Legislature(2021 - 2022)BARNES 124

02/09/2022 04:30 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Please Note Time Change --
*+ HB 289 AK MARIJUANA INDUSTRY TASK FORCE TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
*+ HB 295 DENTIST SPEC. LICENSE/RADIOLOGIC EQUIP TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled
+ HB 276 PSYCHOLOGISTS: LICENSING AND PRACTICE TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+ SJR 15 RECOGNIZING ALASKA/CANADA RELATIONSHIP TELECONFERENCED
Scheduled but Not Heard
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
          HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                         
                        February 9, 2022                                                                                        
                           4:31 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Zack Fields, Co-Chair                                                                                            
Representative Calvin Schrage                                                                                                   
Representative Liz Snyder                                                                                                       
Representative David Nelson                                                                                                     
Representative James Kaufman                                                                                                    
Representative Ken McCarty                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Ivy Spohnholz, Co-Chair                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 289                                                                                                              
"An Act establishing the Alaska marijuana industry task force;                                                                  
and providing for an effective date."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD AND HELD                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 295                                                                                                              
"An Act relating to the practice of dentistry; relating to                                                                      
dental radiological equipment; and providing for an effective                                                                   
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD AND HELD                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 276                                                                                                              
"An Act relating to licensing of psychologists and psychological                                                                
associates; and relating to the practice of psychology."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD AND HELD                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 289                                                                                                              
1/26/2022      (H) READ THE FIRST TIME  REFERRALS                                                                               
1/26/2022      (H) L&C, FIN                                                                                                     
2/9/2022       (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 04:30 PM BARNES 124                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 295                                                                                                              
1/31/2022      (H) READ THE FIRST TIME  REFERRALS                                                                               
1/31/2022      (H) L&C, HSS, FIN                                                                                                
2/9/2022       (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 04:30 PM BARNES 124                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 276                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1/18/2022      (H) READ THE FIRST TIME  REFERRALS                                                                               
1/18/2022      (H) L&C, FIN                                                                                                     
2/7/2022       (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 04:30 PM BARNES 124                                                                      
2/7/2022       (H) -- Testimony <Invitation Only> -- --MEETING                                                                  
                    CANCELED                                                                                                    
2/9/2022       (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 04:30 PM BARNES 124                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRIER HOPKINS                                                                                                    
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  As prime sponsor of HB 289, introduced the                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
JOE HARDENBROOK, Staff                                                                                                          
Representative Grier Hopkins                                                                                                    
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  On behalf of Representative Hopkins, prime                                                               
sponsor of HB 289, addressed why the bill is necessary and                                                                      
provided a sectional analysis.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
GLEN KLINKHART, Director                                                                                                        
Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office (AMCO)                                                                                     
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development                                                                     
(DCCED)                                                                                                                         
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:  During the hearing on HB 289, answered                                                                   
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
JANA WELGZIN, Owner                                                                                                             
JDW Counsel                                                                                                                     
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:  Provided invited testimony in support of HB
289.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
NICHOLAS MILLER, Chair                                                                                                          
Marijuana Control Board                                                                                                         
Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office                                                                                            
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development                                                                     
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:  Provided invited  testimony in support of HB
289.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DAN ORTIZ                                                                                                        
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:   As prime sponsor of HB  295, introduced the                                                             
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
ABIGAIL SWEETMAN, Staff                                                                                                         
Representative Dan Ortiz                                                                                                        
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  Presented the  sectional analysis for HB 295                                                             
on behalf of Representative Ortiz, prime sponsor.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
DAVID LOGAN, DDS, Executive Director                                                                                            
Alaska Dental Society                                                                                                           
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  Provided invited  testimony in support of HB
295.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
DAVID NIELSON, DDS, Chair                                                                                                       
Board of Dental Examiners                                                                                                       
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing                                                                  
Department  of  Commerce,  Community,  and  Economic  Development                                                               
(DCCED)                                                                                                                         
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:  Provided invited  testimony in support of HB
295.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SARA CHAMBERS, Director                                                                                                         
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing                                                                  
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development                                                                     
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION  STATEMENT:   During  the hearing  on  HB 295,  answered                                                             
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
JAYME PARKER, MD, Chief                                                                                                         
Alaska State Public Health Laboratory Fairbanks                                                                                 
Division of Public Health                                                                                                       
Department of Health and Social Services                                                                                        
Fairbanks, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT:   During  the hearing  on  HB 295,  answered                                                             
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
IRENE CASARES, Radiological Health Physicist                                                                                    
Alaska State Public Health Laboratory Fairbanks                                                                                 
Division of Public Health                                                                                                       
Department of Health and Social Services                                                                                        
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT:   During  the hearing  on  HB 295,  answered                                                             
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MARVO REGUINDIN, Executive Director                                                                                             
Alaska Psychological Association                                                                                                
Spokane, Washington                                                                                                             
POSITION STATEMENT:   Provided  a PowerPoint  presentation titled                                                             
"HB 276  Model Licensing Act for  Psychologists and Psychological                                                               
Associates."                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROBERT LANE, PhD, Director                                                                                                      
Counseling Psychology                                                                                                           
Alaska Pacific University                                                                                                       
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT:   During  the hearing  on  HB 276,  answered                                                             
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SARA CHAMBERS, Director                                                                                                         
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing                                                                  
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development                                                                     
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION  STATEMENT:   During  the hearing  on  HB 276,  answered                                                             
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:31:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  ZACK  FIELDS  called   the  House  Labor  and  Commerce                                                             
Standing   Committee    meeting   to    order   at    4:31   p.m.                                                               
Representatives Schrage  and Fields were  present at the  call to                                                               
order.   Representatives  McCarty,  Kaufman,  Snyder, and  Nelson                                                               
arrived as the meeting was in progress.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
            HB 289-AK MARIJUANA INDUSTRY TASK FORCE                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:32:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the  first order of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 289,  "An Act establishing the Alaska marijuana                                                               
industry task force; and providing for an effective date."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:32:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRIER HOPKINS, Alaska State Legislature, as prime                                                                
sponsor of HB 289, introduced the bill.  He spoke as follows:                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     This   bill  would   establish  the   Alaska  Marijuana                                                                    
     Industry  Task Force  to take  a holistic  look at  our                                                                    
     state's   growing  marijuana   industry,  analyze   its                                                                    
     strengths  and weaknesses,  and  propose  a package  of                                                                    
     reforms.   These nonbinding reforms would  be submitted                                                                    
     to the  Marijuana Control Board, the  governor, and the                                                                    
     legislature  for  consideration  and  possible  action.                                                                    
     This  legislation  does  not create  a  permanent  task                                                                    
     force,  nor does  it create  a  permanent state  funded                                                                    
     position.   Rather, this task force  would complete its                                                                    
     work  between the  time this  bill is  passed, probably                                                                    
     this  legislature,   and  over  the   2022  legislative                                                                    
     interim, and deliver its final  report at the beginning                                                                    
     of next  session, disbanding itself  at the end  of the                                                                    
     year and giving us that report.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     This  bill  does not  require  the  expenditure of  any                                                                    
     unrestricted general funds.   Instead, the cost of this                                                                    
     task  force  would be  borne  by  the program  receipts                                                                    
     generated by Alaskan marijuana industry.   While I am a                                                                    
