Legislature(2009 - 2010)
02/17/2010 03:27 PM House L&C
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB110 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 110-PSYCHOLOGISTS' LICENSING & PRACTICE
3:28:11 PM
CHAIR OLSON announced that the only order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 110, "An Act relating to the practice and
licensing of psychologists."
[Before the committee CSHB 110 (HSS).]
REPRESENTATIVE BOB HERRON, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor of HB 110, explained that this bill relates to the
practice and licensing of psychologists. When the current
statute was written, the Board of Psychologists and
Psychological Associate Examiners offered the qualifying exam
only once every six months. The examination is now offered
every three months, but the law requires applicants to wait six
months to take the exam. This bill will align the two
timeframes and will allow examinees who need to take or re-take
the examination to do so in a timely manner.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON explained that the bill will also clarify
who is exempt from the Board of Psychologists and Psychological
Examiners. The existing exemptions will remain for supervised
psychology students, interns, residents in a board approved
program of study, as well as other professionals, including
licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social
workers, marital and family therapists. Section 2 of CSHB
110(HSS) also clarifies that school psychologists are also
exempt since they fall under the purview of the Department of
Education. Additionally, federal officers and employees who are
performing official duties are also exempt. Thus, the only
people subject to this bill are those who represent themselves
to the public as psychologists. He stated that passage of this
bill will not limit the work other mental health service
providers who practice a variety of psychological services from
practicing in their field so long as they do not publicly claim
to be psychologists. This bill is supported by the Alaska Board
of Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners, the
Psychological Association and the Alaska Mental Health Board.
3:31:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN asked whether this bill would affect
employees of the Department of Corrections, the Department of
Public Safety, or the Alaska Court System.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON answered no.
3:31:29 PM
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN expressed his concern, in rural Alaska,
when a local officer arrests someone and questions arise about
their psychological stability, that this bill might require
someone to fly a psychologist to the rural community to make a
determination.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON responded that many technical people are
available on-line and he offered his belief that this bill does
not affect that situation.
3:32:32 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:32 p.m. to 3:34 p.m.
3:34:38 PM
LORIN BRADBURY, PhD., Chair, Board of Psychologists and
Psychological Examiners, stated that Representative Herron
previously articulated the purpose of the bill. In response to
Representative Neuman, he explained that the statutes, AS 47,
refer to a police officer bringing someone in that may have
psychological problems. He stated that passage of HB 110 will
not require psychologists to examine the person and will not
prohibit the work.
3:35:52 PM
JOAN BOHMANN, PhD, Anchorage School District; Alaska School
Psychologists Association, stated that she is supportive of HB
110. She stated that although school psychologists are exempt,
school psychologists are sometimes working under the auspices of
the Alaska Department of Education or might be providing
services in a facility that is not a school, such as a mental
health facility or in the juvenile justice facility. She
explained that the organizations want to be certain this will
not be a problem for school psychologists not specifically
working in a school.
3:37:16 PM
DR. BRADBURY answered that the language in the bill clearly
shows that the psychologist would be working under the
supervision of the school district so this bill would not
prohibit their activities.
DR. BOHMANN thanked Dr. Bradbury for the clarification.
3:37:42 PM
ROBERT LANE, PhD., Member, Alaska Psychological Association
(APA), stated that he would like to testify in favor of HB 110.
3:38:20 PM
PHILIP BAKER, EdD, Alaska Psychological Association (APA),
stated that he shares legislative activities with Dr. Lane that
pertain to the practice of psychology in Alaska. He emphasized
that the Alaska Psychological Association supports the
amendments to their licensing statutes incorporated in HB 110.
3:39:32 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES remarked that is bill was heard fairly
extensively before the House Health and Social Services Standing
Committee. While the committee is only hearing the CSHB 110
(HSS) version of the bill, the prior committee held several
meetings last year and this year on this bill. Three members on
this committee also serve on the House Health and Social
Services Standing Committee, she added.
3:40:12 PM
CHAIR OLSON, after first determining no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HB 110.
3:40:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN asked to clarify that if someone wants to
practice psychology in Alaska, the person must meet current
standards set forth by the Board of Psychologist and
Psychological Associates.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON answered if the person does not fall under
one of the exemptions provided for in the statutes, that a
person cannot come to Alaska and become a psychologist without
board approval.
3:41:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN moved to report CSHB 110 (HSS) out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 110(HSS) was
reported from the House Labor and Commerce Standing committee.
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