04/23/2007 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES

                    HB 136-DENTAL HYGIENISTS                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
CHAIR DAVIS announced HB 136  to be up for consideration. [Before                                                               
the committee was CSHB 136(FIN)(title  am).] She added that there                                                               
was no  opposition on the bill  and no one signed  up to testify,                                                               
and so asked for a motion from the committee.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:34:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COWDERY moved  to report  CSHB  136(FIN)(title am)  from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s). There being no objection, the motion carried.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:36:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JIM  TOWLE,  Executive  Director  of the  Alaska  Dental  Society                                                               
(ADS),  said  he  was  prepared  to comment  on  HB  136  but  he                                                               
understands  the  committee already  did  its  due diligence  and                                                               
passed it from committee.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DAVIS  apologized and explained  that public  testimony had                                                               
been taken at  a previous hearing. She asked if  he would like to                                                               
send testimony to the committee.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. TOWLE  replied he wanted to  tell the committee that  the ADS                                                               
has concerns  about the  bill in its  current form.  "Having done                                                               
that, I've done my duty," he said.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DAVIS  asked if he said  he is opposed to  the bill because                                                               
she understood that ADS supported it.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR.  TOWLE replied  ADS is  not opposed  to the  bill but  it has                                                               
concerns with certain provisions.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DAVIS explained  that amendments  had been  considered but                                                               
the sponsor  and the people  who proposed the  amendments decided                                                               
they  were not  needed. The  lobbyists also  said they  would not                                                               
seek amendments at this time.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. TOWLE  said he appreciates  that he  simply wanted it  on the                                                               
record that ADS supports the basic  tenets of the bill but it had                                                               
reservations  about   certain  portions.  "We'll  seek   to  take                                                               
appropriate steps as it moves forward," he said.