     firm  believer  in  free  markets  and  the  inevitable                                                                    
     sorting out  of winners and losers,  Alaska's marijuana                                                                    
     industry is ours and ?  we as elected officials can and                                                                    
     should set the rules for  the thousands of Alaskans who                                                                    
     have seen fit to  invest their hard-earned dollars into                                                                    
     this market, as well as their  time and energy.  We can                                                                    
     and should  ensure that the  rules that we  put forward                                                                    
     to  govern   our  various   industries  are   fair  and                                                                    
     reasonable  and  offer  those  Alaskans  who  pursue  a                                                                    
     career or  business investment in Alaska  can work hard                                                                    
     and achieve that success while playing by the rules.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     We  can and  should ensure  that the  local governments                                                                    
     continue  to   play  a   vital  role   in  authorizing,                                                                    
     monitoring, and  gaining revenue from this  industry as                                                                    
     well.   As  our uniquely  Alaskan owned,  operated, and                                                                    
     supported marijuana  industry continues to  evolve, the                                                                    
     work of this task force  can help place the industry on                                                                    
     firmer economic footing and  ensure that those Alaskans                                                                    
     who have  entered into this  industry can compete  on a                                                                    
     level  playing field.   Additionally,  this task  force                                                                    
     carves  out a  role for  Alaska's local  governments to                                                                    
     assure  that   the  local  control  of   this  industry                                                                    
     endorsed  by   Alaska's  voters  as  they   passed  the                                                                    
     initiative in  2014 is strengthened and  continued.  We                                                                    
     would  have  the  opportunity  after  the  initiative's                                                                    
     passage in 2014,  almost a decade later, to  be able to                                                                    
     reform this growing and vital industry.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:35:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOE  HARDENBROOK,  Staff,  Representative Grier  Hopkins,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature, on  behalf of  Representative Hopkins,  prime                                                               
sponsor  of HB  289, addressed  why the  bill is  necessary.   He                                                               
spoke as follows:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Why is this legislation necessary?                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     In   2014,   Alaska   voters   legalized   recreational                                                                    
     marijuana.   Since  that  time,  thousands of  Alaskans                                                                    
     have  sought to  participate  in this  new industry  as                                                                    
     business  owners,  workers,  investors,  consumers  and                                                                    
     more.  This industry is  a uniquely Alaskan one.  State                                                                    
     law requires that license  holders be Alaska residents,                                                                    
     resulting  in an  Alaska marijuana  market    owned and                                                                    
     operated  by  Alaskans  selling their  products  grown,                                                                    
     tested,  processed,  and  purchased here  in  the  Last                                                                    
     Frontier.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     The industry which has emerged  from the passage of the                                                                    
     voter  initiative  in  2014 is  supported  by  Alaskans                                                                    
     across  the state,  but it  is facing  some challenges.                                                                    
     Many business owners are struggling  to comply with the                                                                    
     letter and the  spirit of the law,  and several factors                                                                    
     including   taxation,    licensing,   and   enforcement                                                                    
     continue to  challenge the industry.   Recent reporting                                                                    
     by  the Anchorage  Daily News    which  is included  in                                                                    
     your bill  packet -  shows ongoing  frustration amongst                                                                    
     the   Alaskan  entrepreneurs   who've  invested   time,                                                                    
     resources, and  energy in  this new  market.   Our flat                                                                    
     wholesale  tax model  makes each  cultivator's crop  an                                                                    
     expensive roll  of the  dice and  can result  in entire                                                                    
     harvests  being discarded  for fear  of not  generating                                                                    
     sufficient revenue  to pay state taxes  or insufficient                                                                    
     overhead  to cover  the cost  of facilities,  salaries,                                                                    
     and utilities.   Unlimited licenses have  resulted in a                                                                    
     high  number of  retail outlets  and tying  licenses to                                                                    
     specific  properties  and  locations have  resulted  in                                                                    
     business owners  being forced to close  shop when rents                                                                    
     increase, or when their buildings are sold.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Make  no   mistake,  there   are  solutions   to  these                                                                    
     problems,  but  finding  and defining  these  solutions                                                                    
     will involve give  and take amongst the  members of the                                                                    
     industry, state regulators, and  local governments.  In                                                                    
     order to pursue a  strategy that strengthens our Alaska                                                                    
     businesses,  protects  local  control  and  places  our                                                                    
     industry on a firmer  economic footing, HB 289 proposes                                                                    
     that this task force  reviews the issue, develops ideas                                                                    
     for industry reform, utilizes  state resources to model                                                                    
     how  those  changes   would  affect  businesses,  local                                                                    
     governments, and state tax revenue.   A simplistic one-                                                                    
     size-fits-all solution to this  complex issue will most                                                                    
     likely result in additional  challenges to the industry                                                                    
     and may  cause unforeseen circumstances  which compound                                                                    
     problems  instead   of  rectifying  them.     As  we've                                                                    
     repeatedly  heard  from   representatives  of  all  the                                                                    
     different    businesses   and    resource   development                                                                    
     activities in  Alaska, fiscal  certainty and  good data                                                                    
     are  essential components  of  any successful  business                                                                    
     enterprise.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     So, how will this task force operate?                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     The  selection process  for the  twelve members  of the                                                                    
     task force  has been crafted to  ensure representation,                                                                    
     expertise, and  geographic diversity.   The  task force                                                                    
     will be chaired  by the chair of  the Marijuana Control                                                                    
     Board.   The two  state agencies most  closely involved                                                                    
     in  Alaska's marijuana  industry    the departments  of                                                                    
     Commerce  and Revenue  - will  be represented  by their                                                                    
     commissioners   or   those  commissioners'   designees.                                                                    
     Because  so many  of these  questions  are economic  in                                                                    
     nature,  we've reserved  a seat  for an  economist from                                                                    
     the   University  of   Alaska.     Because  the   voter                                                                    
     initiative  carved out  specific roles  and rights  for                                                                    
     local  governments,  we've   included  three  municipal                                                                    
     government  representatives,  with a  requirement  that                                                                    
     those officials come  from different judicial districts                                                                    
     and   represent   the   breadth   of   Alaska's   local                                                                    
     governments   cities and boroughs.   Because those most                                                                    
     affected by  a decision  should have  a role  in making                                                                    
     that decision, we've reserved three  seats   25 percent                                                                    
     of the  task force's  membership    for representatives                                                                    
     of  the  Alaska marijuana  industry.    Like the  local                                                                    
     government seats,  these task  force members  must hail                                                                    
     from  different judicial  districts  and represent  the                                                                    
     breadth of the industry    cultivators, processors, and                                                                    
     retailers.   Finally, there are two  legislative seats,                                                                    
     in the hopes  that the input and  advice of legislators                                                                    
     can help  craft a final  product with a  greater chance                                                                    
     of enactment.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     As [Representative] Hopkins  mentioned, this task force                                                                    
     is  not a  permanent creation.   Rather,  it must  meet                                                                    
     four  times  over  this  legislative  interim,  conduct                                                                    
     their work,  craft their  proposals, model  their data,                                                                    
     and  submit   their  findings  to  the   executive  and                                                                    
     legislative  branches for  consideration and  potential                                                                    
     action.    This  legislation  does not  create  a  new,                                                                    
     permanent  position but  rather relies  on a  temporary                                                                    
     position  to  assist the  task  force  in crafting  its                                                                    
     final product.   The  findings of  this task  force are                                                                    
     first and foremost nonbinding and  are not limited [to]                                                                    
     suggestions  for legislative  fixes    suggestions  may                                                                    
     include   statutory,  regulatory,   and  administrative                                                                    
     changes.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Additionally, I  think it is  fitting and  worth noting                                                                    
     that  the  cost  of  these efforts  will  be  borne  by                                                                    
     program  receipts  from  Alaska's  marijuana  industry.                                                                    
     That's correct    the cost  of this task force  will be                                                                    
     paid  for  by the  hundreds  of  thousands of  Alaskans                                                                    
     who've  invested in  and patronized  Alaska's marijuana                                                                    
     industry.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:40:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. HARDENBROOK provided the sectional analysis for HB 289. He                                                                  
spoke from a written analysis provided in the committee packet,                                                                 
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Subsection (a):  Creates the Alaska  Marijuana Industry                                                                    
     Task Force and describes its purpose.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Subsection (b):  Details membership  of the  task force                                                                    
     and those responsible for nominating members to serve.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Subsections  (c) &  (d): Details  how vacancies  on the                                                                    
     task force will  be filled and that  members are unpaid                                                                    
