04/14/2000 09:08 AM Senate FIN

     SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 105(L&C)                                                                               
     "An Act providing for  the licensing of speech-language                                                                    
     pathologists;  relating to  fees  paid by  audiologists                                                                    
     and speech-language pathologists;  and providing for an                                                                    
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
PATTI  SWENSON, Staff,  Representative Con  Bunde, explained                                                                    
that  Alaska  was  one  of  six states  that  does  set  out                                                                    
requirements  for licensure  of State  Language Pathologists                                                                    
(SLP).    HB  105  would  establish  requirements  for  that                                                                    
licensure.    She  indicated   that  the  legislation  would                                                                    
protect consumers  from fraudulent practitioners,  who could                                                                    
emotionally and  financially harm  a client due  to improper                                                                    
service delivery.   Also, licensure would make  it easier to                                                                    
obtain reimbursement from insurance companies.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Torgerson  asked the  reference  made  on Page  2,                                                                    
Section 3.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CATHERINE   REARDON,   Director,   Occupational   Licensing,                                                                    
Department  of  Community  & Economic  Development,  replied                                                                    
that   section  was   written  in   order  to   define  that                                                                    
audiologists  and speech  pathologists  would be  considered                                                                    
the same for the purposes of fee setting.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
In  response to  Co-Chair Torgerson,  Ms. Swenson  explained                                                                    
that  persons  contracted  who  come  to  Alaska  have  been                                                                    
licensed in another State.   The legislation would allow the                                                                    
Department of  Education and Early Development  to establish                                                                    
the standard.   That standard  is usually set at  a master's                                                                    
level.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
KIT   ROBERTS,   (Testified  via   Teleconference),   Speech                                                                    
Language  Pathologist,  Anchorage,  noted that  it  was  her                                                                    
understanding  that when  contract Speech  Pathologists work                                                                    
for  the  schools  that the  standards  established  by  the                                                                    
Department  of  Education  and  Early  Development  must  be                                                                    
followed, which means at least  a masters degree.  Since the                                                                    
State Board  of Education has  already set the  standard for                                                                    
the  schools,  the contracted  SLP's  would  fall under  the                                                                    
regulations  established  by  the Board  of  Education.  Ms.                                                                    
Roberts understood  that while  under contract, the  "law of                                                                    
the land" must be followed.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Torgerson   foresaw   a  "loop   hole"   in   the                                                                    
legislation.  He voiced his hesitation.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Roberts reiterated that the  standard for the Department                                                                    
of  Education and  Early Development  is  a masters  degree.                                                                    
Most  of the  districts that  contract are  the Bush  areas.                                                                    
She  believed  that the  Bush  areas  would be  required  to                                                                    
follow the same rules as the cities.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Torgerson  stated that  the bill  would be  HELD in                                                                    
Committee for further consideration.