Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
05/10/2019 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB127 | |
| HB93 | |
| HB113 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 103 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 127 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 93 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 113 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 93-MILITARY SPOUSE COURTESY LICENSE
3:46:45 PM
CHAIR WOOL announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 93, "An Act relating to temporary courtesy
licenses for certain nonresident professionals; and relating to
the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic
Development."
3:46:57 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
3:47:01 PM
MICHAEL MASON, Staff, Representative Chris Tuck, introduced HB
93 on behalf of Representative Tuck, prime sponsor. He stated
that the bill builds on the social contract that people live by.
3:49:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS TUCK, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, introduced HB 93. He paraphrased parts of the sponsor
statement [included in the committee packet] which read in its
entirety as follows [original punctuation provided]:
House Bill 93 calls for the Alaska Department of
Commerce, Community and Economic Development to
prepare an annual report to allow the Alaska
Legislature to evaluate the progress of a program to
make temporary courtesy occupational licenses
available to the spouses of active duty service
members stationed in Alaska. In 2011, the Alaska
Legislature passed House Bill 28 to provide expedited
temporary courtesy licenses if a military spouse
possesses a license from a previous jurisdiction with
similar requirements to the State of Alaska. However,
the bill didn't include reporting requirements.
Making temporary courtesy licenses available to the
spouses of active duty service members allows them to
practice their chosen trade without having to go
through the time-consuming process of meeting state
licensure requirements before beginning work.
Expediting courtesy licenses for military spouses
allows them to go to work quickly after relocating to
Alaska, while they work toward fulfilling any
remainder state requirements for their license.
The requirement in House Bill 93 for an annual report
will allow the Alaska Legislature, the Joint Armed
Services Committee, military installations, and local
communities to track the progress of the Department of
Commerce, Community and Economic Development in making
temporary courtesy licenses available to military
spouses. HB 93 also calls for the department to
produce and distribute informational materials about
temporary courtesy licenses to each board authorized
to issue such licenses. The intent of this stipulation
is to improve the board's knowledge of the licenses,
the application process, and the best practices in
providing applicant support. Additionally, the bill
calls for the department to encourage boards to
designate a single employee to serve as the point of
contact for public information and inquiries related
to temporary courtesy licenses for military spouses.
The annual report called for in HB 93 will also
highlight many of the opportunities available to help
military spouses enter the workforce in Alaska. To
date, a low number of eligible professionals have
taken advantage of the temporary courtesy license
program in Alaska, and many participants have reported
delays. House Bill 93 would help identify
inefficiencies in the program.
Legislation similar to House Bill 93 passed the Alaska
House of Representatives unanimously last year but was
not taken up by the Alaska State Senate.
Making temporary courtesy occupational and other
licenses available to military spouses is a priority
for the U.S. Department of Defense.
3:51:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN addressed the regulations, pointing out
that a temporary license is issued for 180 days. She asked if
there is a fee associated with the issuance of that license.
3:52:22 PM
SARA CHAMBERS, Director, Division of Corporations, Business and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community &
Economic Development, explained that there is a specific fee for
each program offering a temporary license, which is different
than the full license.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked if the fee can be used towards the
state cost of their permanent professional license and
associated fees, which will vary depending on the type of
licensure.
MS. CHAMBERS said that with 43 separate programs with separate
statutes and regulations and 22 different governing bodies among
those, it's not consistent across all programs. Some programs
offer temporary licenses and others don't offer one at all. She
offered her belief that an element lacking from statute is the
need to "beef up" the military spouse licensing language to
compel various boards to do more and take this issue more
seriously.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN questioned whether that 180-day window
affords people enough time to complete the Alaska licensure
process in those programs which temporary licenses exist.
MS. CHAMBERS said there is very little data as fewer than 30
military spouses have ever applied using this program. She
opined that the need is greater; however, they don't know it's
available because of a gap in perception and education.
3:56:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK pointed out that HB 93 does three things:
produces an annual report; calls on the Department of Commerce,
Community & Economic Development (DCCED) to produce and
distribute informational materials; and asks the professional
licensing boards to designate a single employee to serve as the
point of contact for public information and inquiries related to
temporary curtesy licenses for military spouses.
3:57:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS questioned whether this bill could have an
impact on licensure for plumbers or electricians.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK answered yes, through the Department of
Labor. He continued by saying that Alaska has relaxed
requirements for electrical licenses, and as a result,
Washington State no longer accepts them. In retaliation, Alaska
no longer accepts Washington's licenses, ending the reciprocal
agreement that once existed between the two states.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS established a scenario in which a plumber
moves to Alaska who had not completed a registered
apprenticeship in another state and wanted to get permanently
licensed. He pointed out that six months is not enough to go
through a registered apprenticeship and asked how that would
work in terms of timing.
CHAIR WOOL pointed out that HB 97 doesn't pertain to those
trades.
3:59:45 PM
CHAIR WOOL asked if Alaska has professional licensing
reciprocity with other states.
MS. CHAMBERS stated that there is only one firm reciprocity
agreement mandated by the federal government for real estate
appraisers. She noted that there is licensure by credential for
almost all programs, which means someone with a similar license
from another state can come to Alaska and use those credentials
to gain licensure without having to take another national exam.
CHAIR WOOL questioned whether the intent of the bill is to
expedite licensure above and beyond simple omission of the board
exam.
4:01:02 PM
MS. CHAMBERS said current law says department and boards may
issue a temporary license to the spouse of an active military
member who essentially has the equivalent of a similar license
in another state. They can get a 180-day license. This bill
requires filing a report and providing more information, it
doesn't change licensure in any way. There's no impact on the
credentials, criteria, or reciprocity, it's just beefing up the
administration and reporting back to the legislature, so
legislators have better tools to understand the scope of the
problem.
4:01:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK confirmed that, adding that it improves the
state's licensing boards and processes and ensures that Alaska
has the best practices in place to provide applicants the
support they need. It focuses on getting temporary licenses and
allowing people who are licensed in another state to work in
their fields of trade.
REPRESENTATIVE REVAK thanked Representative Tuck and said he
appreciates the intent of the current bill. He recalled hearing
about these licensing issues for a decade, and as military is a
big part of Alaska's economy the more this state can do to
benefit their spouses the better.
4:04:54 PM
CHAIR WOOL asked about reciprocity program for medical doctors.
MS. CHAMBERS said there is an interstate licensure compact that
Representative Seaton introduced several years ago. There are a
handful of national compacts, which are private agreements that
a state makes with a private organization that goes into statute
and allows interstate licensure. She noted that nurses,
doctors, and a few others have those.
CHAIR WOOL asked if a nurse from another state in the compact
would get automatic licensure in Alaska.
MS. CHAMBERS explained that with a national compact recognition
an individual can move into another state and start working.
She pointed out that they are all different, as they are private
organizations with their own language, fees and trappings.
4:06:15 PM
CHAIR WOOL said HB 93 was held over.