     but are  eligible for travel expense  reimbursement and                                                                    
     per diem.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Subsection  (e):  Details  duties of  the  task  force,                                                                    
     deadlines,    and     instructions    for    submitting                                                                    
     recommendations.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Subsection  (f): Terminates  the  task  force upon  the                                                                    
     convening of the Thirty-Third Legislature.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Contains an immediate effective date.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:41:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS opened invited testimony on HB 289.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:42:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
)LACY  WILCOX, President*  Alaska Marijuana  Industry Association                                                               
(AMIA)* Anchorage, Alaska* Provided  invited testimony in support                                                               
of  HB 289.{  provided invited  testimony in  support of  HB 289.                                                               
She  noted   AMIA  is  currently  the   only  statewide  industry                                                               
association.  She  spoke from a letter of  support, dated 2/1/22,                                                               
which she said was approved by  her board of directors, and which                                                               
read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     The Alaska Marijuana  Industry Association (AMIA) would                                                                    
     like to offer our support for HB 289.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     The  excise tax  on Alaskan  marijuana cultivation  has                                                                    
     set a  static price  floor for marijuana  and marijuana                                                                    
     products.   This  static   price   floor  is   creating                                                                    
     instability  in  our  industry   and  resulting  in  an                                                                    
     inequitable  taxation burden  imposed  on the  cannabis                                                                    
     industry.  For example,  the excise  tax of  $800/lb of                                                                    
     cannabis  flower  in Alaska  is  similar  to the  total                                                                    
     wholesale price  in states like Oregon.  The problem is                                                                    
     evident, the  impacts are negative,  and a  solution is                                                                    
     needed. The  solution will only  be found if we  have a                                                                    
     comprehensive task  force with the right  tools and the                                                                    
     right folks  to dig  in and find  a solution  to better                                                                    
     [protect] the industry and  protect consumers. The AMIA                                                                    
     has   been  analyzing   the   current  scheme   against                                                                    
     potential new  tax structures, however,  without access                                                                    
     to state  experts and data  we are just  shooting darts                                                                    
     at the  wall with  blindfolds on.  We are  hopeful that                                                                    
     with the  passage of this  legislation we will  be able                                                                    
     to  see robust,  smart,  and  data driven  conversation                                                                    
     occur  between industry,  regulators, and  tax experts,                                                                    
     as well as municipal stakeholders and the legislature.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     We are grateful  to be named in the  bill regarding the                                                                    
     selection  of  qualified industry  representatives.  We                                                                    
     understand that  while we do  not represent  the entire                                                                    
     industry,  the  AMIA  is the  only  statewide  industry                                                                    
     trade group  that exists,  so we  therefore feel  it is                                                                    
     appropriate language.  We promise  to send  forward our                                                                    
     best and  brightest and  take this  responsibility very                                                                    
     seriously.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     The  bright goal  for the  AMIA is  to help  identify a                                                                    
     sustainable, enforceable, and above  all else, fair tax                                                                    
     structure. This tax structure  should allow for growth,                                                                    
     not hardship  and should provide  a path  to compliance                                                                    
     without subjective  review or punitive  action wherever                                                                    
     possible.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     We are  grateful to be considered  a valuable industry,                                                                    
     job provider, taxpayer,  and general business community                                                                    
     asset  to  Alaska.  We  see a  bright  future  and  are                                                                    
     hopeful  that this  task force  will come  to fruition,                                                                    
     and we can move forward together.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILCOX  added that  it is  no secret  that [the  industry] is                                                               
struggling.  She urged the committee's support for the bill.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:44:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON asked how many  of the businesses in Alaska                                                               
are covered by AMIA.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILCOX replied that AMIA  is currently in a membership drive,                                                               
so she doesn't  have a percentage.  She said  there are about 500                                                               
licensees and  AMIA probably represents  close to 100 of  them on                                                               
its  normal post-membership  drive season.   She  added that  the                                                               
pandemic has slowed down the outreach to get members.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  NELSON noted  the  bill provides  that AMIA  will                                                               
appoint three members to the [task  force], two of which would be                                                               
AMIA members  and the third  which would  not be an  AMIA member.                                                               
He asked whether  AMIA has anything it will be  holding itself to                                                               
that  will alleviate  his concern  that the  other 400  licensees                                                               
would not be involved.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILCOX  responded that with the  passage of HB 289  she would                                                               
like to  build a  process to open  applications to  any licensee.                                                               
She said  being able to advertise  this as something AMIA  can do                                                               
for people  will encourage  membership among  those who  have not                                                               
considered joining.  Many Alaskans  and Alaska businesses are not                                                               
joiners,  but she  still talks  to those  people as  they are  an                                                               
important and  valuable part of the  industry.  She will  work to                                                               
honor the spirit of the task  force.  It isn't AMIA's members who                                                               
have  the most  to  say,  some of  the  smartest  people are  the                                                               
quietest people and she would like to find them.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:46:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SCHRAGE  inquired about  the makeup  within AMIA's                                                               
membership between  cultivation, manufacturing,  and retail.   He                                                               
further inquired  about the unification of  views regarding where                                                               
taxes  should go  with respect  to the  industry and  whether the                                                               
balance is right.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILCOX  answered that  roughly 240  small and  large licensed                                                               
growers  and 145  retail licenses  are operating,  and there  are                                                               
about  50 manufacturing  licenses.   Much  is going  to be  heard                                                               
about  market  saturation,  potential  license  caps,  and  other                                                               
solutions for helping to find  market equilibrium, she continued.                                                               
She herself is  a proponent of fixing the things  that are broken                                                               
before  going to  the extreme  measure of  instituting a  license                                                               
cap.  If asked about taxes,  cultivators are going to say the tax                                                               
should be shifted away from  them, retailers are going to suggest                                                               
the tax stay  where it is or perhaps  reduced, and manufacturers,                                                               
who  are kind  of in  the  middle or  vertically integrated,  are                                                               
going to  be kind  of indifferent because  they are  protected by                                                               
their  own  business  model.    So, she  advised,  there  is  not                                                               
consensus and consensus can only be found if modeling is done.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:48:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY referred to page  2 of the bill, lines 29-                                                               
30, regarding  task force  members serving  without compensation.                                                               
He asked if it is anticipated  that the meetings will be virtual,                                                               
rather than live, to reduce per diem and travel expenses.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILCOX responded that AMIA  would be happy to meet virtually.                                                               
She deferred to the sponsor to answer the question.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. HARDENBROOK replied that in  discussions with Glen Klinkhart,                                                               
director  of  the  Alcohol  and  Marijuana  Control  Office,  Mr.                                                               
Klinkhart said that throughout the  [COVID-19] pandemic the board                                                               
has  been  meeting  mostly  virtually,   which  the  board  would                                                               
continue doing with  this task force.  The  fiscal note currently                                                               
includes money  to cover the  cost of  travel and lodging  but if                                                               
the legislature  chose to make  the task force meet  virtually or                                                               
put that  intent in, it  would be  a substantial cost  savings on                                                               
the total fiscal note of the task force.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY stated that  virtual meetings would be his                                                               
recommendation.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:50:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN  asked why  a bill  is needed  given other                                                               
industries meet and discuss how to improve their industries.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  HARDENBROOK  answered  that  a  key  reason  for  government                                                               
involvement in this  task force is specifically the  data that is                                                               
collected by  the state as the  enforcer of the laws  through the                                                               
commerce  department  as  well  as  the  collection  of  revenues                                                               
through the revenue  department.  By having those  two aspects of                                                               
state government  involved and mandated to  participate, modeling                                                               
can be  done by the industry  and local and state  governments on                                                               
how changes to taxation would  impact revenue flows to the state,                                                               
to the industry, and to the  local governments.  As a participant                                                               
in that, the  state can access the data and  do that modeling and                                                               
can make sound fiscal decisions  that protect the bottom lines of                                                               
the  state  and municipalities,  and  that  put the  industry  on                                                               
firmer economic footing.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KAUFMAN  said  it  seems that  those  are  simply                                                               
deliverables that could  just be pulled down and he  isn't sure a                                                               
government partnership is needed  when just the deliverables, the                                                               
data, are needed and that data should be available.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  HARDENBROOK replied  that any  industry would  prefer fiscal                                                               
certainty  and  good  data  when  it  comes  to  making  business                                                               
decisions.  When  talking about adjusting the  levers of taxation                                                               
and  an  industry that  is  entirely  located within  Alaska  and                                                               
producing revenue  for local  governments, changing  those levers                                                               
without good data  to inform how those decisions  will impact the                                                               
industry, state  government, and local government,  perhaps could                                                               
