04/21/2005 01:34 PM Senate L&C

                  SB 175-DISPENSING OPTICIANS                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  BUNDE announced  SB 175  to  be up  for consideration.  He                                                               
moved  to adopt  CSSB  175(L&C), version  F,  dated 4/18/05,  and                                                               
objected for an explanation.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JANE ALBERTS,  staff to Senator  Bunde, explained that  there are                                                               
two small changes to  the bill - one is on page 3,  lines 10 - 11                                                               
and lines  14 and 15  changing the  required hours from  1,800 to                                                               
2,000  to mirror  requirements of  the U.S.  Department of  Labor                                                               
Apprenticeship Program,  which is  taking over  administration of                                                               
the program.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Another change  is on  page 6,  line 28,  where AS  08.01.016 was                                                               
removed under  the repeal section  for consistency. Also,  a list                                                               
of which  states do  and do not  license opticians  was included.                                                               
The most recent information is from 2003.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
RICK  URION,   Director,  Division  of   Occupational  Licensing,                                                               
reported that  at the beginning  of FY03  there was a  deficit of                                                               
$38,700,  but  that has  been  reduced  to $16,700.  He  recently                                                               
completed the  biennial review of  fees for licensing  under this                                                               
board and determined  that they would stay the same  for the next                                                               
licensing  period. In  two years  the deficit  would be  gone and                                                               
fees would then be reduced.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE recapped that this bill  has the board sunset and his                                                               
division would take over licensing. He  asked if the fee would be                                                               
adequate for his department to take over the job.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. URION replied yes.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
LARRY HARPER,  Chair, American Board  of Opticianry, said  he was                                                               
available to answer questions.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:54:02 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR SEEKINS moved  to pass CSSB 175(L&C)  from committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached fiscal  notes. Senators                                                               
Davis, Seekins,  Ellis, Ben  Stevens and  Chair Bunde  voted yea;                                                               
and CSSB 175(L&C) moved from committee.