02/26/1996 03:10 PM House L&C

 HB 432 - VETERINARY LICENSING                                               
                                                                               
 Number 1001                                                                   
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN KOTT announced the committee would hear HB 432                       
 "An Act relating to the practice of veterinary medicine,"                     
 was the next order of business.                                               
                                                                               
 GEORGE DOZIER, Legislative Staff, House Labor and Commerce                    
 Committee, explained HB 432 accomplishes three objectives.  The               
 first objective is that it modernizes the Alaska licensure statutes           
 relating to the practice of veterinarian medicine.  As the law                
 currently stands, the licensure statutes refer to examinations that           
 are no longer given.  HB 432 substitutes the correct examinations.            
                                                                               
 MR. DOZIER explained the second thing the bill does is it tightens            
 up the meaning behind unauthorized practice of veterinarian                   
 medicine.                                                                     
                                                                               
 MR. DOZIER informed the committee the bill makes it an unclassified           
 misdemeanor subject to a $10,000 fine and up to a year in jail for            
 the unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine.  He noted the               
 bill has a zero fiscal note.                                                  
                                                                               
 Number 1098                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ELTON said the bill also sets up a veterinary                  
 technician.  MR. DOZIER answered in the affirmative.  He noted he             
 believes there are currently regulations that addresses                       
 technicians.  What the bill does is requires that the technicians             
 be licensed.                                                                  
                                                                               
 Number 1129                                                                   
                                                                               
 CATHERINE REARDON, Director, Division of Occupational Licensing,              
 Department of Commerce and Economic Development, said the division            
 supports HB 432.  She said it is a compilation of things that the             
 Board of Veterinary Examiners (indisc.--coughing) have changed.               
                                                                               
 Number 1144                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG asked what the current sanctions are.  He             
 said there is a new subsection that adds a $10,000 fine on page 2.            
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN KOTT said he doesn't believe there are criminal sanctions.           
                                                                               
 MS. REARDON said as she recalls, this has been one of the                     
 difficulties.  There hasn't been a penalty for unlicensed activity.           
 Ms. Reardon said strength is being added to the enforcement                   
 ability.  She said she would try to provide a board member to speak           
 to the issue as she doesn't have adequate information.                        
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE PORTER noted he doesn't read Section 2 as being a              
 prohibition about performing veterinary services without a license.           
 It is for ways to try to pretend you had a license or used someone            
 else's license.                                                               
                                                                               
 Number 1282                                                                   
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN KOTT said it is not his intent to move the bill until the            
 committee hears from someone that is knowledgeable of the bill.