make  the situation  worse as  opposed to  solving the  problems.                                                               
Modeling changes  to the  taxation scheme  has been  difficult to                                                               
develop and data has been  difficult to procure.  Perhaps setting                                                               
up a  task force to ensure  that people who have  the data, folks                                                               
who have  the expertise on the  industry, and those who  have the                                                               
expertise on  how the industry works  at the local level  can get                                                               
together and  formulate a  solution is  the most  responsible way                                                               
forward.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:53:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SCHRAGE offered  his  understanding that  revenue                                                               
from marijuana taxes could go to  several places.  He asked which                                                               
designated general fund (DGF) would be used in this fiscal note.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. HARDENBROOK  deferred to Mr.  Klinkhart to provide  an answer                                                               
to the question because he developed the fiscal note.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:53:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GLEN KLINKHART,  Director, Alcohol  and Marijuana  Control Office                                                               
(AMCO),   Department  of   Commerce,   Community,  and   Economic                                                               
Development (DCCED), responded  that the sources are  going to be                                                               
the  DGF from  the program  funds  specifically, so  it would  be                                                               
coming out of the receipts that are received.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:54:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JANA WELGZIN,  Owner, JDW Counsel, provided  invited testimony in                                                               
support of HB 289.  She  stated that her firm represents hundreds                                                               
of  marijuana licenses  in the  state of  Alaska.   She said  the                                                               
questions being asked  show that members are  thinking about this                                                               
industry and how  to move it forward and make  it sustainable for                                                               
Alaska.  These  issues need to be discussed in  a meaningful way,                                                               
not just  a few industry  folks getting together,  she continued,                                                               
because  federal  legalization  is   on  the  horizon.    Without                                                               
preparation, Alaska's marijuana industry  will be demolished when                                                               
federal legislation arrives.   To be prepared  the industry needs                                                               
to be strong enough to stand on  its own or relevant enough to be                                                               
bought out.   The industry  cannot do  that with a  product price                                                               
war that  for some cultivators  results in a 50  percent taxation                                                               
while  another  cultivator  growing  the  same  pounds  and  same                                                               
strain, but selling  it for more, is taxed at  around 27 percent.                                                               
This regressive  tax structure isn't  fair or sustainable.   [The                                                               
proposed task  force] would allow Alaska's  marijuana industry to                                                               
work  with local  governments and  experts in  the Department  of                                                               
Revenue to develop a system that  is going to make the state more                                                               
money in the  long run because the industry will  survive if this                                                               
is done right.   This bill will be of benefit  to Alaska for many                                                               
years;  detrimental  consequences will  be  faced  if nothing  is                                                               
done.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:56:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
NICHOLAS  MILLER, Chair,  Marijuana  Control  Board, Alcohol  and                                                               
Marijuana   Control  Office   (AMCO),  Department   of  Commerce,                                                               
Community,  and Economic  Development  (DCCED), provided  invited                                                               
testimony in  support of HB  289.  He said  he is a  licensee and                                                               
that there has  been lots of discussion about the  taxes and ways                                                               
to improve  commerce in Alaska  through statutory  and regulatory                                                               
changes.  Partnership is needed  from an economist and holders of                                                               
the data  so that good decisions  can be made.   Making decisions                                                               
based on the  information that is had now is  not in the interest                                                               
of anybody in the state.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
[HB 289 was held over.]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
         HB 295-DENTIST SPEC. LICENSE/RADIOLOGIC EQUIP                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:58:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  FIELDS  announced that  the  second  order of  business                                                               
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 295,  "An Act relating to the practice of                                                               
dentistry;  relating   to  dental  radiological   equipment;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:58:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAN ORTIZ,  Alaska  State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor of HB 295, introduced the bill.  He spoke as follows:                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     House  Bill  295 works  to  solve  two problems  facing                                                                    
     Alaskan dentists  and helps them do  their jobs safely,                                                                    
     efficiently,   and  honestly.     Firstly,   this  bill                                                                    
     transfers   the   oversight  of   dental   radiological                                                                    
     equipment from the Alaska Board  of Dental Examiners to                                                                    
     the Department of Health  and [Social] Services (DHHS).                                                                    
     Alaskan  dentists  have  had great  difficulty  finding                                                                    
     private   radiological  inspectors   for  their   x-ray                                                                    
     equipment   and  as   DHSS  already   oversees  medical                                                                    
     radiological equipment and  employs inspectors, this is                                                                    
     a  way  to  ensure   that  dental  equipment  is  being                                                                    
     inspected  at   the  right  intervals  by   the  people                                                                    
     qualified to do the job.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Secondly, ? this bill  establishes truth in advertising                                                                    
     for dental specialists.   Alaska currently doesn't have                                                                    
     a legal  definition of  dental specialist,  which means                                                                    
     that  a  dentist  can advertise  as  an  ?  endodontist                                                                    
     specialist without  having an endodontist training.   I                                                                    
     ? certainly  would want the dentist  performing my root                                                                    
     canals  to  know  what  they're   doing,  and  I  think                                                                    
     everyone  in  this  room  would   want  that  as  well.                                                                    
     Alaskans   seeking   dental   specialists   should   be                                                                    
     confident  that  their   dentist  has  the  specialized                                                                    
     training to  give them the  best care possible,  and HB
     295 does just that.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     These  concerns  were brought  to  us  by dentists  who                                                                    
     recognized  obstacles in  doing the  best job  they can                                                                    
     for  their  patients,  and  these  concerns  are  worth                                                                    
     considering by passing HB 295.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
5:00:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ABIGAIL SWEETMAN,  Staff, Representative Dan Ortiz,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  presented  the sectional  analysis  for  HB 295  on                                                               
behalf of  Representative Ortiz, prime sponsor.   She paraphrased                                                               
from  a  written  sectional  analysis,   which  read  as  follows                                                               
[original punctuation provided with some formatting changes]:                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: Conforming language in AS 08.01.065(c).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2: Adds  a  new section  (k)  to AS  08.01.065                                                                
     (Title   8.  Business   and  Professions,   Chapter  1.                                                                    
     Centralized  Licensing, Section  065. Establishment  of                                                                    
     fees)                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
               Requires the Board of Dental Examiners to                                                                        
          establish and collect fees on behalf of the                                                                           
          Department of Health and Social Services for the                                                                      
          inspection of dental radiological equipment.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section  3: Adds  new sections  to AS  08.36 (Title  8.                                                                  
     Business and Professions, Chapter 36. Dentistry)                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
          AS 08.36.242. License to practice as a specialist                                                                   
          required.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
               Establishes that a dentist may not advertise                                                                     
          using the term "specialist," the name of a                                                                            
          specialty, or other phrases that suggest they are                                                                     
          a  specialist   unless  they  have   a  specialist                                                                    
          license as established.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
          AS 08.36.243. Qualification  for specialist; scope                                                                  
          of practice.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
          (a)Establishes  that in  order  to  qualify for  a                                                                  
          specialist licenses a person must                                                                                     
               (1)Hold a dental license issued by the board                                                                   
               and                                                                                                              
               (2)Meet the qualifications of a specialist                                                                     
               as established by the board in regulation.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
          (b)   In  creating   the   qualifications  for   a                                                                  
          specialist license,  the board shall  consider the                                                                    
          standards  of a  nationally recognized  certifying                                                                    
          entity approved by the board.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
          (c) Establishes that a  dental specialist can only                                                                  
          claim  to be  a specialist  in the  specialty they                                                                    
          hold a license in.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
          Sec.  08.36.245.   Suspension  or   revocation  of                                                                  
          specialist license.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
          Establishes that  a board may suspend  or revoke a                                                                    
          specialist license as set by AS 08.36.315.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section  4: Adds  a  new section  (d)  to AS  44.29.020                                                                
     (Title 44. State Government,  Chapter 29. Department of                                                                    
     Health and  Human Services, Section 020.  Duties of the                                                                    
     Department)                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
          Requires   DHSS   to    establish   standards   of                                                                    
          registration, use, record  keeping, and inspection                                                                    
          of  dental  radiological equipment  in  compliance                                                                    
          with federal law.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5: Conforming language in AS 44.46.029                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Section 6: Conforming language in AS 46.03.022                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Section 7: Repeals:                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
          AS 08.36.075:  Section of law requiring  the Board                                                                  
     of Dental Examiners to set standards for inspection of                                                                     
     dental  radiological equipment.  Placed  under DHSS  by                                                                    
     section 4.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
          AS 18.05.065, AS 18.60.525(e), and AS 44.29.027:                                                                  
