 2628
(S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): DUNBAR, BJORKMAN, KAWASAKI, TILTON
2026-05-11 Text
(S) Heard & Held
2026-05-11 Text
(S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
2026-05-11 2578
(S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): GRAY-JACKSON
2026-05-01 2430
(S) L&C
2026-05-01 2430
(S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
2026-04-30 2365
(H) VERSION: HB 244
2026-04-30 2365
(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
2026-04-30 2364
(H) COSPONSOR(S): MINA, JOSEPHSON, STORY, MCCABE
2026-04-30 2358
(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
2026-04-30 2357
(H) PASSED Y39 E1
2026-04-30 2357
(H) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 244
2026-04-29 2343
(H) COSPONSOR(S): FRIER, TOMASZEWSKI
2026-04-29 2337
(H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/30 CALENDAR
2026-04-29 2337
(H) READ THE SECOND TIME
2026-04-29 2337
(H) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/29/2026
2026-04-20 2214
(H) FN1: ZERO(CED)
2026-04-20 2214
(H) DP: FRIER, COULOMBE, SADDLER, D.NELSON, HALL, FIELDS
2026-04-20 2214
(H) L&C RPT 6DP
2026-04-17 Text
(H) Moved HB 244 Out of Committee
2026-04-17 Text
(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
2026-04-15 Text
(H) Heard & Held -- Meeting Postponed from 3:15 pm 4/13/2026--
2026-04-15 Text
(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 08:00 AM BARNES 124
2026-04-13 Text
(H) -- Testimony <Invitation Only> -- -- Meeting Postponed to 8:00 am 4/15/2026--
2026-04-13 Text
(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
2026-04-08 2049
(H) FN1: ZERO(CED)
2026-04-08 2049
(H) DP: PRAX, GRAY, MEARS, SCHWANKE, MINA
2026-04-08 2049
(H) HSS RPT 5DP
2026-04-02 Text
(H) Moved HB 244 Out of Committee
2026-04-02 Text
(H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106
2026-04-01 2025
(H) COSPONSOR(S): FIELDS
2026-03-19 Text
(H) Heard & Held
2026-03-19 Text
(H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106
2026-02-11 1604
(H) COSPONSOR(S): COSTELLO
2026-01-20 1448
(H) HSS, L&C
2026-01-20 1448
(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
2026-01-20 1448
(H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/26

Official Summary Text

CNA TRAINING
An Act relating to certified nurse aide training; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB0244a -1- HB 244
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1207\A

HOUSE BILL NO. 244

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES UNDERWOOD, Costello, Fields

Introduced: 1/20/26
Referred: Health and Social Services, Labor and Commerce

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to certified nurse aide training; and providing for an effective date." 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
* Section 1. AS 08.68.331 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 3
(c) Regulations adopted under (a)(1) of this section establishing standards for 4
a certified nurse aide training program must require that the program 5
(1) be conducted in a manner to ensure that clients receive safe and 6
competent care; and 7
(2) train a certified nurse aide to 8
(A) form a relationship, communicate, and interact competently 9
with a client; 10
(B) demonstrate sensitivity to the emotional, social, and mental 11
health needs of a client through skillful and directed interactions; 12
(C) assist a client in reaching and maintaining independence; 13
(D) support and promote the rights of a client; 14
(E) demonstrate the skills of observing and monitoring a client 15
34-LS1207\A
HB 244 -2- HB0244a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

during caregiving, as well as reporting those observations to enable the 1
assessment of the health, physical condition, and well-being of a client; 2
(F) demonstrate knowledge of the abilities and care needs of a 3
client; 4
(G) use a problem-solving approach when providing care; 5
(H) use techniques that ensure and preserve the respect, values, 6
choices, and dignity of a client; 7
(I) demonstrate knowledge of client assessment and care 8
planning best practices; 9
(J) use effective communication skills, including while 10
communicating with a client with psychosocial needs or Alzheimer's disease, 11
dementia, a mental illness, an intellectual disability, or another cognitive 12
disability or impairment; 13
(K) provide care to a client who is cognitively impaired or has 14
a decline in cognitive function related to dementia; and 15
(L) demonstrate basic knowledge of Alzheimer's disease, 16
dementia, dementia-related behaviors, and the activities of daily living; in this 17
subparagraph, "activities of daily living" means eating, dressing, grooming, 18
bathing, and toileting. 19
* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2027. 20