03/29/2018 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

        HB 274-EXTEND: BD OF PSYCHOLOGISTS/PSYCH ASSOC.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:47:39 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COSTELLO   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration of HB 274.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:48:08 PM                                                                                                                    
CAITLYN ELLIS,  Staff, Representative Sam Kito  III, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,  said the bill extends  the Board of                                                               
Psychologist and  Psychological Associate Examiners for  the full                                                               
eight-year extension.  The board  regulates 285 licensees  and is                                                               
due to  sunset this  year. The board  meets quarterly.  The audit                                                               
had  two  recommendations.  The  board  should  reduce  fees  and                                                               
procedures  should   be  implemented  to  ensure   that  courtesy                                                               
licenses comply  with monthly  reporting requirements.  The board                                                               
and  department agree  with both,  and steps  have been  taken to                                                               
implement them.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:49:06 PM                                                                                                                    
KRIS  CURTIS, Legislative  Auditor,  Legislative Audit  Division,                                                               
Alaska State  Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, reviewed  the October                                                               
2017  audit findings  related to  HB 274.  She said  overall, the                                                               
audit  concludes  the  board  served  the  public's  interest  by                                                               
effectively   licensing   and    regulating   psychologists   and                                                               
psychological  associates.  The  board  monitored  licensees  and                                                               
worked to  ensure only qualified individuals  practice in Alaska.                                                               
They recommend  the maximum eight-year  extension allowed  for in                                                               
statute.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. CURTIS  directed the  committee's attention  to Exhibit  2, a                                                               
schedule of  licensing activity, on  page 5  of the audit.  As of                                                               
March  2017 there  were  285 licensees,  which  represents a  174                                                               
percent increase from 2009.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. CURTIS  noted the  schedule of  revenues and  expenditures on                                                               
page 7.  She said the board  had a surplus of  almost $400,000 at                                                               
the end of  FY2017. The audit noted that the  board increased the                                                               
licensing fees in  FY2017 despite the large  surplus. The surplus                                                               
was not  considered with the  fee analysis. The  audit recommends                                                               
reducing  fees  and  enforcing  reporting  requirements  for  the                                                               
curtesy  licenses. Both  the department  and the  board concurred                                                               
with the recommendations.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO noted who was available to answer questions.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:51:01 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MICCICHE asked  if the  audit  fees are  covered by  the                                                               
boards and commissions they audit.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. CURTIS said  no. The cost for their office  and personnel are                                                               
appropriated  directly   to  Legislative  Audit.  They   do  have                                                               
interagency receipts for  the single audit, which  is the federal                                                               
compliance  audit, and  the financial  statement audit,  which is                                                               
required by statute.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MICCICHE  asked what  an audit like  this would  cost the                                                               
division and if that should be added to future renewals.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS CURTIS said the hourly rate  is calculated every year. A clean                                                               
audit would  be 400-500 hours  at more than  $70 per hour.  A new                                                               
board  like the  Marijuana Control  Board can  take 900  hours to                                                               
conduct surveys and do large-scale testing.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:52:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO opened public testimony on HB 274.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:53:21 PM                                                                                                                    
ALLEN   LEVY,  Chair,   Psychology   Board,  Anchorage,   Alaska,                                                               
testified  in support  of  HB 274.  He said  he  was prepared  to                                                               
answer questions related  to HB 274. The board  is dedicated, and                                                               
he was  pleased with the  outcome of  the audit. The  board looks                                                               
forward to continuing to serve Alaska.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:54:06 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO closed public testimony on HB 274.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:54:17 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MICCICHE  moved  to report  HB  274,  30-LS1184\D,  from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:54:32 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COSTELLO announced  that without  objection, HB  274 moved                                                               
from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.