     Sections  of  law   prohibiting  DHSS  from  regulating                                                                    
     dental radiological equipment.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Section 8:  Allows the Board  of Dental  Examiners, the                                                                  
     Department   of  Commerce,   Community,  and   Economic                                                                    
     Development, and  the Department  of Health  and Social                                                                    
     Services to adopt regulations in line with this act.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section  9:   Allows  the  departments  and   board  to                                                                  
     immediately begin setting regulations.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 10: Set  a delayed effective date  for the rest                                                                  
     of the act to July 1, 2023.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
5:03:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS opened invited testimony on HB 295.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
5:03:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID  LOGAN, DDS,  Executive  Director,  Alaska Dental  Society,                                                               
provided invited  testimony in support  of HB 295.   He explained                                                               
that  currently there  isn't an  avenue for  dentists to  get the                                                               
necessary inspections  of their  x-ray equipment.   Dentists must                                                               
use state certified inspectors, but  for several years there have                                                               
been no certified inspectors that dentists can use.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
DR.  LOGAN  said  there  have  been  a  couple  false  starts  at                                                               
legislation, but  this year is  coming to a deadline  as dentists                                                               
are  going to  start falling  out  of compliance  at year's  end.                                                               
Without action  of some sort,  dentists will be in  the situation                                                               
at year's end of their  x-ray machines becoming out of compliance                                                               
with  the necessary  inspections.    Consequently, dentists  will                                                               
have to use machines that are  no longer compliant or not be able                                                               
to  use their  machines at  all    neither  of which  is a  great                                                               
option.   These machines need  to be inspected  periodically, not                                                               
doing so  doesn't help  things from  a public  health standpoint.                                                               
Dentists would like to get those machines inspected.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
5:05:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID NIELSON,  DDS, Chair, Board  of Dental  Examiners, Division                                                               
of   Corporations,   Business,    and   Professional   Licensing,                                                               
Department  of  Commerce,  Community,  and  Economic  Development                                                               
(DCCED), provided  invited testimony  in support of  HB 295.   He                                                               
said he agrees  with Dr. Logan's testimony.   Regarding Section 3                                                               
of the bill,  he explained that the Dental  Practice Act repealed                                                               
specialty license categories in 2012  for reasons he is not aware                                                               
of because  he was not on  the Board of Dental  Examiners at that                                                               
time.   Since then, the  board has shied away  from investigating                                                               
false  and misleading  advertising complaints  that tend  to crop                                                               
up.  For the board  to address this, specialty license categories                                                               
are needed  that can  hold up  under legal  scrutiny.   The board                                                               
needs the  ability to reduce  public confusion over  deceptive or                                                               
false advertising  brought by dentists using  the term specialist                                                               
for specializing in  an area of dentistry  that is professionally                                                               
recognized to require significantly  more training than they have                                                               
received.    Typically,  an  accredited  post-graduate  specialty                                                               
program  demands  two years  minimum  of  training beyond  dental                                                               
school.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DR. NIELSON related that the board  has had to deny a few license                                                               
applications  to  specialists  trying  to  come  work  in  Alaska                                                               
because  the   board  didn't   have  a   way  to   approve  their                                                               
applications.   That is  because, without  having a  license type                                                               
that's limited  to the specialty  area of dentistry  that they've                                                               
been  practicing  in for  years  or  that  they have  a  specific                                                               
training in, the board had to  deny licenses to dentists who have                                                               
graduated from an  accredited specialty program.   If [the board]                                                               
can  limit  the scope  of  practice  of  the specific  branch  of                                                               
dentistry  covered by  the specialty  license, it  will open  the                                                               
doors a  little wider  to more qualified  specialists to  come to                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:08:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  offered his understanding  that currently                                                               
there is not  someone to inspect the machines  used in dentistry.                                                               
He asked  whether there are dentists  under investigation because                                                               
they  cannot comply  with this.   He  further asked  whether this                                                               
means every dentist is going to have  to shut down if this is not                                                               
implemented fast enough.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:09:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SARA CHAMBERS, Director, Division  of Corporations, Business, and                                                               
Professional  Licensing, Department  of Commerce,  Community, and                                                               
Economic Development  (DCCED), replied  that the division  is not                                                               
currently  investigating  these  potentially  out  of  compliance                                                               
dentists because there  is no program with which to  comply.  The                                                               
division does  not want  to put them  in a "catch  22."   If this                                                               
bill  passes, the  plan  would  be to  assist  the Department  of                                                               
Health and Social Services (DHSS)  in getting this up and running                                                               
quickly  and   then  move  toward   compliance  rather   than  an                                                               
enforcement right  out of the gate.   The division would  want to                                                               
make sure  dentists were aware  of how  to comply and  that there                                                               
was a program that allowed compliance.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
DR.  NIELSON agreed  with  Ms.  Chambers.   He  pointed out  that                                                               
realistically  there isn't  a  process in  place  for one  dental                                                               
examiner to figure  out which of the  approximately 2,400 devices                                                               
being  used are  out of  compliance.   Dentists  have had  nobody                                                               
qualified to do  their inspections for years.   Everyone wants to                                                               
get caught up  and get this program going again  and DHSS has the                                                               
people to do it.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY asked  how viable it is that  DHSS will be                                                               
able to find people to  do the inspections given dentistry hasn't                                                               
been able to find inspectors.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHAMBERS responded  that it would be a different  model.  The                                                               
board,  she explained,  has typically  utilized a  private sector                                                               
model that  would rely on a  supply of people who  are performing                                                               
this type of service for  other healthcare devices, but the board                                                               
hasn't been  able to  identify anyone in  the last  several years                                                               
who is  qualified or willing to  do that.  The  DHSS model, which                                                               
is reflected  in the fiscal  notes of both departments,  would be                                                               
to employ someone who  would be able to do this.   A fee would be                                                               
collected  by DCCED  from the  dentist to  pay for  this service,                                                               
which  would then  be sent  over to  DHSS through  a reimbursable                                                               
service agreement (RSA)  to pay for the person  on staff, thereby                                                               
ensuring that someone is available to perform these inspections.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY asked  whether  this is  kicking the  can                                                               
from one department to another  - previously dentists were paying                                                               
for the  inspections until they  couldn't find any  inspectors in                                                               
the state.  He further asked  whether a grace period for dentists                                                               
is planned since it will take a  while into the future to find an                                                               
inspector given the current labor shortage.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHAMBERS answered that everyone  is in support of moving this                                                               
program.   Radiological physicists are required  to perform these                                                               
inspections, but  since DCCED doesn't  specialize in that,  it is                                                               
looking  to  its  partner  sister  agency for  an  assist  to  do                                                               
something that is  currently under dental board statute.   To not                                                               
reinvent  the  wheel,  DCCED  often works  that  way  with  other                                                               
departments for  efficiency measures as  well as expertise.   The                                                               
grace period would extend to a  length of time that it would take                                                               
for  this program  to be  up  and running,  DCCED is  not in  the                                                               
business of enforcing impossible-to-comply-with  laws.  So, DCCED                                                               
would be working closely with DHSS  to make sure that the program                                                               
is  functional,  fully staffed,  and  available,  and to  clearly                                                               
communicate a rollout  of that inspection series  to the dentists                                                               
involved  so, compliance rather than enforcement.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
5:13:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAYME PARKER,  MD, Chief, Alaska  State Public  Health Laboratory                                                               
Fairbanks, Division  of Public Health,  Department of  Health and                                                               
Social  Services (DHSS),  responded  to Representative  McCarty's                                                               
questions.    She  explained  that   her  laboratory  houses  the                                                               
radiological  health  program,  which   currently  has  a  single                                                               
radiological  health physicist  who inspects  and registers  over                                                               
1,000 non-dental devices  every year.  For this  to be successful                                                               
[the laboratory]  would need to hire  another radiological health                                                               
care physicist to  take on this additional capacity.   While this                                                               
isn't easy to come by, it isn't impossible.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  asked  whether  the  effective  date  of                                                               
7/1/23 is a doable timeframe.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHAMBERS replied that [DCCED]  has been in communication with                                                               
DHSS and this  effective date seems to work best  for most people                                                               
and  is a  realistic start  date.   The original  start date  was                                                               
3/1/23 and July is a more reasonable date.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
DR.  PARKER  added  that  [DHSS] would  not  investigate  if  the                                                               
program was not  able to be complied with.   Investigations would                                                               
not be initiated  for people who could not comply  with a program                                                               
that was not fully up and running.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:15:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  NELSON  recalled  Ms.  Chambers'  statement  that                                                               
impossible laws would not be enforced.   He asked what the future                                                               
looks like if this doesn't get through in time.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHAMBERS responded that DCCED  will have to work closely with                                                               
