04/11/2010 11:30 AM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

        HB 376-EXTEND BD OF PSYCHOLOGIST & PSYCH. ASSOC.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
11:36:06 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR PASKVAN announced consideration of HB 376.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
11:37:02 AM                                                                                                                   
LIZ CLEMENT,  staff to Representative  Bob Herron, sponsor  of HB
, explained that this bill  extends the expiration date of the                                                               
Board  of  Psychologists  and Psychological  Associate  Examiners                                                               
eight years from its current expiration  date of June 30, 2010 to                                                               
a new  sunset of  June 30,  2018. The board  is composed  of five                                                               
volunteer  members  who,  with  support from  the  staff  of  the                                                               
Department  of  Commerce,   Community  and  Economic  Development                                                               
(DCCED),  license and  regulate  psychologists and  psychological                                                               
associates  in Alaska.  In doing  so, they  ensure that  Alaska's                                                               
practitioners   meet   appropriate   educational   and   practice                                                               
standards  and provide  safe  professional psychological  support                                                               
services to anyone who seeks them.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
She said the  2009 Division of Legislative  Audit report included                                                               
in their packet  found no substantive problems with  the board or                                                               
its  performance saying  it affirmed  the  value of  the role  it                                                               
fills and  recommended an eight-year  extension. The  fiscal note                                                               
provided by DCCED  estimated an annual budget  of $78,500 covered                                                               
fully  by licensing  fees collected  from applicants.  No further                                                               
dollars are required.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
11:38:23 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR MEYER asked what a courtesy license is.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. CLEMENT  answered that  it is a  temporary license  issued by                                                               
the board, perhaps to someone  who is already licensed in another                                                               
state.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  MEYER asked  Ms. Davidson  if she  was comfortable  with                                                               
this bill.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
11:39:36 AM                                                                                                                   
PAT DAVIDSON, Auditor, Division  of Legislative Audit, said their                                                               
concerns   and  recommendations   are  addressed   more  to   the                                                               
administrative  support  of  the  board  rather  than  the  board                                                               
itself. She was comfortable with the eight-year recommendation.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
11:40:37 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR  BUNDE asked  why  they  waited until  the  last week  of                                                               
session to address this.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CLEMENT said  as  a  staff person  she  wasn't qualified  to                                                               
answer that.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  PASKVAN  said  that  scheduling  of  the  bills  is  the                                                               
responsibility of the chair of the committee.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
11:41:56 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR  MEYER  moved  to  report  HB  376  from  committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being no objection, the motion carried.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PASKVAN announced an at ease from 11:41 to 11:44 a.m.