the industry to determine.  The  first step would be for dentists                                                               
to not utilize equipment that  wasn't properly inspected or where                                                               
they were not complying with the  laws that are attainable.  This                                                               
means that  if a  dentist has a  piece of  radiological equipment                                                               
that  hasn't been  inspected within  that six  years the  dentist                                                               
would need  to make a professional  call as to whether  he or she                                                               
wants to run  the risk of damage happening to  staff or patients.                                                               
[The  departments] aren't  going to  seek investigations  because                                                               
dentists didn't  comply with a date  that is on the  books.  That                                                               
is different than professionals making  a call as to whether they                                                               
feel comfortable  using equipment that  is out of  compliance but                                                               
that they  believe is safe.   The departments will link  arms and                                                               
plow forward  if the bill passes  and gives DHSS the  tools to do                                                               
that, along with communicating with  dentists because neither one                                                               
is an outcome that anybody wants.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON asked if the  fees would be enough to cover                                                               
the bill's attached fiscal notes [totaling about $500,000].                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CHAMBERS  answered that  this  would  be completely  receipt                                                               
supported, as indicated in the fiscal  notes.  One way to look at                                                               
it is that  this program is currently theoretically  on the books                                                               
and [DCCED]  should have been  collecting these fees  or dentists                                                               
should have  been paying  a private  contractor these  fees these                                                               
last several years.  Dentists are aware  of going to a model of a                                                               
state employee at  DHSS because this has been  discussed with the                                                               
board  on  the  record,  and  that the  fees  for  all  licensing                                                               
programs and each  sector's group payment will be  set through an                                                               
annual  fee analysis.   If  the  final model  is [an  inspection]                                                               
every  sixth year,  then  that  amount would  be  paid every  six                                                               
years, so  it would  not be  an annual  amount to  every dentist.                                                               
[The departments] will  have to work through the  cost, which was                                                               
previously paid through  the private sector and now  will be paid                                                               
through the public sector.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  NELSON said  he  has heard  about struggles  with                                                               
recruiting people for  public jobs compared to  private jobs that                                                               
pay much  better.   He asked  what the  relationship would  be of                                                               
having this  on the books, but  no one could be  hired before the                                                               
deadline for this position had passed.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHAMBERS  deferred to the writer  of the DHSS fiscal  note to                                                               
answer the question.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
5:20:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
IRENE  CASARES,  Radiological   Health  Physicist,  Alaska  State                                                               
Public Health  Laboratory Fairbanks,  Division of  Public Health,                                                               
Department of  Health and Social Services  (DHSS), responded that                                                               
the situation  of the  inspections would be  once the  program is                                                               
attainable  and a  person  is  hired.   She  related that  people                                                               
currently in  Alaska have asked  her about the salary  and duties                                                               
of  this  position,  and  said  they are  willing  to  take  this                                                               
position  of getting  the program  in  alignment, inspecting  the                                                               
equipment, and getting the dentists in  compliance.  It is just a                                                               
fact of who, when, where, and how does this get started.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  NELSON asked  whether  Ms.  Casares is  confident                                                               
that within  a few  months of  passing HB  295, someone  could be                                                               
hired and already out inspecting equipment.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. CASARES replied yes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:21:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN inquired about how  the risk is managed to                                                               
prevent  specialists  from being  locked  out  of what  they  are                                                               
qualified  to do  because of  categorization.   He further  asked                                                               
whether the state  has good definitions with  enough latitude for                                                               
specializing along with doing general dentistry.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
DR.  NIELSON answered  that certain  specialties have  more cross                                                               
training in  general dentistry procedures  than others,  and each                                                               
specialty  must  be  looked  at individually  to  see  what  they                                                               
routinely  do.   It's a  bit  of a  gray  area, he  said, but  he                                                               
wouldn't suspect it  would be a problem if an  endodontist put in                                                               
a small  filling.   It would  be on a  case-by-case basis,  so he                                                               
can't give the  scope of practice for each specialty  down to the                                                               
letter.   It's  just more  appropriate,  he advised,  to allow  a                                                               
specialist to work in their specialty area and keep it at that.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
DR. LOGAN pointed out that,  in general, most specialists are not                                                               
interested in  performing general  dentistry.   Some specialists,                                                               
like a  root canal specialist (endodontist),  may routinely throw                                                               
in  a filling.   A  periodontist (gum  specialist) would  have no                                                               
interest in  putting in a filling  because that is not  what they                                                               
deal with,  it is  a completely different  piece of  the anatomy.                                                               
Therefore, this would not take away something.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHAMBERS  added that these  will be  some of the  things that                                                               
the board  will need  to work  through in  regulation.   It would                                                               
typically fall to  the education and training that  the person is                                                               
presenting, so  [DCCED] would  not intentionally  prevent someone                                                               
from practicing something  they were qualified to do  and want to                                                               
do.  If they wished to pursue  both pathways there is a method in                                                               
the law to do  that, and the board will just  need to narrow that                                                               
down through the regulatory process.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
DR.  NIELSON agreed  with Ms.  Chambers.   He explained  that the                                                               
intent  of this  is really  the other  way around    which  is to                                                               
allow someone  who has had training  in a specialty area  to come                                                               
to Alaska even  though they haven't done  "general dentistry" for                                                               
a long time.   The intent is to open this  up for specialists who                                                               
are highly  trained in their  area, [the  board] is not  going to                                                               
focus a  lot of  time on not  allowing a specialist  to put  in a                                                               
little filling once in a while if they feel qualified to do it.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KAUFMAN  cautioned  against creating  a  catch-22                                                               
situation where there  is a little piece of work,  and someone is                                                               
afraid to do  it even though they  are competent to do  so but it                                                               
isn't  per the  regulations.   In  general, he  continued, he  is                                                               
seeing that everything is going in a good direction.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
5:27:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  concurred  with  Representative  Kaufman                                                               
about micro-managing,  but said  he isn't  hearing that  from the                                                               
invited  testimony.   He stated  he is  confused about  where the                                                               
problem  is in  recognizing specialists  trying to  get into  the                                                               
state given specialists are already in Alaska.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
DR. LOGAN  confirmed there are  about 150 specialists  in Alaska.                                                               
He explained that  by not having a specialty  license they cannot                                                               
differentiate themselves  from somebody else as  a specialist; or                                                               
they can  but the reverse  is also  unfortunately true in  that a                                                               
general dentist can list himself  or herself as a specialist even                                                               
without the  requisite training,  and the  board is  powerless to                                                               
prevent them from  doing that because the board  doesn't have the                                                               
statutory authority with the specialty license.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
[HB 295 was held over.]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
          HB 276-PSYCHOLOGISTS: LICENSING AND PRACTICE                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:29:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the  final order of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE  BILL  NO.  276,  "An  Act  relating  to  licensing  of                                                               
psychologists and  psychological associates; and relating  to the                                                               
practice of psychology."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS reminded  members that HB 276  is the committee's                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:29:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARVO   REGUINDIN,  Executive   Director,  Alaska   Psychological                                                               
Association (APA), provided a  PowerPoint presentation titled "HB
276  Model  Licensing  Act for  Psychologists  and  Psychological                                                               
Associates."      He  spoke   to   the   second  slide,   "Alaska                                                               
Psychological  Association,"  which  read  as  follows  [original                                                               
punctuation provided with some formatting changes]:                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     â?¢ Represent the scientific and professional interests                                                                    
        of AK-PA membership to the American Psychological                                                                       
        Association (APA).                                                                                                      
     â?¢ [135] members in 2021, the membership consists of                                                                      
        o Licensed    Psychologists     and    Psychological                                                                    
          Associates                                                                                                            
        o LMFT, LPC, LSW, LCSW, ANP, PMHNP                                                                                      
        o University or college faculty or other non-                                                                           
          clinical   professionals   with   a   masters   or                                                                    
          doctorate in psychology                                                                                               
        o Grad Students                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR.  REGUINDIN noted  that psychologists  have a  doctoral degree                                                               
and  psychological associates  have a  master's degree,  and that                                                               
for both of those to hold their titles they must be licensed.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.  REGUINDIN reviewed  the third  slide, "Alaska  Psychological                                                               
Association,"  which   read  as  follows   [original  punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Mission:                                                                                                                   
     The purpose  of Alaska Psychological Association  is to                                                                    
     promote    the    advancement,    communication,    and                                                                    
     application of  psychological science and  knowledge to                                                                    
     improve the lives of all Alaskans.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. REGUINDIN  discussed the fourth  slide, "Model  Licensing Act                                                               
History," which  read as  follows [original  punctuation provided                                                               
with some formatting changes]:                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     â?¢ AK-PA learned of APA's Model Licensing Act (MLA) at                                                                    
        the 2017 American Psychological Association annual                                                                      
        Practice Leadership Conference                                                                                          
     â?¢ The AK-PA conference delegation created a committee                                                                    
        to hold a series of work-sessions open to members                                                                       
        and the public to gauge interest and accept input                                                                       
        from a wide constituency.                                                                                               
     â?¢ In 2018, work sessions  examined and  discussed the                                                                    
        current licensing classifications and licensing                                                                         
        requirements, then gained interest and support for                                                                      
        introducing an MLA for Alaska.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  REGUINDIN presented  the fifth  slide 5,  "Current Licensing                                                               
for Psychologists  and Psychological  Associates," which  read as                                                               
follows  [original  punctuation  provided  with  some  formatting                                                               
changes]:                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     â?¢ Currently, Alaska's Statutes  and  Regulations  for                                                                    
        Psychologists and Psychological Associates provide                                                                      
        for obtaining a license or obtaining a temporary                                                                        
        license.                                                                                                                
     â?¢ 324 licensed Psychologists                                                                                             
     â?¢ 36 Psychological Associates in the state                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.  REGUINDIN explained  that HB  276 would  introduce a  middle                                                               
ground.  He  turned to the sixth slide, "HB  276 MLA Introduces a                                                               
Middle  Ground,"  which  read as  follows  [original  punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     1. Amend how  student supervised  hours are  acquired                                                                      
        this is the core for developing the MLA                                                                                 
     2. Introduction  of  a  Part  Time   License  for  both                                                                  
        psychologists and psychological associates                                                                              
     3. Introduction  of  an   Inactive  License   for  both                                                                  
        psychologists and psychological associates                                                                              
     4. Better defines who  the Practice of  Psychology does                                                                    
        not apply to by including Contractors for a Tribal                                                                      
        Health Organization licensed in another state.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  REGUINDIN  noted  that  Alaska  has  two  universities  with                                                               
doctoral degrees in  psychology, so this became  a very important                                                               
point of creating this Model Licensing Act.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. REGUINDIN  displayed the seventh  slide, "Amend  how Graduate                                                               
Student  Supervised Hours  are Acquired,"  which read  as follows                                                               
[original punctuation provided with some formatting changes]:                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     â?¢ Follows the national trend to allow 3000 hours to be                                                                   
        completed before graduation through practicum,                                                                          
        internship, or postdoctoral experience                                                                                  
     â?¢ Does not alter the quality or quantity of training                                                                     
     â?¢ 17 states allow the re-sequencing of training hours                                                                    
     â?¢ Follows the model used by medical schools                                                                              
     â?¢ Allows students  to  get  licensed  and  enter  the                                                                    
        workforce sooner to benefit Alaskans                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. REGUINDIN addressed the eighth  slide, "Introduce a Part Time                                                               
License," which  read as  follows [original  punctuation provided                                                               
with some formatting changes]:                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     â?¢ This new classification would allow senior career                                                                      
        licensed psychologists  and  senior career  licensed                                                                    
        psychological associates  approaching retirement  to                                                                    
        continue  their  practice  with  limited  hours  and                                                                    
        continue to use their respective  titles as licensed                                                                    
        providers in  writing  papers, research,  presenting                                                                    
        continuing education                                                                                                    
     â?¢ Must be licensed for at least 20 years                                                                                 
    â?¢ Engaged in the practice for not more than 20 hours a                                                                    
        week.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS inquired about the  logic and benefit in having a                                                               
part-time license in addition to a regular license.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. REGUINDIN deferred to Dr. Lane to answer the question.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:35:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROBERT  LANE,   PhD,  Director,  Counseling   Psychology,  Alaska                                                               
Pacific University, explained  that the intent with  this is that                                                               
the  psychology license  statutes in  Alaska are  both title  and                                                               
practice.  During  work group meeting, members  talked about what                                                               
they  would like  to  see happening  with  [Alaska] statutes  and                                                               
licensing laws.  A group  of senior psychologists were interested                                                               
in trying  to hang on to  their ability to use  the title without                                                               
having to  pay the  full fee  of the license  for exiting  out of                                                               
work.  For  example, a colleague of his was  no longer in private                                                               
practice, but  had treated  sex offenders  for years  in Alaska's                                                               
criminal justice system.   This colleague wrote a  book and would                                                               
like to be able to  share research findings with psychologists in                                                               
Alaska, but  he cannot do that  unless he is licensed  because he                                                               
would be holding himself out as a  psychologist.  So, it is a way                                                               
of allowing  people who  are no  longer trying  to be  in private                                                               
practice to  still be able  to be psychologists in  the community                                                               
and share  their work with  others.  Another example  is himself,                                                               
Dr. Lane  continued.  When he  retires in about another  year, he                                                               
will have  put in  a career  of being a  psychologist, but  if he                                                               
doesn't  maintain a  license, he  cannot  refer to  himself as  a                                                               
psychologist.   So,  there is  some discipline  and professional-                                                               
like identity that  goes with it.  The license  fee in Alaska has                                                               
been as  high as $1,400-$1,500  but has come back  down somewhat.                                                               
The idea with this is to  give some sort of reduced licensing fee                                                               
and  allow people  to hang  on  to their  title and  have a  very                                                               
limited scope of practice.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:38:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS observed  that [page 3 of the  bill, lines 13-14]                                                               
state  that  the  "board  may   issue  a  part-time  psychologist                                                               
license".  He surmised that  the board could therefore choose not                                                               
to  issue a  part-time license,  but no  parameters are  provided                                                               
about the  extent to which the  fees might be reduced.   He asked                                                               
whether the fees would be left to the board and the department.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
DR. LANE replied as follows:                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     We were aware  that much of what happens  in the actual                                                                    
     practice  of  things  happens  in  the  development  of                                                                    
     regulation  and we  didn't want  to get  down into  the                                                                    
     weeds in an area where  we didn't really know without                                                                      
     the licensing  board being  involved, and  the division                                                                    
     being more involved in  the development of regulations.                                                                    
     So our  thinking was if  we could propose  the statutes                                                                    
     then   regulations   would   be  developed   and   then                                                                    
     appropriate  license holders  would  have  a chance  to                                                                    
     opine on the regulations."                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS requested the opinion  of Ms. Chambers about this                                                               
[proposed] new part-time license.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
5:39:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SARA CHAMBERS, Director, Division  of Corporations, Business, and                                                               
Professional  Licensing, Department  of Commerce,  Community, and                                                               
Economic Development (DCCED), responded  that she understands the                                                               
intent behind the  license, but she has not  had much opportunity                                                               
to  speak with  the board  or the  association about  this.   She                                                               
stated that there  is no guarantee there will be  a lower license                                                               
fee -  it is the  same amount of  regulatory work to  approve the                                                               
credentials and background for someone.   The current license fee                                                               
for  a  renewing  psychologist  would  be  $500,  she  continued.                                                               
Asking  for a  reduced fee  for  essentially the  same amount  of                                                               
regulatory work  would really be  asking the board to  endorse on                                                               
the  record  a  scheme  in  which  the  full-time  licensees  are                                                               
subsidizing  the regulatory  cost  of the  part-time or  inactive                                                               
licensees, assuming  that that  workload is the  same.   It takes                                                               
the  same overhead,  lights,  heat, and  staff  time to  evaluate                                                               
credentials,   work  through   paperwork,  and   there  is   also                                                               
investigation cost.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS asked  Ms. Chambers whether she  objects to being                                                               
given  the authority  as long  as it  is "may"  or whether  it is                                                               
better to just not be given that authority.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CHAMBERS  answered that  this  is  not  a novel  or  unusual                                                               
concept as  many of  the division's  licensing programs  give the                                                               
board  the authority  to evaluate  credentials  and determine  if                                                               
someone is  qualified and then  to have  the intent to  meet this                                                               
niche market.   The division would not want to  stand in the way,                                                               
but those  conversations haven't  happened regarding the  cost or                                                               
the  application workload  and  what the  credentials might  look                                                               
like.    The division  doesn't  have  any  objection to  it,  she                                                               
continued, but there  are details that need to be  worked out and                                                               
she cannot  guarantee that there  would be  a lower fee  for this                                                               
type of license.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
5:41:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  said he would  like to define  similar in                                                               
relation to Ms.  Chambers' statement that there  are other boards                                                               
which  have something  similar.   He asked  whether other  boards                                                               
have a part-time license position.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHAMBERS replied  that many boards have  inactive licenses or                                                               
"sort of a license  light," so to speak.  She  said she would get                                                               
back to the committee on  whether a true part-time license exists                                                               
with other programs.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  stated that a part-time  license position                                                               
would  suggest that  a  licensee  is working  part  time, say  20                                                               
hours.  He surmised that a lot  more would be put on the division                                                               
in having  to verify that  a person is  not working more  than 20                                                               
hours  given that  a lower  cost could  result in  someone saying                                                               
they  are  part-time and  then  working  under  the table.    The                                                               
division,  he continued,  would put  more energy  on a  part-time                                                               
person for  the privilege of  the title, a privilege  that exists                                                               
for full time for $500 every two years.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHAMBERS  responded that  this is an  important nuance.   She                                                               
suggested that  the inactive license  might be the same  thing to                                                               
allow  someone to  continue  to use  their  title without  seeing                                                               
patients.  There  is a potential for risk, she  continued, so the                                                               
division would  likely have someone  attest under penalty  of law                                                               
that they  have only worked those  20 hours a week  and that they                                                               
have  met the  legal requirements.   The  division would  then be                                                               
beholden  to  investigate if  a  complaint  were turned  in  that                                                               
someone was trying  to defraud the state by working  more than 20                                                               
hours a week on a part-time license.   There would be no real way                                                               
that  the  division would  ask  for  that verification,  such  as                                                               
records,  but  the  division   would  request  attestation  under                                                               
penalty of perjury and investigate if a complaint was received.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY reiterated  that  it  seems the  division                                                               
would put  in a lot more  energy to investigate this  rather than                                                               
just  making it  a  clean  piece.   He  inquired whether  someone                                                               
filing  for  an  inactive  license   could  carry  the  title  of                                                               
psychologist given that they would not be a practicing licensee.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CHAMBERS  answered  that  usually  an  inactive  license  is                                                               
adopted by  the legislature or the  board to allow someone  to be                                                               
able to  continue to  call themselves  a doctor  or to  hold that                                                               
credential but  without being able  to practice  that profession.                                                               
For example,  someone writing a  book could call  themselves "Dr.                                                               
Kenneth McCarty" but  could not see patients  under that inactive                                                               
license.  Nurses, architects, engineers,  and land surveyors have                                                               
this - people  who want to maintain the  prestige and recognition                                                               
of their hard work without actually practicing in the field.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
5:46:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. REGUINDIN,  at the request  of Co-Chair Fields,  reviewed the                                                               
nineth  slide, "Introduce  an Inactive  License,"  which read  as                                                               
follows  [original  punctuation  provided  with  some  formatting                                                               
changes]:                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
       â?¢ The APA Model Licensing Act notes an Inactive                                                                        
        License for "psychologists who suffering from health                                                                    
        problems, are  on  military  assignment outside  the                                                                    
        state,  on  sabbatical,  retired,  or  who  move  to                                                                    
        another state may wish to be on inactive status."                                                                       
        â?¢ Relieving the psychologist from paying full                                                                         
        licensing fees while in 'inactive' status allows                                                                        
        them to remain in good standing without being an                                                                        
        active practitioner.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
5:47:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  surmised that this language  defines that                                                               
inactive is  not just  checking a  box of  inactive but  that the                                                               
person must have a reason  which fits under the criteria outlined                                                               
in the  language.  Therefore,  someone cannot just check  the box                                                               
of inactive just to retain the title of psychologist.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
DR. LANE offered his assumption that  this would be worked out in                                                               
regulation,  and he  can envision  having  a comprehensive  list.                                                               
However, he  would be concerned  about a comprehensive  list that                                                               
wasn't actually comprehensive, but he  is assuming from the point                                                               
of  view of  HB 276  that those  details would  be worked  out in                                                               
regulation.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  FIELDS asked  whether this  is all  about paying  $500,                                                               
which he said  seems like a low cost for  someone with a doctoral                                                               
level of education.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
DR. LANE  responded that the  inactive license is  something lots                                                               
of states have and the idea  is to give Alaskan psychologists the                                                               
same kinds of  things that other states have.   He said he hadn't                                                               
put  as  much  thought  into  the actual  fees  because  that  is                                                               
something in which the board would need to have an active part.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS  asked Ms. Chambers  whether an  inactive license                                                               
would be a workable model.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CHAMBERS  replied yes,  several  programs  have an  inactive                                                               
license  where  people  want  to  say they  are  a  nurse  or  an                                                               
engineer, but  not practice.   She advised  that when  getting to                                                               
regulations  with  the  board  a reason  would  not  be  required                                                               
because there is not really  a purpose behind requiring a reason.                                                               
If  someone  was not  going  to  practice,  they would  file  the                                                               
paperwork,  the online  verification  with the  state.   With  an                                                               
inactive  license they  are not  allowed to  practice.   The bill                                                               
allows for a method to reverse  that if they want to change back.                                                               
The bottom line is that they would not be allowed to practice.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY agreed  that that  is a  good point.   He                                                               
asked whether he  is correct in understanding that  if someone is                                                               
inactive, they  can state that  they have been involved  in, say,                                                               
engineering, but cannot say that they are a licensed engineer.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHAMBERS  answered that that  is not her understanding.   She                                                               
said her  understanding is that  they can  still say they  are an                                                               
engineer, or  still say that  they are a psychologist;  they just                                                               
can't  say that  they  are licensed  to  practice engineering  or                                                               
psychology.   So, they  get the  benefit of  the title,  but they                                                               
can't hold  themselves out as  taking engineering jobs  or seeing                                                               
patients and  it really is for  folks who are at  the endpoint of                                                               
their career.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
5:51:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. REGUINDIN  concluded his presentation  with the  tenth slide,                                                               
"Practice  of  Psychology  does  not apply  to,"  which  read  as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     An  officer,  employee,  or contractorof  the  United                                                                
     States  Government  or  a tribal  organization  who  is                                                                
     licensed to  practice psychology  in another  state and                                                                
     is practicing psychology while in  the discharge of the                                                                
     officer's,   employee's,   or   contractor's   official                                                                
     duties.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. REGUINDIN noted that this  provision adds the term contractor                                                               
and  defines  a  tribal  organization in  relation  to  what  the                                                               
practice of psychology does not apply to.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
5:52:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS  surmised that these  people would not  be paying                                                               
fees.    He  asked  how  many psychologists  work  for  a  tribal                                                               
organization and would now not be paying fees.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CHAMBERS  replied  that she  thinks  this  legislation  just                                                               
clarifies what is  already in federal law that not  all, but most                                                               
types, of  contractors who  hold a license  in another  state for                                                               
working  through the  Indian Health  Service  through a  personal                                                               
service  contract are  considered exempt.   This  just adds  some                                                               
beneficial clarity.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
DR.  LANE, in  response to  Co-Chair Fields,  concurred with  Ms.                                                               
Chambers.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
[HB 276 was held over.]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:54:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no  further business before the  committee, the House                                                               
Labor and  Commerce Standing Committee  meeting was  adjourned at                                                               
5:54 p.m.                                                                                                                       

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 295 ver. A 2.9.22.PDF HHSS 3/31/2022 3:00:00 PM
HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 295
HB 295 Sponsor Statement 2.9.22.pdf HHSS 3/31/2022 3:00:00 PM
HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 295
HB 295 Sectional Analysis 2.9.22.pdf HHSS 3/31/2022 3:00:00 PM
HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 295
HB 295 Letter of Support - DEN 2.1.22.pdf HHSS 3/31/2022 3:00:00 PM
HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 295
HB 295 Letter of Support - ADS 2.9.22.pdf HHSS 3/31/2022 3:00:00 PM
HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 295
HB 295 Fiscal Note DCCED-CBPL 2.4.22.pdf HHSS 3/31/2022 3:00:00 PM
HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 295
HB 295 Fiscal Note DOH-LABS 2.4.22.pdf HHSS 3/31/2022 3:00:00 PM
HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 295
HB 295 Fiscal Note DOH-MAA 2.4.22.pdf HHSS 3/31/2022 3:00:00 PM
HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 295
HB 289 ver. B 2.9.22.PDF HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 289
HB 289 Sectional Analysis 1.31.2022.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 289
HB 289 Sponsor Statement 1.31.2022.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 289
HB 289 Letter of Support - AMIA 1.31.2022.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 289
HB 289 Letter of Support - AMIA 1.31.22.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 289
HB 289 Research - ADN Article on Alaska Marijuana Industry 11.07.2021.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 289
HB 289 Research - ADN Article on Alaska Marijuana Industry 11.30.2021.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 289
HB 289 Fiscal Note DCCED-AMCO 2.4.22.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 289
HB 276 ver. A 2.7.22.PDF HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 276
HB 276 Sponsor Statement 2.7.22.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 276
HB 276 Sectional Analysis 2.7.22.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 276
HB 276 Fiscal Note DCCED-CBPL 2.4.22.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 276
HB 276 MLA Overview Presentation 2.7.22.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 276
HB 289 Letter of Support - AMIA 1.31.22.pdf HL&C 2/9/2022 4:30:00 PM
HB 289